The recent revelation that the new IFC Films movie Late Night With the Devil utilized artificial intelligence in its production has stirred up a heated debate among horror fans. The movie, starring David Dastmalchian and directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes, incorporated AI to create three still images seen in the film.
In response to the controversy, the Cairnes brothers issued a statement to Variety, clarifying the extent of AI usage in the movie. They commended the graphics and production design team for their contributions and explained that while AI generated the three images, further editing was done before they appeared on screen.
Set in the 1970s, Late Night With the Devil follows the story of Jack Delroy, played by Dastmalchian, a talk show host whose broadcast takes a dark turn during an interview with a parapsychologist and a survivor of a Satanic church mass suicide. The film falls under the found footage horror genre and draws inspiration from the style of the 1992 British horror film, Ghostwatch.
AI's role in Hollywood has become a contentious issue, particularly during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. Late Night With the Devil is not the only production to face scrutiny for its use of artificial intelligence. Recent lawsuits have been filed against studios for employing AI to replicate voices and writing styles of deceased actors and comedians.
Despite early positive reviews praising the film's aesthetic and performances, the revelation of AI involvement has led to backlash from some viewers. Calls for a boycott and negative comments on platforms like Letterboxd have emerged, raising questions about the impact on the movie's reception as it premieres in theaters this weekend.
Late Night With the Devil is scheduled to hit theaters on March 22, 2024, with a streaming release on Shudder following on April 19, 2024.
