'The Book of Life' director Jorge Gutierrez "drops out" from directing AI series

Filmmaker Jorge Gutierrez decided to "drop out" from making an 'AI' series at Amazon.

'The Book of Life' director wrote on social media on Friday that he was dropping out of a 'Punky Duck 'series that had been announced at Amazon's AI on the Lot event just two days earlier.


"I have decided to drop out of the AI program at Amazon. I will not be making a Punky Duck series. Actions speak louder than words," the filmmaker wrote on social media. "My intent was to showcase artists, both new and seasoned, both inside and outside the studios, driving this new tech. My sincerest apology to those I upset. I promise to do better moving forward. Thank you for your patience with me. I will try harder," read the post on the Instagram handle.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, a boldfaced name in animation, Gutierrez was the highest-profile director associated with a project emerging from Amazon's new GenAI Creators Fund.

His Punky Duck series was set to follow "a lovable punk duck and his best friend, Smiley Cat" as they "tear through a wildly exaggerated Los Angeles, hilariously stumbling into alien invasions, giant monsters, robot criminal conspiracies, telenovela-style family drama, and supernatural mayhem--all while trying (and usually failing) to do the right thing," reported The Hollywood Reporter.

His remarks follow criticism from another creator whose work was announced in association with the initiative.

On Wednesday, the creator of the star of Buzzfeed Studios' Good Advice Cupcake slammed the company for partnering with Amazon on a generative AI series adaptation of her creation. Loryn Brantz said she was "horrified and disgusted by BuzzFeed taking my character, The Good Advice Cupcake, and giving it to an AI platform."

Gutierrez hinted that he was rethinking the decision in a social media post on Thursday, telling followers that he had "lots of information that I'm digesting wholeheartedly" amid backlash to his association with GenAI Creators Fund.