An upcoming movie titled Killing Satoshi, centered on the mysterious originator of Bitcoin, is expected to make extensive use of artificial intelligence for creating environments and refining performers' delivery, according to a Variety report. Revealed in 2025, the project is helmed by director Doug Liman, known for works like The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow, and features Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson in roles yet to be specified; earlier assumptions limited its tech ties to the digital currency theme alone.
A casting call from the UK, as examined by Variety, indicates that the filmmakers retain permissions to "change, add to, take from, translate, reformat or reprocess" the work of cast members through "generative artificial intelligence (GAI) and/or machine learning technologies." While no virtual duplicates of actors will be produced, various other modifications powered by AI appear feasible. The AI integration will also cover filming environments, based on sources cited by Variety, with principal photography occurring on a "markerless performative capture stage" where scenery and sites are fully crafted via AI.
The rationale for employing such methods in a story about blockchain remains unclear, though Doug Liman has a track record of innovative endeavors, such as an alleged Tom Cruise production planned for the International Space Station. In contrast, Killing Satoshi promises greater challenges in feasibility and raises subtler questions about industry norms.
Central to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA labor talks were assurances shielding performers from AI substitution. In the UK, Equity, the actors' guild, is presently bargaining for safeguards amid worries that AI might replicate members' appearances and audio, enabling studios to exploit them sans approval.