Showrunner wants to use generative AI to recreate lost footage from an Orson Welles classic

Showrunner, a startup aiming to revolutionize the entertainment industry, is working on a project to restore lost footage from Orson Welles' classic film "The Magnificent Ambersons." The film was initially 131 minutes long, but the production company, RKO, cut it down to 88 minutes without Welles' input. Showrunner has developed a new generative AI model that they believe can recreate the lost footage, giving viewers a chance to see Welles' original vision for the film. The company plans to use a mix of AI-generated approximations and live actors with faces manipulated using generative AI to restore the missing scenes. The project faces legal challenges, as Warner Bros. Discovery holds the intellectual property rights to the film. However, Showrunner is not planning to monetize the restored footage, but rather to "see them exist in the world" and potentially provide the creation to the IP holders if they see a commercial opportunity for it. Showrunner's approach of using generative AI to recreate lost footage from classic films is an ambitious and potentially controversial move, as it raises questions about the ethical and legal implications of such technologies in the entertainment industry.