# Late Night with the Devil Sparks a Backlash Over Three AI Stills

- Date: 2024-03-21
- Type: film
- Credit: Cameron & Colin Cairnes / IFC Films
- Genre: Horror
- Artists: [Cameron](https://aifilmhistory.org/artist/cameron), [Colin Cairnes](https://aifilmhistory.org/artist/colin-cairnes), [IFC Films](https://aifilmhistory.org/artist/ifc-films)
- URL: https://aifilmhistory.org/entry/late-night-with-the-devil

The Cairnes brothers' '70s-talk-show horror film opens to glowing reviews — and a controversy that quickly eclipses them. The directors confirm that three brief interstitial graphics (a network bumper, a pumpkin, a skeleton) were generated with AI. Even though the live action and performances are entirely human, the disclosure drives a days-long online debate about where the line sits and how loudly it should be drawn. It becomes the canonical case study for how a tiny amount of generative imagery can become the loudest fact about a release.

Links:
- Variety — Directors Confirm AI Use: https://variety.com/2024/film/news/late-night-with-the-devil-ai-art-controversy-1235949010/
- IndieWire: https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/late-night-with-the-devil-ai-art-controversy-1234965828/

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Source: https://aifilmhistory.org/entry/late-night-with-the-devil
Era: 2024 · The Great Convergence
Last updated: 2026-09-23