TLDR: Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have revealed that artificial intelligence was employed for voice modulation in their recent Netflix blockbuster, ‘The Electric State.’ This admission has reignited discussions within Hollywood regarding the increasing integration of AI in filmmaking. Joe Russo characterized the AI application as straightforward, comparing it to tasks a ‘ten-year-old could do after watching a TikTok video,’ while simultaneously advocating for AI’s significant potential in creative endeavors.
The highly anticipated Netflix film, ‘The Electric State,’ directed by the acclaimed Russo Brothers, Joe and Anthony, has become a focal point of the ongoing debate surrounding artificial intelligence in cinema. Joe Russo confirmed in an interview with The Times that AI voice modulation was a component of the film’s post-production process, a revelation that has drawn both scrutiny and defense.
‘The Electric State,’ a sci-fi adventure comedy, is an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 illustrated novel. The film, which premiered globally on Netflix on March 14, 2025, boasts a star-studded cast including Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle, Chris Pratt as Keats, Ke Huy Quan, Woody Harrelson, and Stanley Tucci. With a substantial budget of $320 million, the movie follows an orphaned teenager, Michelle, as she navigates a retro-futuristic American West alongside a robot companion and an eccentric drifter in search of her missing brother, exploring themes of family, technology, and human connection in a world scarred by a robot-human war.
Joe Russo addressed the use of AI, stating, ‘There’s a lot of finger-pointing and hyperbole because people are afraid. They don’t understand. But ultimately you’ll see AI used more significantly.’ He further elaborated on his perspective, asserting that AI, in its current ‘generative state,’ is ‘best suited towards creativity,’ despite its limitations such as ‘hallucinations’ that prevent its use in ‘mission-critical’ applications like self-driving cars or surgery. Anthony Russo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to approach AI as a valuable technological innovation that artists must always control.
The integration of AI in ‘The Electric State’ comes amidst a contentious period in Hollywood, where the role of artificial intelligence was a key issue during the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes (WGA and SAG-AFTRA), with concerns centered on job displacement. Other productions, such as ‘The Brutalist’ and a Netflix documentary on Gabby Petito, have also faced criticism for their AI usage, while some directors, like James Cameron, are explicitly opting out of generative AI for their upcoming projects. Despite the controversy, ‘The Electric State’ garnered a 76% audience favorability score and topped Netflix charts in 79 countries, though critics were less impressed, giving it a 14% approval on Rotten Tomatoes.
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The Russo Brothers, known for their work on ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ are slated to direct the upcoming Marvel films ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’ Their proactive stance on AI suggests that this technology may continue to play a role in their future high-profile productions, building on the ‘many things’ they reportedly learned from ‘The Electric State’s’ visual effects.
