Lionsgate has acquired an undisclosed equity stake in Runway, the artificial intelligence company it first partnered with in 2024.
Under the agreement, the two companies are launching a joint initiative aimed at developing and producing new intellectual properties (IP) that merge artificial intelligence with entertainment content.
The first project under the partnership will be a short-form episodic series drawing on Lionsgate’s existing IP library and leveraging Runway’s generative AI models. Lionsgate will also serve as a key partner for the upcoming Runway AI Festival later this month, with the companies collaborating on a series of filmmaker-focused events.
Lionsgate stands out as one of the earliest major Hollywood studios to invest in the AI space, having first announced its partnership with Runway in September 2024. At the time, parts of the industry expressed concern that deeper reliance on AI companies could pose risks to creative processes and storytelling integrity.
However, since then, AI partnerships have become increasingly common across the media landscape, with multiple major players adopting similar strategies. In February, Lionsgate further strengthened its commitment by appointing Kathleen Grace as its first Chief AI Officer.
Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns described Runway as a central component of the company’s AI strategy, noting that it expands its storytelling capabilities. Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela, meanwhile, emphasized that AI should be viewed not as a cost-cutting tool, but as a creative resource.
Overall, the partnership is seen as a significant example of how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape not only production workflows in Hollywood, but also the broader models of content development.
