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RuPaul’s Campy Spoof Opens to Warm Reviews as an AI Credit Dispute Lingers

The film’s Pride-week wide release pairs broad critical praise with unresolved questions about a credited VFX partner and what the credits say about generative-AI use.

"Stop! That! Train!" is a movie in the vein of “Airplane!” and “Naked Gun” — leaning heavily on puns and slapstick — but delivered by a roster of drag stars.
Who else but RuPaul could play the president in this movie? Here with Matt Rogers.
"Drag Race" alums Ginger Minj and Jujubee are among the stars of "Stop! That! Train!"

Overview

  • Stop! That! Train! opened widely on June 12 with strong early reviews and an approximate 87–88% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.
  • The Adam Shankman‑directed comedy stars RuPaul and many Drag Race alumni in a fast, low‑budget 19‑day shoot that leans into broad, Zucker/Abrahams‑style spoofing and numerous celebrity cameos.
  • A viral social‑media thread called attention to oddly rendered digital backdrops credited to Acme AI & VFX and prompted scrutiny of whether generative AI contributed to final shots.
  • Director Adam Shankman gave mixed accounts during the press run, first saying some windows or a shot or two used AI and then issuing a statement that no shots were 'conceived by AI,' leaving the public contradiction unresolved.
  • Trade reporting and critics say any AI use may have been limited to background tools or workflow assists rather than wholly AI‑generated finished plates but the episode has renewed calls for clearer VFX crediting and greater transparency about labor and creative attribution.