Peter Jackson Backs AI in Filmmaking, Urges Approval for Actors' Digital Likenesses at Cannes 2026
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · May 13
Peter Jackson Backs AI in Filmmaking, Urges Approval for Actors' Digital Likenesses at Cannes 2026
5 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · May 13
Cannes 2026 honoree Peter Jackson said AI does not threaten filmmaking if used creatively, describing it as another production tool rather than a force that replaces storytelling.
Jackson argued the outcome still depends on the filmmaker’s imagination, comparing AI to stop-motion effects in early fantasy films such as King Kong and Ray Harryhausen’s work.
The line he called "absolutely critical" was consent: filmmakers should not create AI versions of actors without approval from the person or, if dead, their estate.
He framed that rule as standard licensing practice, saying digital faces should be cleared just as songs and books must be licensed before use in a film.
Speaking a day after receiving an honorary Palme d’Or, Jackson also reflected on making The Lord of the Rings and praised Elijah Wood’s upbeat support during the trilogy’s most stressful shoots.
As Hollywood creates digital actors, what prevents an AI likeness from being used forever, far beyond an original agreement?
Jackson calls AI a tool, but when it learns from artists' work, who should profit from the final creation?