Toys “R” Us Premieres AI-Generated Film at Cannes Lions Festival

Toys “R” Us is making waves in the film industry with the release of a groundbreaking AI-generated video. The retail toy brand premiered a short promo film at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival in France, created almost entirely using OpenAI’s new text-to-video tool, Sora.

Partnering with creative agency Native Foreign, Toys “R” Us is believed to be the first brand to debut a film using this cutting-edge technology. The 66-second promo follows the story of the young Toys “R” Us founder, Charles Lazarus, and his vision to transform toy stores with the help of the brand’s mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.

Reactions to the clip have been mixed, with some calling it a compelling look into the future of film, while others find it “creepy.” In addition to Sora, Toys “R” Us used corrective visual effects and an original music score to enhance the video.

OpenAI introduced Sora earlier this year, claiming it can create realistic and imaginative videos from quick text prompts. Experts believe that text-to-video AI models like Sora have the potential to disrupt the digital entertainment market.

Kim Miller, CMO of Toys “R” Us Creative Studios, shared that the concept for the video was born out of a desire to do something fun and different for their next project. She emphasized the importance of human involvement and gut checking throughout the creative process.

While OpenAI has not announced an official release date for Sora, rumors suggest it could launch later this summer. Toys “R” Us is already exploring advertising opportunities for the promo and hints at a potential holiday iteration in the works. Stay tuned for more updates on this innovative use of AI in filmmaking.