Where Hollywood magic meets AI intelligence — Hong Kong becomes the new stage for virtual humans
Updated
January 28, 2026 1:42 PM
William Wong, Chairman and CEO of Digital Domain. PHOTO: YORKE YU
In an era where pixels and intelligence converge, few companies bridge art and science as seamlessly as Digital Domain. Founded three decades ago by visionary filmmaker James Cameron, the company built its name through cinematic wizardry—bringing to life the impossible worlds of Titanic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Marvel universe. But today, its focus has evolved far beyond Hollywood: Digital Domain is reimagining the future of AI-driven virtual humans—and it’s doing so from right here in Hong Kong.
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“AI and visual technology are merging faster than anyone imagined,” says William Wong, Chairman and CEO of Digital Domain. “For us, the question is not whether AI will reshape entertainment—it already has. The question is how we can extend that power into everyday life.”
Though globally recognized for its work on blockbuster films and AAA games, Digital Domain’s story is also deeply connected to Asia. A Hong Kong–listed company, it operates a network of production and research centers across North America, China and India. In 2024, it announced a major milestone—setting up a new R&D hub at Hong Kong Science Park focused on advancing artificial intelligence and virtual human technologies. “Our roots are in visual storytelling, but AI is unlocking a new frontier,” Wong says. “Hong Kong has been very proactive in promoting innovation and research, and with the right partnerships, we see real potential to make this a global R&D base.”
Building on that commitment, the company plans to invest about HK$200 million over five years, assembling a team of more than 40 professional talents specializing in computer vision, machine learning and digital production. For now, the team is still growing and has room to expand. “Talent is everything,” says Wong. “We want to grow local expertise while bringing in global experience to accelerate the learning curve.”
Digital Domain’s latest chapter revolves around one of AI’s most fascinating frontiers: the creation of virtual humans.
These are hyperrealistic, AI-powered virtual humans capable of speaking, moving and responding in real time. Using the advanced motion-capture and rendering techniques that transformed Hollywood visual effects, the company now builds digital personalities that appear on screens and in physical environments—serving in media, education, retail and even public services.
One of its most visible projects is “Aida”, the AI-powered presenter who delivers nightly weather reports on the Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). Another initiative, now in testing, will soon feature AI-powered concierges greeting travelers at airports, able to communicate in multiple languages and provide real-time personalized services. Similar collaborations are under way in healthcare, customer service and education.
“What’s exciting,” says Wong, “is that our technologies amplify human capability, helping to deliver better experiences, greater efficiency and higher capacity. AI-powered virtual humans can interact naturally, emotionally and in any language. They can help scale creativity and service, not replace it.”
To make that possible, Digital Domain has designed its system for compatibility and flexibility. It can connect to major AI models—from OpenAI and Google to Baidu—and operate across cloud platforms like AWS, Alibaba Cloud and Microsoft Azure. “It’s about openness,” says Wong. “Our clients can choose the AI brain that best fits their business.”
Establishing a permanent R&D base in Hong Kong marks a turning point for the company—and, in a broader sense, for the city’s technology ecosystem. With the support of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) in Hong Kong, Digital Domain hopes to make the city a creative hub where AI meets visual arts. “Hong Kong is the perfect meeting point,” Wong says. “It combines international exposure with a growing innovation ecosystem. We want to make it a hub for creative AI.”
As part of this effort, the company is also collaborating with universities such as the University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University to co-develop new AI solutions and nurture the next generation of engineers. “The goal,” Wong notes, “is not just R&D for the sake of research—but R&D that translates into real-world impact.”
The collaboration with OASES underscores how both the company and the city share a vision for innovation-led growth. As Peter Yan King-shun, Director-General of OASES, notes, the initiative reflects Hong Kong’s growing strength as a global innovation and technology hub. “OASES was set up to attract high-potential enterprises from around the world across key sectors such as AI, data science, and cultural and creative technology,” he says. “Digital Domain’s new R&D center is a strong example of how Hong Kong can combine world-class talent, technology and creativity to drive innovation and global competitiveness.”
Digital Domain’s story mirrors the evolution of Hong Kong’s own innovation landscape—where creativity, technology and global ambition converge. From the big screen to the next generation of intelligent avatars, the company continues to prove that imagination is not bound by borders, but powered by the courage to reinvent what’s possible.
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From AI love affairs to cosmic survival, 2026 has it all.
