VFX Artist Who Claimed RuPaul’s Movie Used AI Doubles-Down After The Director’s Denial

The VFX artist who claimed RuPaul’s new movie Stop! That! Train! was filled with “conspicuous” AI has doubled-down after the filmmakers denied the widespread speculation.

Gloria Cook went viral last week for a Letterboxd review of the upcoming film that claimed it features some “of the most conspicuous uses of AI I’ve seen in a film”.

Cook shared a viral review of the movie last week. (Image: Gloria Gook/Letterboxd)

In her review, Cook pointed to the film’s credits listing Acme AI, which utilises AI as a tool, as its top-billed VFX company.

She was one of multiple viewers who shared that assessment, with a viral X post also claiming “there’s a tonne of AI in the new RuPaul movie”.

The speculation grew loud enough to reach Stop! That! Train! director Adam Shankman, who said on social media this week that the movie “was made by human hands”.

“It’s come to my attention that there is some online 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.

“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.”

*Shankman said the movie was”made by human hands”. (Image: Adam Shankman/Instagram)*

Now, Cook has refuted Shankman’s statement in multiple social media posts, claiming she “still believe[s] he’s lying” about the film’s use of AI.

She called attention to the “intentional wording” of Shankman’s statement, in particular the phrase “zero shots conceived by AI”, implying that humans may have come up with the ideas for the shots, but that the shots themselves might still have been generated by AI.

“This feels intentionally vague,” Cook said on social media.

She also pointed out the AI-seeming discrepancies in the trailer for Stop! That! Train!, including the different number of windows across the cabins on the train, the texturing of the rocks in the background, and the bridge under the train missing a support leg.

“These discrepancies just aren’t what you get with CGI,” Cook claimed.

“I’m going to make a big deal about this because this is going to be a big deal moving forward. Filmmakers are going to lie about not using AI,” she added.

At the height of the speculation, an Acme AI source told Out that the company “utilises AI as an additive tool” but not to fully generate shots, and does “not replace any humans in the creation of these effects”.

Set for release later this month, Stop! That! Train! stars RuPaul as a fictional US President tasked with stopping a high-speed train from careening into Los Angeles.

The cast includes a bunch of Drag Race alum like Ginger Minj and Jujubee, as well as celebs Nicole Richie, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lisa Rinna.

Lead images: Gloria Cook/TikTok and YouTube