Darren Aronofsky, the director of films like Black Swan and The Whale, has ventured into somewhat experimental and unrefined work with his new AI studio.
The first trailer and two episodes of “On This Day… 1776” are now available. This web series uses AI to recreate events from 1776, and people online are already sharing their reactions – and they’re quite passionate!
I’m so excited! Darren Aronofsky’s production company, Primordial Soup, and TIME Studios just dropped the trailer for their new historical series, and they’ve even released the first two episodes – “January 1: The Flag” and “January 10: Common Sense.” Apparently, they’re planning to release new episodes throughout 2026, and each one will come out on the 250th anniversary of the actual event it’s about. It’s a really cool way to experience history!
Check out this trailer below:
According to TIME, the series was created using animation powered by several AI tools, including those from Google DeepMind. A team then refined the visuals with editing, sound mixing, and color correction. Professional actors from SAG provided the voices, and the music was composed by Jordan Dykstra.
TIME Studios president Ben Bitonti described the series as both creatively bold and rooted in historical accuracy, highlighting it as a sign of the studio’s growth.
This project demonstrates how artists can use AI in imaginative ways – not to take the place of traditional skills, but to unlock new creative possibilities and tell stories in ways that weren’t possible before.
The official trailer for On This Day… 1776, which quickly gained thousands of views online, feels strangely artificial – similar to other AI-created videos like a recent McDonald’s Christmas ad. Viewers have criticized it for its awkward camera work, overly dramatic close-ups, repetitive imagery of soldiers in battle, and characters with faces that look unnaturally smooth and plastic.
Grace Randolph, from Beyond The Trailer, described Darren Aronofsky’s new AI show as “ironic” and jokingly compared the director to a traitor – calling him a “Benedict Arnold” of the entertainment industry.
YouTuber Benji Naesen was so upset by director Darren Aronofsky’s use of AI that he’d rather watch the entire six-hour Milan-Sanremo cycling race than see it.
Many people criticized Darren Aronofsky and his new AI project, ‘Primordial Soup,’ expressing disappointment that the acclaimed director seemed to be focusing on AI-generated content. The following post is just one example of this criticism.
On This Day… 1776 can be watched on TIME’s YouTube Channel.
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2026-01-29 23:49