OpenAI is no longer just shaping the future of work and productivity and it’s now stepping into the entertainment world with full force. OpenAI is supporting the creation of a full-length animated movie that leans heavily on artificial intelligence.
Titled “Critterz,” the film tells the story of forest animals embarking on a journey after an outsider unsettles their village. Producers said in a Monday statement that they are targeting a May 2026 premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, ahead of an international theatrical rollout.
The film is being produced on a budget of under $30 million with a nine-month turnaround, far below the usual $100–200 million spend and three-year timeline that most big-studio animated projects demand. The goal is to demonstrate how the technology could reshape Hollywood by delivering films more quickly and at a fraction of the usual cost.
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“Critterz” began as a short film idea from Chad Nelson, an OpenAI creative expert, who started shaping the project three years ago with the help of the company’s DALL·E image generator. “OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it,” Nelson told the Wall Street Journal. “That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.” For Nelson and OpenAI, the goal is straightforward: if ‘Critterz’ takes off, it could show that AI’s role goes far beyond storyboards or visual effects, even it can power the creation of a complete film.
The film’s production combines artificial intelligence with traditional craftsmanship. Artists are creating sketches that are processed through OpenAI’s models, including GPT-5 and its image-generation tools, while voice actors bring the characters to life. The screenplay comes from writers who also worked on the upcoming Paddington in Peru. Funding for the film comes from Federation Studios, the Paris-based parent of Vertigo, with roughly 30 collaborators set to earn a share of profits under a tailored payment structure.
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The first “Critterz” short was produced by Native Foreign, which used OpenAI’s DALL·E to craft the imagery for its characters and settings before passing the material to an experienced team of Emmy-winning animators to bring it to life.
The timing of the project is significant, arriving as Hollywood wrestles with the role of AI. Netflix is working on formal guidelines for its use, Disney and Universal are pursuing legal action against Midjourney over copyright disputes, and the SAG-AFTRA strike last year pushed for protections around digital replicas of actors. Against this backdrop, “Critterz” is more than an efficiency test, it doubles as a declaration about where artistic innovation may be headed.
“Critterz” won’t be the first attempt at an AI-driven animated feature. Last year saw the release of “DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict,” produced on a shoestring budget of just $405, and “Where the Robots Grow,” both early examples of how generative AI is already finding its way into full-length storytelling.