Eli Roth admits to using Artificial Intelligence in his recent horror film, ‘Ice Cream Man,’ after initially stating that animation sequences were brought to life through traditional ways – similar to the popular cartoon of ‘Mickey Mouse.’ When the 54-year-old filmmaker was asked whether he used generative methods for specific scenes of turning children into killers, the director explained that he has an animation background and drew the sequences. However, the credits included the name of an AI visual effects company, prompting him to clarify his original remarks and admitting that he indeed used synthetic intelligence.Here’s a closer look at Eli Roth changing his statements about ‘Ice Cream Man.’
Eli Roth confirms use of generative AI
Eli Roth confirmed the use of AI to Polygon, stating, “I misspoke. 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,” he said. However, he did not clarify whether AI was specifically used in the sequences he claimed to have drawn from scratch, nor did he provide details about what constitutes a ‘very small portion of a few scenes in the film.’
When Eli Roth explained he drew his vision through animation technology
Initially, Eli Roth claimed he had drawn the animations for a particular scene, in which the eerie cartoon plays on children’s phones to hypnotise them into becoming killers. “I have an animation background, and I drew it,” the filmmaker said in a statement to Polygon. “I worked with an animation team, and I wanted it to look and feel like there’s an old Mickey Mouse cartoon where he goes to a haunted house and there’s brooms and dancing skeletons and this kind of flowing dancing stuff and the jittery style of the animation,” he continued.“So I drew the loop cycles and the styles. Then I had some animators help kind of make it a little more fluid, and I worked with an artist to give it a bit of an old-timey jittery feel. But I sat there, and I drew out the frames that I wanted,” Roth explained his vision, detailing how he made the scenes. However, the version sent for early reviews includes the name of the AI visual effects company, Dark Half, in the credits. Many fans discussed online how much of the film was created through AI.‘Ice Cream Man’ will release on August 7, 2026, starring Ari Millen, Sarah Abbott, Karen Cliche, Dylan Hawco, and more.
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