YouTube Removes Monetization For Fake Movie Trailer Channels After Deadline Investigation

Dan Lalonde
Jun 24
1 min read

Which do you find more annoying? Fake movie trailers that come out on the day of a big release, or going to watch a sports highlight, only for a guy to be talking about it for five minutes?

YouTube has taken decisive action against misleading "concept trailer" creators following a Deadline exposé that revealed the growing trend of AI-generated fake movie trailers deceiving millions of viewers.

Two prominent creators, Screen Culture and KH Studio, along with their alternate accounts Screen Trailers and Royal Trailer, have been removed from YouTube’s Partner Program, suspending their ad revenue privileges. Combined, these channels amassed over 2.3 million subscribers by producing trailers that mimicked major franchises like Fantastic Four, Superman, and even imaginary James Bond films starring Henry Cavill.

YouTube stated: “Our enforcement decisions... apply to all channels that may be owned or operated by the impacted creator,” reinforcing its policy that reused content must be “significantly transformed” and not created solely for views.

The investigation revealed these creators heavily utilized AI-generated visuals, misleading audiences into believing the trailers were real. Instead of copyright strikes, some studios like Warner Bros. and Sony opted to claim ad revenue on the content—an approach that drew criticism from SAG-AFTRA. The union condemned studios for profiting off what they call "unauthorized and subpar" AI-driven content.

This crackdown signals YouTube’s stronger stance on misinformation and deceptive practices within entertainment content—particularly when AI is involved in manipulating or misrepresenting real media. Comment below with your thoughts.