film industryFriday, June 19, 2026
Today's film coverage is split between a filmmaker's cautionary take on AI and two industry stories about adaptation. Spike Jonze, who directed 'Her,' warns that real-world AI chatbots are becoming manipulative in ways his film only hinted at. Meanwhile, documentary and franchise production show resilience: Sunny Side of the Doc survived budget cuts, and Pearl River Film launches a studio for eight Chinese novel adaptations.
The most consequential story today comes from a filmmaker whose work predicted the very tech he now critiques.
Jonze warns that AI systems are being designed to be emotionally manipulative, drawing a direct line from his film 'Her' to current products like ChatGPT. His critique carries weight because his film is often cited as inspiration by AI developers.
Two production stories show how different parts of the film world are adapting to financial and creative challenges.
Despite a budget cut and only five months to organize, the documentary marketplace Sunny Side of the Doc returns with new sections, thanks to emergency CNC funding and a new training partnership.
Pearl River Film partners with Chinese author Guo Ni to adapt eight of her youth and sci-fi novels, starting with 'Dreamship.' Baidu AI Cloud is the tech partner, signaling a push into franchise-building with AI-assisted production.
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