Darren Aronofsky's production company, Primordial Soup, is set to seek $15 million in funding to advance its goals in the artificial intelligence sector. This objective was revealed in a recent filing with the SEC.
Founded in 2025, Primordial Soup has made significant strides in a relatively short span of time. Last year, the company collaborated with Google DeepMind to produce three short films that utilized the tech giant’s generative AI models and tools, including Veo. Each film featured an up-and-coming director mentored by Aronofsky himself. The inaugural short, titled Ancestra, was directed by Eliza McNitt and premiered at the prestigious Tribeca Festival.
The partnership with Google also yielded a project called On This Day … 1776, which consists of a series of short episodes highlighting pivotal events surrounding the founding of the United States. In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, these episodes were released on Time’s YouTube channel, though the reception was lukewarm. A review in The Guardian criticized the series, stating the "once-lauded director … has drowned himself in AI slop."
During a discussion at the Cannes Film Festival last May, Aronofsky described the series as “always meant as an experiment.” He addressed concerns in the creative community regarding AI replacing human jobs, asserting that creating quality content with this technology demands substantial human effort, artistry, and intent. “It takes a tremendous amount of human labor and artistry and intention to make anything good with this technology,” he commented.
Known for acclaimed films like Black Swan and The Wrestler, Aronofsky has a longstanding interest in technology. He was the first prominent filmmaker to participate in creating content for Sphere in Las Vegas. His film, Postcard from Earth, debuted shortly after U2 inaugurated the tech-rich venue in 2023, showcasing footage captured across all seven continents.
Reflecting on his experiences at Sphere, Aronofsky shared on Instagram that his iPhone “can’t come close to capturing the definition on the screen” and that “at times, you forget where you are.” The Hollywood Reporter was the first to break the news about the company's fundraising efforts.
