Eli Roth's 'Ice Cream Man' slammed for AI use and low Rotten Tomatoes score

Director Eli Roth's horror film Ice Cream Man opened in U.S. theaters on August 7, 2026 to a largely negative reception, holding a 29 % positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 59 reviews. Critics described the movie as a cheap splatterfest with weak script, shallow characters and over‑reliance on gore, with Variety and The Guardian listing it among the year’s worst horror releases.

The film also sparked a controversy over the use of generative AI. Roth initially told reporters the animated sequence was created by hand, but after social‑media users identified AI‑generated visuals, he issued a correction: “I misspoke. AI was used in a very small portion of a few scenes in the film. It was an opportunity where technology and creativity came together to help bring my vision to life.” The AI work was supplied by visual‑effects studio Dark Half. The debate reflects broader industry tensions about AI in filmmaking.

Ice Cream Man was produced by Roth’s independent company The Horror Section, financed on a modest $7 million budget and distributed by Iconic Events. Despite the critical backlash, the low‑budget model may still allow the film to turn a profit.