AI-generated Wes Anderson-style 'Star Wars' trailer sparks debate on creativity: 'Would watch this'

A fan recently paid homage to filmmaker Wes Anderson by utilizing AI to create a "Star Wars" trailer in Anderson's signature style. The video, which resembles an elevated fan art mash-up, sparked a debate regarding the role of artificial intelligence in creative expression, reports Daily Dot.

AI content creators like DALL-E 2 have similarly utilized images from the internet, observing the effectiveness of specific word prompts such as “dashcam footage,” “Balenciaga” and “80s dark fantasy.” Additionally, by simply inputting Wes Anderson's name, one can generate a "Grand Budapest Hotel" version of characters such as Batman and the Avengers.

As we are aware, the discussion revolving around AI and its role in the film industry has been focused on whether machines can replace humans or not. In this case, we see a trailer made up of Star Wars GIFs, which cannot be compared to a Wes Anderson film. The creator of this trailer, a tutorial service called Curious Refuge, does not make any claims to replicate Anderson's style perfectly. Rather, it is simply an attempt to merge Star Wars characters with the symmetrical frames and color palettes characteristic of Anderson's work.

This Youtube trailer has generated a lot of chatter on Twitter. It has also gained millions of likes and views and thousands of comments. Twitter user @JBufford3 wrote, “Completely tracks and I would watch that. So good."

"I would watch this. I’ve always wanted to see what Wes Anderson would bring to genre fare outside his usual material. Would love to see him direct an episode of 'Star Wars' or the new 'Harry Potter' series,” wrote @GWinssinger.

There is no indication that the creators of the Anderson/Star Wars mash-up have aspirations to become filmmakers, and their work is not an actual attempt to replace a respected filmmaker. It is a simple slideshow video generated from basic prompts, likely shared with the goal of gaining attention and promotion for their channel.

Regrettably, it is also an effective source of controversy for those who enjoy debating films on the internet. “You robbed both 'Star Wars' and Wes Anderson films of what makes them charming and unique with this AI crap. Congratulations,” tweeted @doctorbaixue. "Tell me you understand neither 'Star Wars' nor Wes Anderson without telling me,” @heathdwilliams said.

Meanwhile, @funEman_wrote, “An artificial intelligence will never be able to grasp the sincerity of the emotions, expression and humanity painted onto the screen by Wes Anderson. All AI is capable of is mocking how an image is structured. It has no comprehension of Mise-En-Scène. It does not feel.”

The output of this type of AI generator is unlikely to rival human creativity and may not produce anything resembling a genuine film for some time. Nonetheless, given Hollywood's current aversion to original narratives and fixation on rehashed intellectual property, it's conceivable that studios may adopt this technology regardless of how uninspired and soulless the results may be.