EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Inside 'Watch the Skies' with Flawless AI and Crazy Pictures

Scott Mann and Crazy Pictures break down the groundbreaking tech and emotional core behind Watch the Skies.

PART ONE: The Tech Behind the Tension

When Watch the Skies landed on our radar, it didn’t just catch our eye because of its exhilarating pacing and deeply emotional sci-fi core. It caught our attention because it marked a first-of-its-kind creative endeavor: a full-length international genre film reimagined with groundbreaking AI dubbing technology. That collision of innovation and storytelling brought us face to face with some of the creative minds behind it.

In this first installment of our two-part exclusive, we spoke with Flawless AI Co-Founder Scott Mann, Watch the Skies director Victor Danell, and producer Albin Pettersson about everything from pacing and performance to what AI dubbing could mean for the future of global genre cinema.

Scott Mann, a filmmaker himself, emphasized Flawless AI’s mission to empower rather than replace creatives. "AI isn't an artist," Mann explained. "Our role is to preserve the authenticity of the filmmaker's vision." With Watch the Skies, that meant working directly with the original cast to re-record dialogue and utilize Flawless’s true-to-performance dubbing system—a process that makes it possible for international films to reach wider audiences without losing their soul.

And the result? A rare balance of tech and emotion. Watch the Skies doesn’t just retain its impact—it amplifies it.

Victor Danell, one of the founders of Sweden's Crazy Pictures collective, credits the film's propulsive energy to a combination of long-time creative chemistry and an unshakeable commitment to story. "We've been making movies together since we were eight. That fun we had on set transfers to the screen," Danell told us. The movie’s brisk pacing and genre-bending tone deliver an experience that moves fast without ever feeling rushed.

Producer Albin Pettersson sees the flawless dubbing process as a revolution in reach: "Now we can preserve Swedish voices, dialects, and humor without alienating non-Swedish speakers. This isn’t a remake. This is Watch the Skies as it was meant to be experienced."

From a cultural standpoint, the process feels urgent. As Mann pointed out, "We’ve been blocked from other cultures' stories because of language barriers. AI dubbing gives us the chance to truly step into other worlds."

PART TWO: The Human Core of the Cosmic Mystery

While the AI delivery of Watch the Skies might be making headlines, it’s the raw, emotional center of the film that sticks with you. In our second round of interviews, we caught up with Inez Dahl Torhaug (Denise) and Jesper Barkselius (Lennart Svahn) to dig into the emotional journeys that power the narrative.

In our review, we called Watch the Skies "a genre-defying triumph that wraps a sci-fi conspiracy around a grieving teenager’s desperate need for connection."

That desperate need is embodied in Denise, played by Inez Dahl Torhaug in a performance that blends intensity with deep vulnerability. We spoke about how closely Inez connected to Denise’s drive and how the character’s pursuit of her missing father mirrored more universal questions about trust, family, and purpose.

Jesper Barkselius, portraying a figure at the center of Denise’s unraveling mystery, shared his experience diving into the emotional layers of a character torn between duty and guilt. His arc offers one of the film's most poignant transformations, grounding the science fiction with a sobering dose of humanity.

As we noted in our review: "It’s not just the tech or the tension that hits hardest—it’s the way Watch the Skies asks us to redefine what we think family means."

Watch the Skies opens on May 9th in select AMC theaters across the country. Don’t wait for the streaming release. This one deserves the big screen.