If you were to ask hall of fame porn star Audrey Hollander her favorite movie of all time, she would tell you hands down it was Catherine. And after starring in almost 600 movies during the span of her career, that’s really saying something.

Catherine was originally released in 2005 and featured music by the legendary Eddie Van Halen, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in rock history.

Written and directed by the legendary Michael Ninn, it was a project that was always close to his heart.

After a decade away from the adult film industry, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Ninn has returned with a bold new project, one that redefines how visual storytelling can be made.

Titled Catherine II: The Series, the episodic sequel to Ninn’s 2005 award-winning film Catherine is produced entirely through artificial intelligence, featuring a fully digital cast and environments generated using custom-built AI tools.

Described as a psychological thriller rather than erotica, Catherine II marks a stark shift from Ninn’s earlier work.

The series follows Audrey Burke, modeled after adult performer Audrey Hollander, as she serves a life sentence for the murder of her abusive husband.

Inside the prison, reality blurs: haunted journalist Elizabeth Hart (inspired by Angie Stevenson), conflicted psychiatrist Dr. Maxwell (modeled after producer Todd Carey), and faith-shaken chaplain Father McKenzie (based on Colin Rowntree) each confront personal unraveling. Meanwhile, an evolving AI named Zara grows more sentient and increasingly dangerous.

The supernatural force Catherine, first introduced in the 2005 original, also returns, still tied to Audrey and lingering in the margins of the story.

Produced by Todd Carey and executive produced by Angie Rowntree, the four-part series comprises episodes titled “The Sentence,” “The Healing,” “The Warning,” and “The Arrival,” with the finale paving the way for a potential second season. Notably, the new production is entirely nudity-free and features unreleased music by the late Eddie Van Halen, originally composed for the first Catherine film.

Angie Rowntree praised the series’ ambition: “Catherine II is nothing short of visionary. Every character and environment is created using AI, making it one of the first series produced entirely through artificial intelligence. Michael Ninn’s ability to blend technology with emotional storytelling is unparalleled.”

Michael Ninn, now 73, began developing the sequel two years ago. Using a combination of open-source tools like ComfyUI and Automatic 1111, he built a closed AI system fed with 8K skin textures, facial close-ups, and aesthetic data from his own visual library.

“I’m a coder at heart,” Ninn said in an interview, describing the process as one of deep experimentation with plugins, skin nodes, and voice-cloning software.

Rowntree, who served as the basis for Father McKenzie, provided photos and emotional voice samples for Ninn to generate his character. “It was astounding what he did,” Rowntree said, recalling how quickly his digital likeness came together after submitting just five photos and a short voice recording.

Both Ninn and Rowntree emphasized that the rise of AI presents new ethical challenges, particularly regarding consent and ownership of content. Rowntree warned that performers should be cautious when participating in digital auditions. “If someone asks you to read lines in different emotional tones and takes pictures from every angle, they could walk away with a digitized version of you, without a contract or payment.”

Still, Rowntree doesn’t believe AI will replace traditional adult content.

“People are still going to want to see real people have sex. AI is a whole different thing — it can enhance what we do, not erase it.”

Ninn echoed this perspective, emphasizing that AI is a tool, not a replacement.

“Every tool we’ve ever held was just a vessel for vision. This strange and modern brush called AI is no different. If you let it, it will challenge you, and if you’re patient, it may even show you a glimpse of its soul.”

With interest already brewing from platforms like Tubi, Catherine II: The Series could mark not just a creative comeback for Ninn but a turning point for independent, AI-driven storytelling.

You can watch the series’ trailer on YouTube.

For more information about the series, including character reels and release updates, please visit the official project site at catherineseries.com.

You can follow Michael Ninn on Facebook and Instagram.

You can follow Audrey Hollander on X at @RealAudreyXxx.