Eli Roth acknowledged this week that his upcoming horror film “Ice Cream Man” contains shots generated with artificial intelligence, walking back earlier claims that a key sequence was entirely hand-drawn. The director issued a statement Tuesday, obtained by Polygon, admitting AI shaped “a very small portion of a few scenes” in the film, which opens nationwide August 7.
The admission followed days of backlash after a social media account claimed the low-budget slasher relied heavily on generative technology and pointed to the involvement of Dark Half, an AI-focused visual effects studio. Moviegoers who attended early screenings described certain animated sequences and graphics as visually jarring, several posting online that the images pulled them out of the film. Roth had previously suggested he personally illustrated an animated sequence in the movie, a claim he now says did not reflect the finished product accurately.
Representatives for Roth and Dark Half did not respond to Variety’s initial requests for comment. Roth later told the outlet that producing the film independently, free of studio oversight, gave him room to pursue his vision without interference. He framed the film’s rougher edges as part of the genre’s purpose, arguing that horror is meant to unsettle and provoke.
The controversy places “Ice Cream Man” alongside a growing list of films whose AI use became a flashpoint before release. “Late Night with the Devil” faced criticism in 2023 after its theatrical cut included AI-generated imagery its directors had not initially disclosed. Earlier this year, “Stop That Train” director Adam Shankman insisted no shot in his film originated from artificial intelligence, after online critics scrutinized the involvement of an AI effects house tied to producer Ryan Kavanaugh.
“Ice Cream Man,” starring Ari Millen as a sinister vendor whose treats turn children homicidal, arrives with a 31% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its release. Reviews have been largely unfavorable, with some critics dismissing the film’s tone as a shrug at its own absurdity while others praised its willingness to embrace gruesome excess. The film marks the first release from Roth’s independent banner, The Horror Section, formed after he grew frustrated with studio financing constraints.
