Secret Invasion director Ali Selim says it “felt explorative and inevitable” that AI-generated art would be used in the intro sequence.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has returned to the small screen today, with the brand-new Secret Invasion TV series having finally made its global debut via Disney Plus.
Exploring an emerging conflict with the shapeshifting Skrulls, Secret Invasion is set to take a more unique approach to traditional superhero storytelling and that’s just as important for the opening sequence.
The intro sequence to Secret Invasion was developed with the help of AI technology, with director Ali Selim claiming that its use was “inevitable” once the groundwork had been laid.
Secret Invasion’s AI-generated intro sequence explained
The opening title sequence for Secret Invasion features various images and a Skrull-tinted green color scheme that is reminiscent of traditional cubism; however, the introduction actually uses one of the more controversial genres of modern art, AI-generated content.
Director and showrunner Ali Selim revealed to Polygon that the production team reached out to various AI art studios and vendors with the hope of incorporating the surreal aspect of Skrull shapeshifting.
“When we reached out to the AI vendors, that was part of it — it just came right out of the shape-shifting, Skrull world identity, you know? Who did this? Who is this?” he explained.
“We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.”
Whilst AI artwork, for better or for worse, has been in the headlines for the past several years, the reason why Selim decided to use the genre in Secret Invasion is simple:
“It felt explorative and inevitable, and exciting, and different.”
The introduction was developed by Marvel Studios alongside Method Studios, who take the helm when it came to the AI-supported sequence.
Method Studios, a division of Company 3, are an award-winning VFX team who specializes in conceptual design, motion graphics, CGI animation, compositions, and now, AI-supported artwork.
Prior to Secret Invasion, the team worked on various products for the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).
Outside of the MCU, Method Studios have also worked on Top Gun: Maverick (2022), The Tomorrow War (2021), Mortal Kombat (2021), Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), Extraction (2020), and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).
What did you think about the intro to Secret Invasion? Let us know in the comments below.
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