Neill Blomkamp Makes AI Look Like the Last Resort for Filmmakers With Failing Careers

Neill Blomkamp unveiled NIGHTBORNE, his first full AI test film, and launched Barley Studios to make more AI-driven projects.

The response was largely negative, with viewers and commentators calling the release uninspired rather than groundbreaking.

Many saw the move as a sign of Blomkamp’s creative and career decline, especially compared with the legacy of District 9.

The piece argues that filmmakers using generative AI are increasingly being viewed as retreating creatively, not innovating.