"Castle Walls," a historical drama produced by the Turkish media giant Ay Yapim, has premiered on Prime Video. This groundbreaking series, consisting of two 15-minute episodes, is notable for being entirely created using artificial intelligence, a first for a major global streaming service. The narrative delves into the intriguing history of present-day Iran's Alamut Castle, a location famously featured in the popular video game "Assassin's Creed Mirage" from Ubisoft. The scripts for this innovative short series were penned by seasoned Turkish television writers Kerem Deren and Çisil Hazal Tenim, known for their work on "El Turco." The production was spearheaded by Ay Yapim's newly established Singapore-based division, AI Yapim.
Pioneering AI-Driven Storytelling: The Journey of 'Castle Walls' on Prime Video
On August 12, 2026, a significant milestone in the streaming world was achieved with the launch of "Castle Walls" on Prime Video. This two-part Turkish historical drama, each episode running for 15 minutes, has garnered international attention for its innovative production methods. The series, which explores the mysterious past of Iran's Alamut Castle – a site recognized by fans of the "Assassin's Creed Mirage" video game – was brought to life through a blend of artificial intelligence technologies. Turkish screenwriters Kerem Deren and Çisil Hazal Tenim contributed their expertise to the narrative, which was then visually realized by AI Yapim, a subsidiary of Ay Yapim, renowned for its successful Turkish dramas such as "Endless Love" and "Forbidden Love."
The creation of "Castle Walls" utilized a sophisticated array of AI tools. AI Yapim developed a proprietary AI storyboard system and a unique video diffusion model named AYDNA. This model was meticulously trained using Ay Yapim's extensive library of licensed content, ensuring that all elements were rights-managed. Notably, while AI was central to the visual and creative development, human voice artists were employed for dubbing into various languages, and the acting performances themselves were not AI-generated, highlighting a deliberate fusion of human artistry and technological advancement. The production process, which commenced in October 2025, evolved significantly. The initial episode primarily used an inpainting technique, a method predating many contemporary image-generation tools. By the second episode, more advanced generative AI technologies were integrated, illustrating the rapid progress in AI capabilities. Ay Yapim emphasized that this production did not seek to replace human skill but rather to amplify it, with hand-drawn character and location sketches providing the foundational creative input before AI processing. This venture underscores AI Yapim's growing influence in the global dialogue surrounding AI and storytelling, reinforced by its leadership of WAIFF Turkey, the local chapter of the World AI Film Festival, and its role as an AI production capability partner for the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' education program. This launch follows Amazon MGM Studios' announcement in May regarding the greenlighting of three AI-animated series for Prime Video, indicating a broader industry trend towards integrating AI into content creation.
The debut of "Castle Walls" offers a compelling glimpse into the evolving landscape of media production. It demonstrates that artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality in creating long-form content. This development challenges traditional production paradigms and opens up new avenues for creative expression, particularly for historical narratives or fantastical worlds where traditional filmmaking might face significant logistical or financial hurdles. The strategic integration of AI, while retaining human input for crucial elements like voice acting and foundational creative design, suggests a powerful collaborative model rather than a complete replacement of human talent. As AI continues to advance, we can anticipate more such hybrid productions that blend technological innovation with human storytelling, potentially democratizing content creation and diversifying narratives on global platforms like Prime Video.
