Lucasfilm AI Star Wars Creatures Spark Fan Outrage
Lucasfilm has ignited significant concern among fans with its recent showcase of AI generated creatures purported to exist within the Star Wars galaxy.
This animal that has the body of a bear but the markings of a tiger appeared in the short film titled Star Wars: Field Guide.
Lucasfilm Unveils AI Generated Star Wars Creatures
During a TED Talk, Lucasfilm visual effects artist Rob Bredow unveiled a short film named Star Wars: Field Guide. He described it as an exploration of “what it would feel like if you sent a probe droid out to a brand new Star Wars planet.”
Bredow then presented a series of unusual AI generated creatures. These creations were reminiscent of the work of Photoshop artist and photographer Sarah DeRemer, who created animal hybrids.
A Glimpse into the Star Wars Field Guide
The showcased fauna included bears crossed with tigers, peacocks sporting snail shells, and blue gazelles. It appears the still images were initially generated by AI and then animated using an AI video application.
Lucasfilm showcased this peacock-snail hybrid.
Another creature presented by Lucasfilm.
A blue gazelle-like creature from the AI showcase by Lucasfilm.
Bredow emphasized that the project is a “work-in-progress” and the depicted creatures are not final character designs. “This is what happens when you put the latest AI tools in the hands of talented artists,” he added. You can see his presentation in this video segment.
Fan Backlash and Accusations of Creative Decline
Fans, however, did not hold back their criticism online. “Lucasfilm declares creative bankruptcy with an AI-generated Star Wars film that’s just 2 minutes of mostly normal animals jumbled together,” was the headline of one widely discussed Reddit post.
Some fans expressed deep disappointment, with one commenting that it's not impressive if a “14-year-old could do it on their smartphone.”
“The AI video was the same slop we’ve been seeing for ages now,” wrote one YouTube commenter on the TED Talks video.
“None of those creatures look like they belong in Star Wars,” another stated. “They are all clearly two Earth animals fused together in the most basic way.”
Lucasfilm's AI generated turtle-like creature.
A feline creature concept from Lucasfilm's AI experiment.
The Specter of AI Slop and ILMs Legacy
The term “AI slop” refers to the recent phenomenon of low-quality, fake imagery created by AI image generators that is increasingly flooding the internet. This issue has affected platforms like Google Search, social media, and stock photo websites.
Bredow heads Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the renowned special effects company founded by George Lucas during the making of the original Star Wars films. As Futurism notes, ILM is a pioneer in the visual effects industry, having contributed to the magic of classic movies such as Jurassic Park and Terminator 2.
Hollywoods Cautious Embrace of AI
Bredow insists that the technology showcased is “artist-driven,” but AI continues to carry a negative reputation in many circles. This perception is so prevalent that it has been reported Hollywood is using AI extensively but is often afraid to admit it publicly due to potential backlash.
