Peter Jackson used a Cannes masterclass to weigh in on AI, defend motion-capture artistry, and explain why he will not direct the next
Lord of the Rings
movie himself.Jackson said he does not “dislike” AI in filmmaking, but he framed the technology as part of a broader misunderstanding about how digital performances get made. He argued that the debate has clouded public and industry recognition for actors who work through motion capture, and he pointed to Andy Serkis’s work as Gollum as the clearest example. Reports indicate Jackson believes that skepticism around digitally mediated performance has helped keep Serkis out of serious awards contention, even though the character became one of modern cinema’s defining creations.
The dispute over AI in film now reaches far beyond technology; it cuts into how the industry decides what counts as acting.
Jackson also addressed another question hanging over the franchise: why he is not directing the next
Lord of the Rings
film. According to the news signal, he used the Cannes appearance to explain his absence from the director’s chair on the upcoming project. The comments suggest a filmmaker still connected to the world he helped build, but not eager to repeat his past role in the same way. He appears to see room for the franchise to continue without requiring him to lead every new chapter.Key Facts
- Peter Jackson said he does not dislike AI being used in film.
- He linked the AI debate to Andy Serkis’s lack of awards recognition for Gollum.
- Jackson explained why he is not directing the next Lord of the Rings movie.
- He made the remarks during a Cannes Film Festival masterclass.
The comments land at a moment when Hollywood still struggles to draw lines between performance, technology, and authorship. Jackson’s point does not simply defend new tools; it challenges old assumptions about what audiences and awards bodies choose to honor. If motion-capture work still sits outside traditional definitions of acting, then the industry faces a bigger problem than any single AI argument. What happens next matters because the standards set now will shape not only future awards races, but also how a new generation of performers gets seen at all.