Soderbergh's AI Lennon doc meets critical resistance at Cannes
Steven Soderbergh's new documentary on John Lennon faced a harsh reception at the Cannes Film Festival. Early reviews centered their criticism on the film's use of generative AI.
The festival debut
Steven Soderbergh's new documentary, [John Lennon: The Last Interview](/movie/john-lennon-the-last-interview-2026), premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival to a challenging critical reception. Soderbergh, who famously won the Palme d'Or in 1989 for his debut feature Sex, Lies, and Videotape, returned to the festival with a project that focuses on the final recorded conversation with the Beatles co-founder before his death in 1980.
The initial wave of reviews following the screening was pointed. Critics questioned the film's fundamental premise and took specific issue with its visual construction. One prominent review from the festival characterized the project as possessing a "flimsy reason to exist," suggesting the documentary struggled to justify itself beyond its central archival audio.
The AI controversy
The most consistent criticism has targeted the film's prominent use of generative artificial intelligence to create its visuals. The documentary employs AI to animate and illustrate the content of Lennon's interview, a decision that became the focal point of negative feedback. The same early review described the AI-generated imagery as "appallingly ugly," arguing the technology detracted from the core material rather than enhancing it.
The reaction highlights the ongoing industry-wide skepticism surrounding the use of generative AI in filmmaking. Soderbergh is one of the most established auteurs to publicly present a project utilizing the technology so extensively. The poor reception at a major international festival signals potential headwinds for similar efforts, especially when applied to revered cultural figures like John Lennon. The film currently has no distributor attached.
