After quietly enabling a booming industry around fake movie trailers, YouTube has finally stepped in and shut off the ad revenue.
The platform has demonetized Screen Culture and KH Studio, two of the most popular “concept trailer” channels known for AI-generated videos featuring major Hollywood IP. These channels specialize in speculative content, imagining hypothetical storylines and stitching together believable visuals using generative AI and repurposed footage. Their videos often mimic official trailers for unreleased projects like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman, attracting millions of views and, until now, substantial ad revenue.
The move follows a Deadline investigation that exposed how these channels were not only outperforming official trailers in search rankings, but also funneling ad revenue to a handful of major studios. Warner Bros. Discovery and Sony were reportedly among those quietly claiming monetization on the videos, raising red flags for rights holders and labor advocates.
YouTube cited violations of its monetization policies. Content must be significantly original, not overly repetitive or duplicative, and cannot be created solely to attract views. The company also pointed to its misinformation policies, which prohibit manipulated content that could mislead viewers. Many of these concept trailers blur the line, depicting unreleased characters or casting choices that haven’t been confirmed, such as Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer or Ralph Ineson’s Galactus in Marvel’s Fantastic Four.
Creators Push Back
KH Studio’s founder said the channel is about fun, speculative storytelling rather than deception. “My goal has always been to explore creative possibilities – not to misrepresent real releases,” he told Deadline. He added that he’s been running the channel full-time for more than three years and was surprised to see it grouped under “misleading content.”
Screen Culture’s founder, Nikhil P. Chaudhari, leads a team that produces up to 12 videos per week. While he hasn’t responded to the latest demonetization, he previously said most viewers understand the content isn’t official. “What’s the harm?” he asked during the original Deadline interview.
That question — what’s the harm? — lies at the center of a broader conversation about how AI impacts creative industries. These trailers often depict actors and characters without their consent, creating a legal and ethical gray area. Despite that, some studios have been benefiting from the content, claiming ad revenue instead of taking takedowns.
The AI Debate Isn’t Going Away
This crackdown arrives at a time when AI in entertainment is under intense scrutiny. Recent comments from the Russo Brothers and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos have pushed the conversation forward, while union leaders continue to voice concerns about job displacement.
AI tools offer significant advantages for independent creators. But when widely viewed content starts replicating official IP, or monetizing depictions of real actors without permission, the line between innovation and exploitation becomes harder to ignore.
YouTube says the affected creators can appeal the decision. Whether the channels shift direction or fade out remains to be seen. But for now, YouTube has made one thing clear: the concept trailer free-for-all won’t be monetized anymore.
