Hollywood’s growing relationship with artificial intelligence will take center stage in Los Angeles on September 30 as TheGrill 2026 brings entertainment executives, filmmakers, creators and technology leaders together at the DGA Theater Complex.
TheWrap’s annual business and technology conference is set to cover major issues shaping the entertainment business, with artificial intelligence playing a prominent role in this year’s programming.
AI Moves Deeper Into Hollywood Production
One of the featured conversations at TheGrill will focus directly on the future of filmmaking with AI.
Filmmakers Jason Zada, Eliza McNitt and Ori Winokur are scheduled to discuss emerging production methods, including hybrid live-action and AI workflows.
The session will examine how filmmakers are combining traditional production techniques with newer AI tools during the development and production of visual stories.
The discussion comes as Hollywood companies and independent creators continue experimenting with artificial intelligence across different parts of the filmmaking process.
Filmmakers Take a Closer Look at New Production Models
The AI filmmaking panel is expected to provide a behind-the-scenes look at projects using newer technology alongside conventional filmmaking.
Eliza McNitt’s short film “ANCESTRA,” for example, combines live-action filmmaking with generative AI. The project was developed with Darren Aronofsky’s Primordial Soup and Google DeepMind.
Jason Zada is also among the filmmakers participating in the discussion, bringing experience from projects exploring new approaches to visual storytelling.
The panel will be moderated by Todd Terrazas, co-founder of AI on the Lot and FBRC.ai.
AI Creator Day Sets the Stage
TheGrill’s AI focus actually begins one day earlier.
TheWrap and What’s Trending are holding the inaugural AI Creator Day on September 29 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles.
The event is designed around creators, filmmakers, technology companies and entertainment professionals using AI in creative work. Programming includes workshops, live demonstrations, creator case studies and conversations about ownership, ethics and creative rights.
The two events effectively create a two-day Hollywood conversation about artificial intelligence, beginning with hands-on creator programming before moving into the broader entertainment-business discussions at TheGrill.
Microdramas Join the Hollywood Conversation
AI is not the only technology-driven change getting attention at TheGrill.
The conference will also examine the rise of microdramas, short-form serialized shows designed primarily for phone screens.
David Oyelowo, Nate Parker and former Showtime programming executive Jana Winograde are among the participants scheduled for a conversation about the growing format. Winograde is building an AI-native microseries studio, while Oyelowo and Parker have moved into the format through their streaming platform, Mansa.
The discussion reflects how entertainment companies and established Hollywood talent are exploring formats outside traditional movies and television.
Major Hollywood Executives Are Also on the Lineup
TheGrill’s schedule extends well beyond AI.
The 2026 speaker lineup includes AMC Entertainment Chairman and CEO Adam Aron, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson, YouTube’s Kim Larson, Paramount Skydance Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim, NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Marshall and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins.
The conference is expected to cover entertainment, streaming, sports, advertising, technology and the creator economy alongside its filmmaking discussions.
Hollywood’s Changing Business Gets a Spotlight
Another major topic at TheGrill is the changing structure of the entertainment business.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Paramount Skydance Chief Legal Officer Makan Delrahim are scheduled to appear at the conference for separate discussions connected to the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
TheWrap has reported that the transaction is valued at $110 billion and remains subject to legal and regulatory proceedings.
That gives the September 30 event a broad mix of technology, filmmaking and business discussions.
TheGrill Takes Over the DGA Theater
TheGrill 2026 is scheduled for September 30 at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles.
The event follows AI Creator Day on September 29, creating a concentrated two-day program focused on the people and technology shaping entertainment.
For Hollywood creators and industry professionals, the programming offers a look at several changes happening at once, from AI-assisted filmmaking and phone-first storytelling to the expanding creator economy.
Why AI Is a Major Theme at TheGrill 2026
Artificial intelligence has moved beyond a technology-only discussion in the entertainment business.
At TheGrill, the subject is being addressed through filmmaking, creator businesses, production workflows and the broader future of Hollywood.
With filmmakers demonstrating hybrid production methods and creators experimenting with new formats, the September 30 conference puts AI alongside the traditional business and creative conversations that have long shaped the entertainment industry.