Darren Aronofsky's New AI-Generated Series Gets The Thumbs Down On Social Media
Throughout his prolific career, Darren Aronofsky has repeatedly ruffled feathers with his bold and risk-taking approach to filmmaking, which has included divisive movies like Mother!, The Whale, Requiem For A Dream and The Wrestler.
However, with his latest project, the Oscar nominee is courting controversy for a very different reason.
Earlier this week, Aronofsky’s production company Primordial Soup announced the new series On This Day… 1776, which uses AI-generated animation to recreate key moments in the founding of America in commemoration of the country’s 250th anniversary.
While the photo-realistic (well… ish) on-screen animation is created using AI tools, the show uses the voices of real SAG-approved voice actors in its storytelling.
The first two episodes of the series – on which Aronofsky is named as an executive producer – are now streaming on Time Studios’ YouTube channel, and since the news spread on social media that the Black Swan director was overseeing a project that relied on artificial intelligence, many have been loudly expressing their disappointment.
Others accused Aronofsky of hypocrisy given his stance as an environmentalist and AI’s reported damage to the planet, while some also pointed out this wasn’t the first time the filmmaker had been accused of using other people’s existsting work in his creative process…
To think this is the same Darren Aronofsky who did... Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler and Black Swan.
— Anthony S. Marqueeo (@TheMarqueeo) January 30, 2026
Such a shame ????♂️
#Movies#OnThisDay#America250https://t.co/tsfaT0JBLh
wonder how much they paid darren aronofsky to type "america civil war, historical drama, soft warm lighting, anamorphic lens, cinematic, netflix grading, epic" into a text field https://t.co/mwCCnbPVBk
— Stan's Account (@tristandross) January 30, 2026
Straight to director jail for a maximum sentence https://t.co/zrORZbU7Ka
— Benzo Stray Dogs (@benzostraydogs) January 29, 2026
a director should completely lose their career for this. his wikipedia should say former filmmaker from now on no matter what else he does https://t.co/v2ad5rVl7A
— laurinha ???? (@ecto_fun) January 29, 2026
Someone got to his wikipedia page. First line reads:
— Political Judo (@PoliticalJudo) January 29, 2026
"Darren Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is a former American filmmaker and current slop advocate."
As a staunch Darren Aronofsky hater I feel vindicated. LOL: pic.twitter.com/RfxhMAmYF9
— Máté ????????????????????????????????Remember Timoleon of Corinth (@LatvanyMate) January 29, 2026
#FuckAI#AIIsNotArt
— Nathanael Reyes (@NatReyes96) January 29, 2026
I know my expectations were low but holy fuck Darren Aronofsky producing AI slop wasn’t on my bingo card. https://t.co/oU5gZy9Glppic.twitter.com/10Bz8oi6I8
darren aronofsky deserves a life sentence in director jail. this should be a career-ending thing to participate in https://t.co/EIoNoYVgqt
— maya (@spdersfromarss) January 29, 2026
Darren Aronofsky is officially on the washed list, wtf did I just read https://t.co/Y6PXSjy3Z1
— Beware the Batman (@Batman_Beware) January 30, 2026
this is a screenshot from darren aronofsky’s new AI series…….yes that’s supposed to say america on the bottom pic.twitter.com/t30dD4V7zL
— shotgun (@shotgunSM_) January 29, 2026
Aronofsky profiting off of stolen art? Fork found in kitchen… but damn this is low even for him
— Royal Godyssey (@g0DySsEy) January 30, 2026
The irony here is that Darren Aronofsky is an environmental activist https://t.co/5Zs9xmM2bM
— Leah/리아 (@LeahBathRoad) January 30, 2026
spent most of 2025 going to bat for Darren Aronofsky, just to find out he’s an ai loving dork pic.twitter.com/NWNORXTEo3
— Marty Normalball (@interiordarts69) January 29, 2026
"Used to be that when Darren Aronofsky wanted to feature a dead-eyed actor, he'd just employ Jared Leto." https://t.co/FNAz2h7EBY
— Lionel Blair Witch Project (@garyswilkinson) January 30, 2026
HuffPost UK has contacted Darren Aronofsky’s team for comment.
The use of generative AI has become an increasingly contentious issue in the entertainment industry over the last few years.
In fact, the threats posed to creators industry-wide by the rise of AI was part of what led to the Hollywood strikes of 2023.
Last year, Aronofsky unveiled the black comedy thriller Caught Stealing, which featured the likes of Austin Butler, Zoe Kravitz, Matt Smith, Oscar winner Regina King and Bad Bunny among its cast.
He previously won an Emmy for his work as a producer on the documentary The Territory, and was nominated for Best Director at the 2010 Oscars for his film Black Swan.