DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict

The First Fully AI Animated Feature Film in the History of Cinema!

Sophomore Betty Gray’s romance with Duchamps De Ve, the leader of the banned occult group Dread Club, spirals out of control when a rival from his past accuses him of being a vampire. As Duchamps fights to clear his name in court, Betty must race to prove his innocence, while facing an onslaught of hate from those who brand him as a monster.

On July 3rd, 2024, DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict emerged as the first fully AI animated feature film in the history of cinema, with 100% of its sound, music, video, and performances made completely with AI tools. It was also the first completely AI anime feature film.

The $405 production was made entirely by one person, over a six month period from February 2024 to July 2024. Crafted from over 17,000 high-resolution AI images, it representing a turning point in how films are made. “We’re witnessing the birth of a world where filmmaking is no longer constrained by the arbitrary circumstances of one’s birth. Instead, we’re entering an era where the power of cinema is accessible to all,” Jackson notes

Premiering July 3rd and 4th, the film was commercially released on July 26th, becoming the first AI narrative feature film to land a major streaming license, and released on Blu-ray one month later alongside the AI-generated soundtrack, consisting of 17 tracks of gothic, reggae, and techno songs across the film.

DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict was Jackson’s third feature and his first animated film, garnering the best reviews of his career (75 % on RottenTomatoes), winning him awards on the festival circuit for Best Animated Film and Best Director, and fulfilling a long-standing dream to make animated films. Alongside its release, Jackson published Artificial Imagination: The Making of DreadClub including his complete dialogues with LLMs across the production.

DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict is Hooroo Jackson’s breakthrough AI-generated animated film; the historic first A.I. anime was released on Blu-ray on Aug 31, 2024, including two cuts of the film: the historic 100 % Machine Cut, and the Director’s Cut with non-machine elements.

Reviews:

“Dread Club: Vampire’s Verdict is an animated AI feature film taking movie making to another level. Writer-director Hooroo Jackson has fashioned something unique with this Gothic horror romance, that not only feels cinematic, but is truly engaging.” Martin Carr, Entertainment Journalist

“DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict is an intriguing first step into the potential of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. More importantly, it highlights Jackson as a talented filmmaker with style.” Bobby LePire, Film Threat

“On the whole, the viewer is assured of an engaging pageant of myth, mystery and melodrama.” ReviewRon