March 1, 2024
Amazon denies AI used to create actors' voices for Road House amid copyright infringement lawsuit "The lawsuit filed by R. Lance Hill regarding Road House today is completely without merit and numerous allegations are categorically false," the company said in a statement. By K Dass.
Amazon has
vehemently denied the claim that it used artificial intelligence (AI) to
complete the production of the SXSW opener Road House. The original
screenwriter, R. Lance Hill (who wrote the 1989 version starring Patrick
Swayze), filed a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement.
According to
Hill, the rights to the 1986 screenplay reverted to him, yet Amazon and MGM
proceeded with the remake without licensing it. He seeks to block the release
of the new film, which is set to debut on Prime Video on March 21.
Additionally, Hill claims that Amazon employed AI for ADR work, typically done
to re-record audio after production, in order to meet a self-imposed deadline.
This use of generative AI would have violated SAG-AFTRA rules during the
actors’ strike. However, Amazon MGM Studios has refuted these allegations,
asserting that no AI was used in place of actors’ voices. They look forward to
defending themselves against the claims.
The lawsuit
adds to the film’s challenges ahead of its world premiere at SXSW. Director
Doug Liman has already stated that he will not attend the premiere because
Amazon plans to bypass a theatrical release and directly stream the film on
Prime Video. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who stars in the remake, had previously
understood that Road House would go straight to streaming. Despite the
legal drama, audiences eagerly await the film’s release to see how it compares
to the original cult classic.