Updated
January 8, 2026 6:28 PM
A man in a space suit looking upon a ringed marble. PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Grab your popcorn—the 2026 sci-fi movie slate is stacked. We’re getting everything from post-apocalyptic survival films to AI thrillers, plus a big-space adventure and a fresh DC superhero story. Some films launch new worlds, others expand familiar ones, but all of them aim to leave an impression, but all of them look like the kind of movies you’ll want to talk about after the credits.
Here are five upcoming sci-fi movies to mark on your calendar.
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Director: Kate Dolan
Stars: Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl and Claudia Doumit
If you like your sci-fi with a creepy edge, Soulm8te is very much in that lane. A spin-off from the M3GAN universe, the film follows a man grieving the loss of his wife who turns to an AI android to ease the pain. At first, it seems to help. The connection feels real, even comforting. But before long, it becomes a little too real and slips into something far more dangerous. What makes Soulm8te unsettling is how close it feels to the present. AI companions are no longer science fiction, and the film plays with that reality in a way that feels intimate rather than futuristic. Directed by Kate Dolan, the story stays on quiet unease instead of spectacle, allowing tension to build as affection turns possessive and attachment becomes dangerous. The film is produced by Allison Williams and James Wan, both closely involved in the hit horror franchise M3GAN, and their experience with technology-driven horror is clearly felt here. Fans of grounded, psychological sci-fi should keep this one on their radar.
Release Date: January 9, 2026
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Stars: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Amber Rose Revah, Sophie Thompson, Trond Fausa Aurvåg
Back in 2020, Greenland introduced audiences to John Garrity (Gerard Butler), a father racing against time to save his family as comet fragments threatened to wipe out life on Earth. The film ended with survivors heading into bunkers deep in Greenland, hanging on to the last thin thread of hope. This sequel follows the Garrity family as they leave the safety of underground shelters and face a world that no longer resembles home. The setting moves across a battered Europe, where every decision carries weight and every journey feels uncertain. Rather than repeating the ticking-clock chaos of the original, Migration leans into endurance, exhaustion and the question of whether rebuilding is even possible. It’s a post-apocalyptic movie about movement, loss and the cost of starting over.
Release Date: March 20, 2026
Director: Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Milana Vayntrub, Sandra Hüller
Based on Andy Weir’s best-selling novel, Project Hail Mary is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about space survival films of 2026. Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, an unlikely astronaut whose journey into space begins with confusion rather than heroics. Grace, a former junior high science teacher, wakes up alone on a spacecraft, cut off from Earth and missing key memories about how he got there. As pieces slowly fall into place, so does the scale of the problem he’s been sent to solve. The film blends real science with high-stakes isolation, balancing quiet moments with the pressure of a mission that affects the entire planet. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Project Hail Mary promises tension, curiosity and a heavy dose of human vulnerability set against the vastness of space.
Release Date: March 27, 2026
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin
The Dog Stars strips the apocalypse down to its bare essentials. Based on Peter Heller’s novel of the same name, the film features a screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Christopher Wilkinson, known for The Revenant and Ali. The setup of The Dog Stars is simple and bleak: a virus has erased most of humanity. What’s left is silence, abandoned airfields and roaming scavengers known as the “Reapers” who prey on the few survivors left behind.
Jacob Elordi plays Hig, a pilot living in isolation with his dog and a heavily armed companion. His days follow a strict routine, broken only by short flights in his aging Cessna. That fragile balance shatters when a distant radio signal breaks through the quiet. It’s the first real sign of life he has heard in years, and it draws him toward a journey that could change everything. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film focuses less on large-scale destruction and more on loneliness, hope and the risk of reaching out in a broken world. The result is a post-apocalyptic thriller that feels intimate, reflective and quietly tense.
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Director: Craig Gillespie
Stars: Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, Matthias Schoenaerts
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow offers a very different take on the DC universe. This is a cosmic sci-fi story first, superhero film second. Kara Zor-El is older, tougher and shaped by memories of a world she lost. Unlike her cousin Superman, she remembers the destruction of Krypton clearly, and that history weighs heavily on her. The film follows Kara as she crosses paths with a young alien seeking justice, pulling her into a dangerous journey across distant worlds. Rather than focusing on Earth-saving spectacle, the story explores identity, grief and what heroism looks like far from home. With Milly Alcock stepping into the role, Supergirl 2026 aims to expand DC’s sci-fi side while giving the character emotional depth rarely seen on screen.
One reason science fiction movies stick with us is that they ask big questions in a way that feels personal. What happens when tech starts filling emotional gaps? What does survival look like when the world doesn’t bounce back? And how far would you go to save everyone you’ve ever known? If you’re looking for 2026 sci-fi movies that range from gritty to hopeful to unsettling, this lineup has you covered.