Lionsgate Declares AI Filmmakers 'The Next Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola'
Courtesy of studio.aifilms.ai
Major studio signals shift from observing to actively hiring AI filmmakers.
Lionsgate has moved beyond discussing AI filmmaking to actively recruiting creators who use generative tools. Brad Haugen, the studio's Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy and Growth, told panels at CES 2026 that internet native creators represent the next generation of auteur directors.
"We have, potentially, the next great filmmaker, the next great TV showrunner, the next great digital entrepreneur," Haugen said during programming at the Las Vegas showcase. "Creators are not just there to market products. They're not just there to do internet stuff. They're actually the next Spike Jonze and the next Sofia Coppola."
The statement marks a significant shift in how major studios approach AI filmmaking talent. Rather than treating digital creators as marketing assets or supplementary content producers, Lionsgate positions them as primary creative voices capable of theatrical and premium streaming work.
