AI is Being Used to Rebuild Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons

The lost 43 minutes of Orson Welles‘ 1942 film “The Magnificent Ambersons” is the holy grail of cinema. Well, an AI company is stepping in to help: https://t.co/RdGnU7dp5t pic.twitter.com/LckMKcCrgU

— IndieWire (@IndieWire) September 5, 2025

- Just in case you thought AI being used to reshape the Wizard of Oz at the Sphere wasn't bad enough... the missing footage from Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons is being restored with AI.

- Showrunner (The AI company) will use AI keyframe generation for all major shots in “The Magnificent Ambersons,” using model motion and trajectory control to re-imagine Welles’ camera movements. Set photos of the lost 43 minutes will help generate the spatial setting.

- Some scenes will be filmed with live actors and the team will use AI face transfer, pose transfer, and voice generation. Showrunner also hired Tom Clive, an AI and digital artist on Robert Zemeckis’ “Here,” to power the film’s look.

- They say the restoration is purely for educational purposes and won't receive a theatrical release.

I always hoped they'd be able to put this film back together again, but...



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