The Town with Matthew Belloni Why Netflix Bought Ben Affleck’s AI Company, and If Hollywood Should Worry
53 snips
Mar 9, 2026 
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg entertainment reporter who covers Hollywood business and dealmaking. He explains why Netflix bought Ben Affleck’s AI filmmaking tool and how the deal buys goodwill with top creatives. They debate whether studios will chase volume or efficiency with AI. They also unpack the Live Nation DOJ settlement and revisit a 2026 box office draft bomb pick.
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Netflix Bought Credibility More Than Code
- Netflix bought Ben Affleck’s InterPositive to gain credibility and early AI production know-how.
- The acquisition gives Netflix a public-facing ally in Affleck to soothe creatives and signal a cautious, filmmaker-aligned AI strategy.
InterPositive Is A Filmmaking Efficiency Toolkit
- InterPositive is a filmmaker-focused toolset, not a text-to-video generator, aimed at speeding dailies, VFX fixes, lighting and sound tasks.
- The tool automates coverage fixes (missing reaction shots), removes stunt wires, and cleans sunset lighting as VFX extensions.
Affleck Deal Acts As A Trojan Horse For AI
- The Affleck deal functions as a Trojan horse to normalize AI adoption across Hollywood.
- By aligning with a respected filmmaker, Netflix reduces resistance from creative communities while it experiments with cost and efficiency gains.