Google backs A24 AI films.
Google invests $75 million in A24 for AI filmmaking partnership with DeepMind.
Key Points
The roughly $75 million investment is described as aligned with Thrive Capital's investment during A24's last funding round, signaling that Google's stake sits alongside prior private-market backing rather than forming a standalone capital raise.
A24Labs is highlighted as a path to cheaper, faster production through AI-assisted workflows, with reporting noting it could reduce reliance on traditional labor and may involve the studio's artists.
SAG and other guilds are expected to have a proper fit with this AI-driven model, underscoring potential labor-framework considerations as studios experiment with AI in filmmaking.
Backrooms' box-office performance—approximately $277 million worldwide on a $10 million budget—is cited as a context for A24's AI experimentation and its potential for scalable success.
This deal marks Google's first stake in a movie studio, and Google is also the owner of YouTube via Alphabet, highlighting a broader tech-media convergence.
Google is taking a roughly $75 million stake in A24, marking the first time the tech giant has invested in a movie studio, Variety reported on June 22. The deal pairs A24 with Google DeepMind in a long-term AI research partnership aimed at building new filmmaking tools — starting with AI-assisted storyboards and production workflows.
The investment is not a general capital raise. Instead, TheWrap describes it as a dedicated R&D fund, treating A24 as a living laboratory for DeepMind's media-focused AI models. Critically, Google will not gain access to A24's content library or data — a sticking point that derailed several earlier Hollywood-AI deals.
A24Labs Takes Shape With 20-Person AI Team
A24 has quietly built a 20-person internal unit called A24Labs to lead the effort, Quartz reported. Scott Belsky, former Chief Product Officer at Adobe and founder of Behance, joined A24 in early 2025 to run it. Belsky says the focus is on tools that "preserve creative control" — not "prompt-to-video" AI that generates scenes from scratch.
DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis framed the deal as an artist-first initiative. He said the goal is to "empower artists" and build tools for "authentic, meaningful storytelling," according to TheWrap. DeepMind researchers will work directly alongside A24 filmmakers to design new workflows. Eli Collins, DeepMind's VP of Product, added that breakthroughs happen when technology reaches "the best minds in the field."
Backrooms' $300M Run Gave A24 the Confidence to Bet on AI
The timing of the deal is no accident. A24's film *Backrooms* — directed by then-17-year-old Kane Parsons — opened on May 29, 2026 on a $10 million budget. It grossed $81.4 million in its opening weekend alone. By June 21, it had crossed $300 million globally, becoming A24's highest-grossing film ever, according to ScreenRant.
*Backrooms* started as a viral YouTube series — the same platform owned by Google through Alphabet. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Google's investment in A24 effectively completes the loop from creator-to-studio for digital-native IP. Industry observers call the film a "proof of concept" for A24's tech-forward shift, showing that low-budget, digitally rooted stories can scale massively.
Google's Stake Mirrors Thrive Capital's 2024 Investment
The $75 million figure is not random. In June 2024, Thrive Capital led a funding round for A24 at the same amount, valuing the studio at $3.5 billion, per The Wall Street Journal. Google's stake is sized to match that prior investment. This signals Google is entering at the same level as A24's existing private-market backers — not forcing a new valuation or dilution event.
A24's revenue has more than doubled over the past two years, according to The Decoder. The studio has also shifted toward more commercial genres — like the action film *Civil War* — to sustain that growth alongside its prestige slate. The Google deal adds a dedicated technology budget on top of that business momentum.
Guilds and Critics Watch Closely as Labor Questions Loom
Not everyone is celebrating. SAG-AFTRA and other guilds are closely watching A24Labs, The Hollywood Reporter reported. While A24 says the tools will involve its own artists, reporting notes the workflows could reduce reliance on traditional labor — a red flag heading into future contract talks. Guild representatives have not yet issued a formal response.
Online, fans of A24's auteur-driven brand have pushed back sharply. On Reddit and film forums, some users accused the studio of "selling its soul" to Big Tech. Critics at outlets like World of Reel argue that once a major AI lab is entangled with a respected studio, the technology will quietly begin shaping storytelling decisions to maximize profit — even if that is not the stated intent today.
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