Late Night with the Devil · reception & legacy

How Late Night with the Devil has been received, argued over, and remembered.

The arc

A SXSW 2023 sensation that became a genuine 2024 indie hit — it gave IFC Films its biggest opening ever, and even a pre-release firestorm over its use of AI-generated art couldn't stop it becoming one of the year's best-reviewed horror films.

What's debated

The fight is over the handful of AI-generated interstitial images — some fans called for a boycott while others argued a scrappy indie shouldn't be cancelled over three cutaway cards — with a side debate about whether the finale sticks the landing.

Its footprint

Stephen King's tweet calling it 'absolutely brilliant' became the film's unofficial poster quote, and its pitch-perfect 70s late-night pastiche made 'Night Owls with Jack Delroy' feel like a show people half-remember actually watching.

Where it stands

An instant Letterboxd darling and modern horror favourite, cherished above all as the moment character-actor royalty David Dastmalchian finally got his leading role.

Named by the director

Influences Cameron Cairnes has publicly named — the director's own word, distinct from the inferred lines of influence.

• Ghostwatch (1992) — The Cairnes brothers acknowledged the BBC's infamous fake-live broadcast as a touchstone for their possessed-TV conceit.