Eli Roth acknowledged using artificial intelligence in portions of his upcoming horror film “Ice Cream Man,” which is scheduled to premiere on Aug. 7. The director had previously indicated that he personally created animated sequences for the movie, but he clarified in a statement released on Tuesday that AI technology was involved in “a very small portion of a few scenes in the film.”
Roth initially described to Polygon a sequence featuring a cartoon that hypnotizes children and turns them into murderers. He explained that he had drawn the animated portions himself, drawing inspiration from a 1920s Mickey Mouse cartoon depicting the character moving through a haunted house. He said he then worked with animators to enhance the fluidity of the animation and had an artist apply an old-fashioned, jerky aesthetic to the footage.
When challenged about the involvement of AI visual effects studio Dark Half, Roth issued a revised statement acknowledging the technology’s role in the production. “I misspoke,” he stated. “AI was used in a very small portion of a few scenes in the film. It was an opportunity where technology and creativity came together to help bring my vision for the film to life.”
The situation reflects a broader pattern in recent film releases where the disclosure of AI use has sparked audience concern. Directors of “Late Night with the Devil,” which premiered in 2023, faced questions about multiple AI-generated images that appeared in their theatrical version. Similarly, director Adam Shankman made explicit statements denying AI involvement in “Stop That Train” after public scrutiny of the production’s use of technology from Ryan Kavanaugh’s AI and visual effects company. The tension between filmmakers’ initial descriptions of their work and eventual revelations about AI involvement has become an emerging issue in the entertainment industry.
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