Roughly $75 million buys Google its first-ever equity stake in a film studio, but the deal comes with a hard boundary: no access to A24's content library or data for AI training. The Wall Street Journal first reported the investment, which ties Google DeepMind to the indie studio behind "Backrooms" and "Everything Everywhere All at Once." Eli Collins, VP of Product at Google DeepMind, announced the partnership in a blog post Monday, calling it a research collaboration spanning "multiple projects over time."
This is not a production deal, an IP deal, or a data training arrangement. A24 and its filmmakers retain full creative control, with the studio's technology division A24 Labs leading the integration of new workflows.
Scott Belsky, who heads A24 Labs, told the Journal the focus is on behind-the-scenes applications like AI-generated storyboards, tools that "won't look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with."
"We think there are better uses that preserve creative control and support risk-taking," Belsky said. The $75 million investment matches what Thrive Capital put into A24 during its last funding round and ensures the studio remains independent. Google's contribution is part of a strategic partnership, not a capital raise, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The structure sets this apart from other Hollywood-AI deals. Disney struck a short-lived licensing deal with OpenAI before suing AI companies MiniMax and Midjourney for copyright infringement.
Lionsgate expanded its partnership with Runway AI to develop AI-generated shows. Netflix bought Ben Affleck's AI startup InterPositive earlier this year.
A24's approach keeps its library off-limits while giving DeepMind feedback from working filmmakers.
"We believe breakthroughs happen when you get technology into the hands of the best minds in the field," Collins told the Journal. The timing carries tension. A24's "Backrooms" became the studio's first film to exceed $200 million in ticket sales worldwide, and 85% of its opening weekend audience was under 35.
But roughly half of adults under 30 believe AI will harm society, according to a Pew Research study published last week. "Backrooms" director Kane Parsons recently called AI "genuinely harmful" to creativity in Hollywood.
