Robert Zemeckis Unveils Sora-Generated 'Polar Express 2'

HOLLYWOOD, CA — The magic is back! In a closed-door press screening, director and long-time cinematic technology trailblazer Robert Zemeckis unveiled the first clips from his latest film Polar Express 2: Return to the Valley—the first full-length feature film to be generated entirely by OpenAI's Sora.

"You all laughed at my dead-eyed CGI mockeries of God back then," the Beowulf director cackled as security guards ominously locked all exit doors. "Well, who's laughing now!?!"

The screened footage featured many returnning characters, including the Conductor voiced by Tom Hanks and that damn nerd kid who's too annoying for us to even look up the name of. There was an undeniable improvement in visual fidelity over the mid-2000s holiday classic, but the responses were mixed.

"I think Rob kinda missed the point when we were all complaining about the first one," one critic whispered to us, glancing around warily to ensure Zemeckis wasn't listening. "Making them look more realistic just makes it creepier."

Other responses were more positive, especially when coming from AI afficiandos and futurists.

"Absolutely jaw-dropping! Sora and other AI video technology tools are changing the game forever," raved one screening attendee while showing us a disturbingly large album of 'AI Influencer Supermodels' he'd generated in Midjourney. "On a completely unrelated note, I'm offering 50% off all of my prompt-writing courses for a limited time only!"

After the screening, Zemeckis took the stage to discuss the footage with the press.

"The inspiration came to me when I saw a bunch of LinkedIn bros gushing over random Sora footage of some weird-ass balloon guy", Zemeckis ranted when asked about why he felt the story of the first film needed revisiting.

"And that's when I realized that I could churn out anything! Investors love the 'uncanny valley' and janky visual content if it means 'disrupting' a profession and transferring its wealth. They'll eat up whatever generative slop I feed 'em."

The audience applauded nervously, unsure what to make of Zemeckis' vision as security guards unlocked the doors and led the vexed viewers out of the theater

For better or worse, Polar Express 2: Return to the Valley is not just a movie—it's a cautionary tale of unchecked ambition, hubris, and the Faustian bargain of trading creativity for profitability. Whether audiences see it as a triumph of innovation or a harbinger of dystopian nightmares when it premieres in December 2025, one thing is for certain: the magic of the movies will never be the same again.