A regulatory filing has confirmed Netflix paid $587 million in cash for InterPositive, the AI production startup founded by Ben Affleck. The deal closed in March 2026. Initial reporting had estimated the value at up to $600 million, according to The Wrap.
InterPositive's tools differ from consumer-facing AI generators. Rather than operating through text-to-video prompts, the technology is trained directly on the dailies of a specific production. Its capabilities include replacing missing shots, reframing existing footage, correcting lighting conditions, and enhancing or replacing backgrounds. The system is designed to work inside existing pipelines, calibrating to the visual language of each project.
According to The Wrap, approximately 300 Netflix titles utilized generative AI workflows during 2026, with the heaviest concentration in post-production. Applications have included enhancing crowd scenes and constructing historical battle sequences.
Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone described the approach: “It’s really anchored in the story that the director is telling and it’s tailored to that specific production, which is really what allows the controllability and consistency.” Affleck now serves as a senior advisor to Netflix following the acquisition.
The deal offers a different vantage point on AI’s arrival in Hollywood. While public debate has centered on the rights of writers, actors, and directors, one of the industry’s most recognizable faces spent years building production infrastructure and sold it to the industry’s dominant streaming force. The tools are already shaping what audiences see. The conversation about whether they should be there is still catching up.
