Antonio Banderas to Star in AI Studio's Epic Film 'Cortés'

Antonio Banderas has signed on to star in "Cortés," an epic feature film produced by AI-focused studio Utopai Studios in association with Ex Machina Studios. The actor will play Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the film, which is scheduled for release in 2027 and directed by French filmmaker Paul Mignot.

The screenplay, written by Nicholas Kazan in 1988, spent more than three decades in development with multiple failed attempts to reach production. Utopai Studios will combine traditional live-action shooting with digital production methods. Filming is set to take place in Spain, with Banderas performing the lead role under Mignot's direction, while AI-assisted tools are used primarily in visual effects and other below-the-line production work.

Utopai Studios said it built its video model, Utopai X, through targeted post-training on MiniMax's video foundation model rather than generating the entire film with a general-purpose model. The company's production intelligence platform PAI is used to manage script breakdown, shot planning, asset generation and integration with professional editing software. AI agents propose shot options under the creative team's supervision, with the director making final decisions.

Utopai Studios, valued at approximately $1 billion by Forbes, is among the first AI film companies to become a signatory of Hollywood's writers' and actors' unions. The company currently has more than 20 projects in development and production.