Danny Boyle has revealed that his latest film, Ink, used artificial intelligence to recreate the face of former U.K. Prime Minister Margaret “Maggie” Thatcher — and that he deliberately chose not to seek permission from her estate.
The director and producer discussed the decision during an appearance at the 70th edition of the BFI London Film Festival on Friday. Speaking with Puck’s Matt Belloni in a wide-ranging conversation that was partially recorded for The Town podcast, Boyle said the production used AI sparingly and took care not to replace members of the filmmaking team.
Ink follows Rupert Murdoch’s rise on Fleet Street and his takeover of the tabloid The Sun. Thatcher appears in scenes connected to the newspaper’s editor, Larry Lamb, prompting Boyle to choose a digital approach rather than relying solely on an impersonation.
Why Boyle Used AI for Thatcher
According to Boyle, Thatcher’s visits to Lamb’s office after the newspaper’s edition had gone out were documented. He said the two would drink whiskey together late at night, and he wanted the former prime minister’s presence in those moments to feel like Thatcher herself rather than a conventional impression.
“I didn’t want an impersonator,” Boyle said. “I wanted her to be it.”
The production nevertheless brought in an impersonator to perform the full scene before AI was used to place Thatcher’s face on her. Boyle described the technology as one of the tools now available to visual-effects companies, while emphasizing that Ink used it only to a limited degree.
“It’s a part of the toolbox that the visual effects companies use now,” he said. “It just is, and we used it very sparingly, and we were very careful to make sure it didn’t replace anyone.”
Boyle was equally direct about not approaching Thatcher’s estate. He said he “declined to ask” for permission because he does not believe the estates of figures such as Thatcher should be able to control artists’ ability to explore ideas about their influence.
“I don’t think the estate of people like Margaret Thatcher should have control over our ability to insist on ideas in art about what her influence was on our lives,” Boyle said. “So that was very important to me.”
AI, Journalism and the Power of Tech Platforms
Boyle’s comments extended beyond the production of Ink. Discussing the broader growth of AI, he raised concerns about what could happen to journalism as newspapers decline and screens become the main portals through which people receive information.
He questioned whether journalists would continue to be able to hold powerful institutions to account if technology companies controlled those platforms. Boyle also described the possibility of AI replacing journalists as an additional factor intensifying those concerns.
That warning gives the film’s subject matter another layer. While Ink examines Murdoch’s rise and control of The Sun, Boyle is also considering how power may shift when technology platforms, rather than newspapers, dominate the flow of information.
Boyle’s Previous Murdoch Encounter
Boyle also recalled meeting Murdoch before making Ink, although he said the encounter was unrelated to the project. The invitation followed the success of Slumdog Millionaire, which Boyle said had made Murdoch “a lot of money” after Fox Searchlight picked up the film.
The filmmaker remembered attending a lunch party in a garden but offered little more about the meeting. He said he could not recall the details and characterized the encounter as “extremely uneventful.”
Elsewhere in the discussion, Boyle named several films that had impressed him during the year. He said he loved Obsession and Backrooms, and that “we obviously really enjoyed” The Odyssey. He also said he was looking forward to Dune 3.
ShowBiz Take
Boyle’s disclosure matters because it places two competing ideas about AI side by side. On Ink, he viewed the technology as a narrowly used visual-effects tool that helped achieve a specific creative goal without replacing a worker. At the same time, he warned that the same technology could compound threats facing journalists and increase the influence of the companies controlling digital platforms.
His refusal to consult Thatcher’s estate also makes clear that the decision was not merely technical. For Boyle, recreating her face was tied to his belief that artists must remain free to examine the impact of major public figures. The result is a filmmaking choice that reflects the larger questions running through his festival discussion: who controls an image, who controls information and how new technology changes both.