Following a wave of critical praise — including Mashable's review out of SXSW 2023— Late Night with the Devilhas been catching heat online for its alleged use of AI-generated imagery. The My Mothers Friend 5movie stars David Dastmalchian as a late-night TV host looking to save his show with a Halloween special that goes demonically off the rails.

The conversation around Late Night with the Devil's use of AI first began with a one-star Letterboxd review by user based gizmo from March 19, who wrote, "Listen. There's AI all over this... Don't let this be the start of accepting this shit in your entertainment."

Users on X (formerly Twitter) began to screenshot the film's trailer to dissect the AI allegations.

The AI-generated images in question play as interstitials throughout the film's fictional live TV broadcast. Among them is an illustration of a skeleton dancing in the middle of a pumpkin patch and the occasional "We'll be right back" message.

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As discourse around the images grew on social media, Mashable reached out to Shudder for comment. We received a statement from Late Night with the Devil's co-writers and co-directors, Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes, which confirmed the film's use of AI.

This same statement was first reported in Variety. It is as follows:

• 'Late Night with the Devil' review: '70s flare and Satanic Panic bring horror home
• 'Late Night with the Devil' trailer teases a '70s talk show going horrifyingly wrong
• AI isn't your boss. It isn't a worker. It's a tool.
• AI leaders, actors, and academics sign letter calling for anti-deepfake legislation
• Probable AI-generated crock pot cookbooks flood Amazon with recipes we're afraid to try

In conjunction with our amazing graphics and production design team, all of whom worked tirelessly to give this film the 70s aesthetic we had always imagined, we experimented with AI for three still images which we edited further and ultimately appear as very brief interstitials in the film. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a talented and passionate cast, crew and producing team go above and beyond to help bring this film to life. We can't wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend.

Late Night with the Devil's use of AI is only the latest in a series of films and TV shows using AI-generated imagery. In 2023, Marvel's Secret Invasionused AI to create its unnerving opening credits. Earlier in 2024, viewers criticized True Detective: Night Countryfor background posters that looked AI-generated. All this pushback comes in the wake of Hollywood's WGA and SAG strikes, during which both unions fought for protections against AI being used to replace their work.

Late Night with the Devilpremieres in theaters March 22, and heads to Shudder April 19.