The future of international cinema has arrived faster than expected. On May 9, 2025, Watch the Skies, a Swedish sci-fi film originally titled UFO Sweden, will premiere in the U.S., marking a historic milestone as the first foreign film to be fully dubbed using artificial intelligence. Distributed by AMC Theatres across top venues in 20 major U.S. cities, this release signals a potential turning point for global filmmakers.
What sets this project apart is its innovative dubbing approach. Instead of relying on subtitles or traditional dubbing, Watch the Skies employs Flawless AI's TrueSync technology to seamlessly translate the film into English.
This AI-driven "visual dubbing" digitally alters the actors' lip movements to match English dialogue while preserving their original voices, which the actors themselves re-recorded in English.
The result? A viewing experience that feels natively English, eliminating the need for subtitles and avoiding the uncanny disconnect often associated with dubbed foreign films.
Importantly, this technology aligns with ethical standards set by SAG-AFTRA. During the 2023 Hollywood strikes, actors raised concerns about AI potentially replacing their work.
Also read:
- Director Confesses "The Brutalist" Employed AI to Modify Characters' Accents
- An AI Event Hired John Mulaney to Do a Comedy Set and He Brutally Roasted Them Onstage
- The epic films ended 10 or even 15 years ago, and all that remains of them are the chemical-smelling extracts from Spider-Man's synthetic foot wraps
Flawless AI addresses these fears by ensuring the technology enhances rather than replaces the actors' performances, using their own voices and securing their consent. This compliance with SAG-AFTRA guidelines makes Watch the Skies a pioneering example of responsible AI use in filmmaking.
AMC Theatres is betting big on the film, rolling it out on 100 screens in premium locations, a move that underscores the industry’s growing confidence in AI to bridge language barriers.
For foreign filmmakers, this could be a game-changer, opening doors to global markets without the traditional hurdles of localization.
Also read: "Alien: Romulus" Used AI to Bring Back Dead Actor
As posts on X suggest, early reactions to the technology are positive, with some noting it outperforms subtitles or conventional dubbing, potentially unlocking the value of existing international content catalogs.
Watch the Skies may well herald a new era for cinema, where language is no longer a barrier, and global stories can reach wider audiences with unprecedented authenticity.
