AMC declines to show AI animated short following uproar

AMC Theatres will not screen AI short ‘Thanksgiving Day’ after backlash over nationwide pre show plans

AMC Theatres has decided not to screen an AI generated short film after online backlash erupted over plans for a nationwide theatrical run.

The controversy began when the Frame Forward AI Animated Film Festival announced that Thanksgiving Day, directed by Igor Alferov, had won its inaugural contest. Part of the prize package included a two week national run in cinemas as part of the pre show before feature presentations.

However, the short was not directly programmed by exhibitors themselves. Instead, it was scheduled through Screenvision Media, the third party company that manages the advertising driven pre show that plays before movies in multiple theater chains across the United States.

Once news spread on social media that the AI animated film would appear in AMC locations, critics voiced concern about major cinema chains embracing AI generated content. Many singled out AMC in particular, questioning whether traditional theaters should promote work created with generative AI tools.

In response, AMC issued a statement clarifying that it was not involved in creating the content or the initiative. The company confirmed it had informed Screenvision that AMC locations would not participate in screening the short. Screenvision’s pre show runs in fewer than 30 percent of AMC’s U.S. theaters.

The film, Thanksgiving Day, follows a bear and his platypus assistant traveling through space in a dumpster shaped spacecraft while encountering corrupt officials and unusual food delivery services. According to reports, Alferov used AI tools including Gemini 3.1 and Nano Banana Pro to produce the animated short.

While AI assisted projects have previously screened in limited festival or specialty engagements, including select IMAX showings tied to Runway’s 2025 AI Film Festival, this would likely have marked one of the first narrative AI shorts to receive broad national exposure in mainstream theaters.

It remains unclear whether other cinema chains supplied by Screenvision will proceed with the screening.