Amazon-Backed Startup Fable Brings Lost Orson Welles Footage Back to Life with AI-Powered Restoration

Amazon-Backed AI Startup Fable Recreates Lost Footage of Orson Welles' Classic Film In a move that has left many in the film industry scratching their heads, Amazon-backed startup Fable announced plans to recreate the lost 43 minutes of Orson Welles' classic film "The Magnificent Ambersons" using artificial intelligence. The ambitious project, led by filmmaker Brian Rose, aims to use Fable's AI model to generate long, complex narratives and bring back the missing footage. According to sources, Fable has not obtained the rights to the film, making this a prospective tech demo that will likely never be released to the general public. Despite this, the project is seen as a significant milestone in the development of AI-generated content. "We're excited to push the boundaries of what's possible with AI," said Rose, who has spent five years working on digitally reconstructing Welles' original vision. "Our goal is not just to recreate the lost footage but to explore new ways of storytelling and collaboration between humans and machines." Fable's platform allows users to create their own cartoons using AI prompts, and it has already been used to generate unauthorized episodes of popular TV shows like "South Park." The company's ambitions extend beyond its own IP, with plans to offer similar capabilities with Hollywood IP in the future. The use of AI-generated content raises questions about ownership and rights. "This is a gray area that we're still navigating," said Fable CEO [Name], who declined to comment further on the matter. Background context: Orson Welles' "The Magnificent Ambersons" was released in 1942 but had its ending significantly altered by studio executives. The lost footage, which includes key scenes and character developments, has long been a topic of interest among film enthusiasts and scholars. Industry experts see Fable's project as a significant step forward in the development of AI-generated content. "This is a game-changer for the entertainment industry," said [Name], a leading expert on AI and media. "We're entering an era where machines can create complex narratives, and it will be fascinating to see how this changes the way we consume and interact with stories." The project's current status: Fable has launched its new AI model, which will be used over the next two years to recreate the lost footage from "The Magnificent Ambersons." The final product is expected to be a long-form narrative that brings back the missing scenes. As the entertainment industry continues to grapple with the implications of AI-generated content, Fable's project serves as a reminder of the vast potential and challenges that come with this emerging technology. *Reporting by Techcrunch.*