XPRIZE is putting up $3.5 million for optimistic science fiction trailers

The Future Vision XPRIZE competition offers $3.5 million for optimistic sci-fi trailers, allowing filmmakers to use AI tools like Google Flow.

The Future Vision XPRIZE, a film competition spearheaded by the XPRIZE foundation and its founder Peter Diamandis, challenges filmmakers to envision a desirable future, with a total prize fund of over $3.5 million. The stated goal: to counter the predominance of dystopian narratives in Hollywood and, according to the organizers, to bring forth a new Star Trek. The format consists of a maximum three-minute trailer accompanied by a treatment, produced by any means: live-action, animation, or AI tools, with Google Flow being cited among the latter and Google being among the partners alongside Range.

The winner receives approximately $2.6 million to produce their feature film, including $100,000 for writing and $2.5 million in investment, with Range attached to production, while a crowdfunding campaign via Republic Film aims for an additional million. Five finalists, selected from thousands of applications, will present their projects on September 25 in Los Angeles; submissions are open until August 15, 2026.

The organizers warn that they are not expecting flawless utopias: conflict and stakes remain required, with optimism lying in the message rather than in the absence of obstacles.