Paddington in Peru writers join AI movie Critterz

Paddington in Peru writers James Lamont and Jon Foster are working on the script for AI-assisted movie Critterz.

The screenwriting duo have teamed up the upcoming project which will be directed by Nik Kleverov, co-founder of AI production studio Native Foreign, who will also produce alongside OpenAI creative strategist Chad Nelson.

In a statement, Kleverov said: "‘Critterz’ will be a timeless film — a world that feels truly its own.

"It will carry the wonder of the ‘80s fantasy movies I grew up on — the scrappy, adventurous spirit of The Goonies and the mythic, emotional scope of The NeverEnding Story… combined with the scale of early Star Wars.

"It’s grounded in something deeply human: a fractured world finding its way back together. At the centre is a character whose greatest power isn’t force — it’s believing in herself, and her family.”

Lamont and Foster, who also worked on the likes of Cartoon Network's The Amazing World of Gumball, are attached to pen the script.

The movie has been hailed as the "first mainstream commercial family feature film created with artificial intelligence integrated throughout the production pipeline".

Critterz originally started as a 2023 viral short created by Nelson, and marked the first of its kind to use OpenAI's creative tools.

The logline teases a story following “an anxious but brave little woodland creature who unites with a group of eccentric outcasts — each with their own peculiar quirks and hidden strengths — on a high-stakes quest to find her long-lost brother".

The worldwide sales rights have been picked up by AGC International, who will screen first-look footage to potential buyers at Cannes.

AGC chief Stuart Ford commented: "We are thrilled to join Vertigo and Native Foreign in bringing the much-anticipated Critterz to the industry.

"This ground-breaking feature demonstrates for the first time how AI can integrate into production without replacing artistry, becoming a tool for exploration rather than substitution. "Filmmakers shape the story, characters and emotions, and AI provides the brushstrokes that we believe can bring a new franchise to life for families around the world.”

Cannes Film Festival itself has banned movies using AI as a principal authoring tool, but the technology is allowed to be used in specific technical processes during filmmaking.

However, the Cannes Film Market has a more lenient approach, with more studios and creators starting to experiment with the technology.