Stop! That! Train! director Adam Shankman is shutting down claims that his upcoming feature, led by RuPaul, utilized “fully generative AI shots” to capture the film.
“Hey everyone! Every shot in Stop! That! Train! was made by human hands! It’s come to my attention that there is some on-line speculation that Stop! That! Train! Is full of fully generative AI shots and I’m here to tell you this is patently not true,” Shankman wrote on Instagram. “There are a sum total of ZERO shots conceived by AI in the movie. We employed hundreds of VFX artists who all killed themselves getting this out for release and not one job was taken out of human hands. The movie is a fully human made piece of joy and laughter. Take it in and enjoy it yall! We need the laughter!”
The Hairspray director concluded, “Get tickets now and support all these amazing artists who made this and were paid for it.”
Shankman’s statement arrived after users on social media claimed that the film utilized AI. In VFX artist Gloria Cook’s Letterbox review of the movie, Cook wrote, “Also, if the film wasn’t bad enough on its own, it’s one of the most conspicuous uses of AI I’ve seen in a film, with a lot of VFX looking like gen AI and doubt about how much of the obvious stock footage might also be. (Confirmed in the end credits that Acme AI was the top billed VFX company on the film).”
One social media post that particularly went viral about Stop! That! Train!‘s alleged use of AI was shared on X on Sunday. “Girlfriend just made a pained sound on FaceTime and when I asked what was wrong they said ‘there’s a ton of AI in the new RuPaul movie,’” the user wrote.
Stop! That! Train! is the first feature film to hail from the RuPaul’s Drag Race universe, starring RuPaul and hailing from the show’s production company World of Wonder. Many Drag Race alums also round out the leading cast, including Ginger Minj, Jujubee, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Symone, Marcia Marcia Marcia and Latrice Royale.
In The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of the film, chief film critic David Rooney, wrote, “While RuPaul puts her impeccable comic timing, bawdy cackle and elevated drag to excellent use as U.S. president Judy Gagwell (a name fit for a vintage Bond girl), kicking up the energy whenever she’s onscreen, the true stars and MVPs are Ginger Minj and Jujubee, a pairing that’s pure delight.”
“In case it’s not abundantly clear, this film is waaay gay, its humor precision-targeted for LGBTQ audiences, preferably on edibles, though not in a way that excludes anyone else,” Rooney added. “As is invariably the case with movie parodies of this kind, not all the jokes land, but co-writers Connor Wright and Christina Friel throw so many gags at the wall that they stick more often than not.”
The film will hit theaters on June 12.
