Godzilla Minus One Studio Says Using AI Is ‘Greater Operational Proficiency’

Godzilla Minus One was a CG marvel to behold, seamlessly blending live-action scenes with the terrifying destruction of Japan. The VFX studio behind the flick, Shirogumi, did a brilliant job in integrating VFX into Godzilla Minus One despite a low production budget from Toho Studios. In an interview with Toho Studios President Hiroyasu Matsuoka, the question of AI was raised, to which he shared his thoughts (via The Nikkei Magazine):

Matsuoka went on to explain that it’s necessary for the studio to be on top of AI tech, keeping up in case the world turns the tide “in that direction.” The President also highlighted that the US and China have the best AI tech, making it crucial for him to stay abreast of rising trends in the industry.

What Toho Studios’ Comments Mean For Godzilla

Godzilla Minus One will see a sequel soon, titled Godzilla Minus Zero, aiming for a November release this year. The successful filmmaker from the original flick will return to directorial duties, along with overseeing visual effects. Given that the movie is well into production, Matsuoka’s statements reflect that Toho Studios has not yet adopted AI into its workflow.

A Nikkei Magazine interview with the filmmaker during the time of Godzilla Minus One’s release highlights that CG technology was crucial in cutting down costs for the company. Moving forward, should the need to cut costs due to “greater operational proficiency” arise, the studio may have no other choice.

The President is also hesitant in using AI, given the legal connotations of AI models using other artists’ work for training itself. Toho Studios has always been a pioneer of Japanese animation, pushing quality anime and film to audiences worldwide. If you’re a fan of Japanese media, there is a high chance you’ve seen their logo appear at the beginning of any anime or film.

If such a culturally impactful organization shifts its focus towards AI, this would be the final nail in the industry coffin that signals a Japanese future where even smaller studios will adopt AI workflows.

The Rising Trend of Studios Adopting A.I.

Martin Scorsese in Mr. Scorsese | Apple TV

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of or seen a major studio address AI. In fact, Hollywood is well on their way to adopting AI workflow into every facet of their media production. From storyboarding to distribution, the industry is rapidly moving towards a future where AI becomes commonplace.

At first, skepticism was Hollywood’s take on the whole matter. Sure, it cut operational costs, but the backlash of a company using AI usually prevented them from using it. However…

In a bold and unprecedented move, Martin Scorsese announced that he would use AI during storyboarding. Netizens were shocked that a prestigious director known for loving his art would do something like this. Recently, A24 struck a landmark $75 million deal with Google’s DeepMind to develop AI-powered filmmaking tools, though the agreement explicitly excludes Google from accessing A24’s content library or data.

The A24 move drew the ire of many, given their recent Backrooms success, where director Kane Parsons has spoken out aggressively against the use of AI. Hollywood studios using AI is still in its infancy, and we’ll be seeing Doug Liman’s Bitcoin film using AI to generate all of the environments and backgrounds.

Who knows what the future has in store, and if the success or failure of these AI-backed films will change the minds of many who are determined to move in that direction.

What do you think of the AI debate? Let us know in the comments.

Godzilla Minus One is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.