AMC Theatres Distances Itself From AI Short, Won’t Screen It

AMC Theatres has quietly distanced itself from any perceived plans to show an AI-generated animated short called Thanksgiving Day before films across its U.S. screens next month.

Thanksgiving Day was created by Igor Alferov using AI tools, including Gemini 3.1 and Nano Banana Pro, and recently won an AI-specific short-film contest hosted by Modern Uprising Studios. The festival prize included a pay-to-play theatrical rollout via Screenvision Media, a company that sells preshow advertising to major cinema chains. Under that agreement, the film was expected to play in theaters nationwide, perhaps timed to this year’s Thanksgiving holiday, although dates were not part of the initial announcement.

But according to Deadline, AMC says its multiplexes won’t be part of those plans, and most never were. The chain says it has informed Screenvision it won’t carry the short at its locations, and stressed that it was never directly involved in producing or programming the piece.

AMC’s statement to Deadline reads:

Thanksgiving Day is an initiative by Screenvision Media, which manages pre-show advertising for several US cinema chains. Screenvision Media provides pre-show advertising in less than 30% of AMC Theatres’ US theaters. AMC Theatres is not involved in the production or implementation of Thanksgiving Day and has informed Screenvision Media that it will not be participating in AMC Theatres screenings.

The chain’s move comes amid rising scrutiny of AI-generated content in entertainment, particularly works produced without traditional production pipelines or credited crews. While many, if not most, studios are embracing and integrating AI support tools into their kits, there seems to be an ill-defined line that many aren’t willing to cross when it comes to generating storylines or original on-screen assets.

Some potential theatergoers and many artists have openly criticized the Thanksgiving Day short online, arguing that generative AI projects shouldn’t be showcased in commercial exhibition spaces meant for human-made films. It’s a debate that reaches far beyond cinemas, but in this case, audiences look

Screenvision didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on how AMC’s decision affects the broader rollout. It’s not clear whether other cinema chains will proceed with screening the film, or if the controversy will prompt changes to how similar AI-created works are distributed in theatrical settings.