James Gray Says AI Is ‘Worthless’ and Explains Why, Despite Locarno’s ‘Old Man’s Award,’ His Prime Is ‘Right Now’: ‘I Owe the World One or Two Truly Great Movies’ 

Aug 6, 2026 4:50am PT James Gray Says AI Is ‘Worthless’ and Explains Why, Despite Locarno’s ‘Old Man’s Award,’ His Prime Is ‘Right Now’: ‘I Owe the World One or Two Truly Great Movies’ 

By Marta Balaga

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Marta Balaga

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James Gray Courtesy of Locarno Film Festival

Over 30 years into his career, James Gray isn’t following any trends. And he’s not about to start now. 

“This idea that we’re supposed to always try to be ‘new’… That doesn’t really mean anything. Many people say: ‘Oh, it’s important for a work to be fresh.’ The older I get, the more I realize that pursuit is a folly,” he tells Variety.

“My tastes were formed in the late 1970s, and I was influenced by, inculcated by and taught by films from before that. It’s not a conscious effort to make a statement. It’s just an extension of who I am. I think it’s important that we embrace who we are, especially as we get older.”

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