Viewers are planning to protest and refuse to attend theaters that screen short films created entirely by artificial intelligence.
One such film, titled “Thanksgiving,” won an award at the AI Film Festival and is set to be presented in over 2,300 theaters across the U.S.
One viewer commented, “Even if it’s AI garbage, this is unacceptable.”
The short film, created by Igor Alferov, follows a bear and a duck in a spacecraft resembling a Soviet design. The animal astronauts face exploitation from a range of animal thugs in space, including a beaver acting as a cop who shakes them down for cash. An environmental inspector pig skims more funds before a rat, designated as the “quarantine area inspector,” absconds with their food supply.
In the end, a turkey appears to replenish their supplies just in time for Thanksgiving.
The two-minute film has faced a barrage of negative feedback on YouTube, with viewers describing it as “literal waste” and expressing deep dissatisfaction. Comments like “If I see this or another AI disaster before the actual film, I’m asking for my money back” reflect this sentiment.
One viewer named Davy Jones stated, “This is terrible even by AI standards,” while another remarked, “This is just rubbish.”
On social media, a commenter succinctly summarized their feelings with a single word: “pathetic.”
There are unconfirmed reports that AMC might show this short film just before the main movie trailers, although AMC has not officially announced anything regarding this. It’s uncertain where this information originated, but they are known to have a partnership with Screenvision Media, which could tie into the rumors.
This speculation has led to discussions about a potential boycott of AMC theaters. One user mentioned divining an “extra 20-minute drive” to avoid AMC altogether. Another suggested boycotting all AMC locations nationwide, saying they prefer ads from local businesses instead.
Finally, one user stated, “If this becomes a regular occurrence, I’ll never go to theaters again, no matter what.”
In light of the overwhelmingly negative feedback, a request for comment has been sent to AMC regarding any plans to showcase this or other AI films. This article will be updated if any relevant responses are received.
