Joe Russo thinks AI will shape the future of storytelling in film

Joe Russo
(Image credit: Albert L. Ortega / Contributor / Getty)

Joe Russo has opened up on his thoughts about how AI could affect the future of film and storytelling. 

Speaking at a Sands International Film Festival panel moderated by Collider, the Avengers: Endgame director shared his predictions on the impact artificial intelligence could have across movies, TV, and video games. 

Noting that Gen Z has embraced rapid technological progress in a way never seen before, which allows for "a real possibility now for technology to become a really important factor in our lives," Russo revealed that he thinks AI could end up creating entire movies. 

"So potentially, what you could do with it is obviously use it to engineer storytelling and change storytelling," he commented. "So you have a constantly evolving story, either in a game or in a movie, or a TV show. You could walk into your house and save the AI on your streaming platform. 'Hey, I want a movie starring my photoreal avatar and Marilyn Monroe's photoreal avatar. I want it to be a rom-com because I've had a rough day,' and it renders a very competent story with dialogue that mimics your voice. It mimics your voice, and suddenly now you have a rom-com starring you that's 90 minutes long. So you can curate your story specifically to you."

He added that AI could also be used to "curate your experience" in gaming, using an example of requesting an AI to make Fortnite more of a horror game, as well as talking about how artificial intelligence could influence NPCs. 

"I think that's where it's going. How quickly we get there, I don't know, but that's where it's going," he said. 

Russo's next project is Citadel, which he executive produced along with his brother Anthony Russo. The show hits Prime Video this April 28. You can fill out your watchlist further with our guide to the best shows on Amazon Prime Video

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

Read more
The Russo brothers
The Russo brothers defend use of AI in The Electric State: "There’s a lot of finger-pointing and hyperbole because people are afraid"
Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and Ke Huy Quan in The Electric State
The Russo brothers reveal why they wanted to direct The Electric State and talk the "very intentional" exploration of timely technology fears in the Netflix sci-fi movie
Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State
Avengers: Endgame directors Anthony and Joe Russo's new Netflix sci-fi movie The Electric State is "by far and away the hardest VFX film" they've made so far
Robert Downey Jr. during the Doctor Doom announcement at Marvel's SDCC 2024 panel
The Russo brothers tease the "incredible opportunity" of returning for Avengers 5 and 6: "We want to beat those younger versions of ourselves"
Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State
The Russo brothers’ upcoming Netflix movie The Electric State includes a section that takes place before the graphic novel due to its "vague narrative"
Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State trailer
The Russo Brothers and The Electric State cast talk the Netflix movie's "stunning" VFX – and say the graphic novel's creator is "fully supportive" of the movie lightening the tone
Latest in Movies
Patrick Stewart as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
The classic Fox X-Men are returning in Avengers: Doomsday, and I've got a really bad feeling about this
Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan, Hannah John-Kamen and David Harbour in Thunderbolts
The new Thunderbolts teaser namedrops the Avengers twice, less than a day after the cast was confirmed for Doomsday
Thor and Loki in Thor: Ragnarok
After 15 years in the making, Thor and Loki's reunion in Avengers: Doomsday could be the perfect MCU conclusion for the characters
Jason Statham in A Working Man
Jason Statham and The Beekeeper director's new movie co-written by Sylvester Stallone debuts to mixed reviews with a divisive Rotten Tomatoes score
Heath Ledger as Joker in The Dark Knight
17 years after The Dark Knight was released, Michael Caine recalls being "floored" and "terrified" by Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker
WandaVision episode 8
Robert Downey Jr's WandaVision Easter egg in the Avengers: Doomsday announcement has me thinking Scarlet Witch will be in the movie after all
Latest in News
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots
The surprise theme of today's Nintendo Direct was classic PlayStation franchises getting a comeback without Sony's involvement
Hogwarts Legacy how many spells
Unannounced Hogwarts Legacy DLC reportedly canceled, partly because the studio wasn't sure it'd be worth players' money
Ultimate X-Men #14
Ultimate X-Men #14 pays homage to a classic Wolverine moment as the Shadow King returns
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Ubisoft reaches deal with Tencent to create $4.3 billion mini-Ubisoft subsidiary to "spearhead development" on new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six games
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2
The Last of Us showrunner says he isn't worried about fan reaction to season 2: "The best way we could respect our fans and honor them is to not worry about them"
Black Myth: Wukong
English is no longer the biggest language on Steam as Chinese gamers embrace PC gaming even harder after Black Myth: Wukong