Christopher Nolan Praises Gen Z Filmmakers for Rejecting AI Slop

Christopher Nolan has praised a new generation of filmmakers for their wholesale rejection of artificial intelligence in cinema, according to a new interview reported by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.

The Oscar-winning director of Oppenheimer spoke with The Telegraph about the current state of filmmaking. He pointed to the massive success of recent horror films Obsession and Backrooms as evidence that young audiences crave authentic, practical storytelling over AI-generated content.

What did Christopher Nolan say about AI?

Nolan described a swift cultural dismissal of the technology. "I've never seen a more rapid wholesale dismissal of a supposedly foundational jump in technology in my lifetime," he said. "So much energy has been expended on bringing in AI, but if you look at that generation's reaction, they're utterly rejecting it."

He elaborated by citing his own children, who are in their late teens and early twenties. "Their judgment of AI slop has been immediate and harsh," Nolan explained. "They see it for what it is very quickly – and it's much easier for them to identify it, because it grew out of an online world they know really well."

While acknowledging that not every aspect of AI is useless, Nolan was clear about its impact on his industry. "In film-making it's hitting at exactly the wrong time," he stated. "After years of driving towards heavily virtual environments, we're seeing a renewed interest in more tactile, more real forms of storytelling."

Which filmmakers did he praise?

Nolan specifically highlighted the work of Curry Barker, director of Obsession, and Kane Parsons, the filmmaker behind Backrooms. He noted their use of practical effects where possible and the enthusiastic response from young audiences.

"Young people can't get enough of their work," Nolan said, according to the reports. He connected their success to a broader appetite for substantial cinema, countering arguments about shortened attention spans. "This is why I never bought into the arguments that young audiences' attention spans are too fried to enjoy a three-hour Greek epic," he remarked. "Those films are so mysterious and ruminative. I mean, parts of Backrooms are like David Lynch at his most obscure."

Both films have achieved historic box office success on minimal budgets, becoming breakout hits for their respective studios, Focus Features and A24.

What is the broader context for AI in Hollywood?

The use of generative AI remains a contentious issue in the entertainment industry. Nolan's comments arrive as the industry continues to debate the balance between technological innovation and artistic authenticity.

The director remains optimistic about cinema's future, crediting these new voices. "I think cinema is vital and essential and continues to transform itself – we've got all these great new young voices in movies, making the medium their own and moving it forward," he said.

Sources

• Deadline
• The Hollywood Reporter