MOVIE NEWS – Here’s a powerhouse team to get excited about: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is stepping back into the director’s chair to lead Anne Hathaway in an upcoming AI-focused thriller produced by Rian Johnson’s company. The concept, intriguingly, stems in part from an idea by Natasha Lyonne. And yes, the film delves into artificial intelligence — arguably one of the most pressing and anxiety-inducing topics of the modern era.

As reported exclusively by Deadline, the untitled project is a collaboration between Gordon-Levitt and screenwriter Kieran Fitzgerald, known for the 2016 film Snowden. Notably, Gordon-Levitt portrayed Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone’s movie. Fitzgerald, who also created the miniseries Wormwood, shares credit for the story with Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne. While details on Lyonne’s involvement remain sparse, her connection adds another layer of intrigue to the creative mix.

Can you imagine the brainstorming session that led to this collaboration? Talk about a meeting of brilliant minds.

Longstanding Collaborations Define Gordon-Levitt’s Approach

It’s no surprise that Gordon-Levitt, founder of the collaborative platform HitRecord, thrives in creative partnerships. His relationship with Rian Johnson, co-founder of T-Street, dates back to 2005, when he starred in Johnson’s debut film Brick. They reunited for 2012’s Looper, where Gordon-Levitt played a younger version of Bruce Willis. T-Street’s Ram Bergman, a key collaborator, also produced Gordon-Levitt’s 2013 directorial debut, Don Jon, for which Johnson provided feedback throughout the production process.

Gordon-Levitt’s connections don’t stop there. He appeared in Johnson and Lyonne’s series Poker Face, fueling speculation that this new film might have originated during their work on the show. Additionally, Gordon-Levitt and Hathaway have shared the screen before, notably in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. With Hathaway set to reunite with Nolan on another project, their creative synergy seems poised to shine once again.

Gordon-Levitt’s Thoughts on AI: A Personal Perspective

Artificial intelligence isn’t a new concern for Gordon-Levitt, whose wife serves on the board of OpenAI Nonprofit. In 2023, he shared his reservations about the technology in a Washington Post opinion piece:

“When I sign a contract with a movie studio, I understand that they own the copyright. It’s a fair arrangement since they finance the film. But if I’d known that this contract would allow the studio to use my intellectual property as training data for an AI that could replace me, I never would have agreed.

This issue isn’t unique to the film industry. In medicine, for instance, doctors generate intellectual property in the form of medical records. Many doctors unknowingly sign contracts granting exclusive ownership of these records to hospitals. If they had known their work could train AI systems designed to replace them, they likely wouldn’t have agreed either.”

Gordon-Levitt’s forthcoming film seems set to explore these critical issues, adding to the ongoing conversation about AI’s impact on creativity, employment, and society at large.

Source: MovieWeb