Amazon’s AI Plan to Recreate Lost Welles Footage Sparks Family Outrage
426Amazon is exploring new ways to bring old movies back to life using artificial intelligence. The tech giant plans to reconstruct the final 43 minutes of Orson Welles’ unfinished film “The Magnificent Ambersons.” But Welles’ family isn’t happy about it. They say they weren’t even told about the project.
A spokesperson for David Reeder, who manages Welles’ estate for his daughter Beatrice, said the family hadn’t been informed and doesn’t support the plan. Meanwhile, Edward Saatchi, CEO of Showrunner AI—a company Amazon recently invested in—shared plans to use AI to fill in the lost footage. They want to shoot new scenes with live actors and then swap their faces with AI recreations of Welles’ original cast members.
This kind of technology isn’t new. It’s been used before to bring actors like Peter Cushing back in “Rogue One” or Carrie Fisher into “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” Even figures like Richard Nixon have been inserted into old footage. But using AI to restore or recreate a lost classic raises questions about respect for the original creators and their families.
What happened to “The Magnificent Ambersons”?
Welles’ 1942 film was based on a Pulitzer-winning novel about societal change in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the original version was heavily cut by the studio, RKO. They removed nearly an hour of footage and changed the ending to be happier. Welles’ notes for his original ending still exist, but the studio destroyed the raw footage, leaving his vision lost forever. Welles called it “destroying Ambersons,” and it deeply hurt him.
There are rumors a copy of the original might be floating around in Brazil, but no one knows for sure. The current project by Amazon and Showrunner aims to recreate what’s missing using AI, but this isn’t quite the same as finding or restoring the original film. It’s more like making a new version based on what’s known about the film, not Welles’ true vision.
Family’s stance on AI recreations
The Welles estate has been cautious about AI’s role in preserving his legacy. They have previously worked with AI storytelling apps to use Welles’ voice as a narrator, but they’re wary of AI being used to generate new footage of him or other actors. In a statement, they said that AI can be useful for voiceovers but that using it to reconstruct “Ambersons” without their consent is disappointing.
They emphasized that AI can’t replace human creativity. Welles was a visionary, and his instincts and artistic choices can’t be duplicated by technology. The estate views this project as a mechanical exercise that lacks the innovative spirit Welles brought to his work. They feel it disrespects his legacy and doesn’t honor his artistic genius.
AI in entertainment raises ethical questions
This isn’t the first time AI has been used to bring back deceased celebrities. Last year, some podcasters used AI to make George Carlin’s voice do a comedy routine without his involvement. Similarly, Rod Stewart’s AI-generated selfies and Ozzy Osbourne’s digital homages have stirred mixed reactions.
While some see AI as a way to preserve or enhance entertainment, others worry about the ethics. Using AI to recreate the likenesses of loved artists or filmmakers without permission can feel invasive or disrespectful. The Welles family’s disappointment highlights the importance of respecting creators’ wishes and legacies in this new digital age.
In the end, AI has the potential to change how we experience movies and history. But it’s crucial to balance innovation with respect for the original artists and their families. Otherwise, we risk losing the true spirit of creative genius to mechanical recreations.
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