I think we're going to see an increase of CGI/deep fake recreations of dead celebrities appearing in movies over the next decade. I think James Dean is slated to have a co-star role in one upcoming film, and there's bound to be more. I'm kinda excited to see Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart in new films, but I can also see there being some interesting ethical issues, and living actors aren't going to like it much for obvious reasons. Can we imagine dead actors appearing in LGBT roles? Interesting. What are your thoughts?
I don't like it. It looked horrible in Star Wars: Rogue One, Tarkin looked like he had been taken out of a video game cut scene and placed in a live action movie. I was also a bit freaked out by the young Carrie Fischer at the end. If it was an actual video game, or a full CGI movie in the style of Boewulf or something, I wouldn't mind them trying to replicate a dead actor, but doing it in a live action movie alongside real living, breathing actors seems kind of tasteless to me. I think another problem is that movie technology is in such high definition now, so that means the fake people look even more fake, because we can see the fakeness in even more glaring detail.
There was a film made years ago, with Al Pacino, S1m0ne, that predicted pretty much exactly what's happening now. It was a very interesting film. I have to think about it in terms of how the actors would feel. I imagine most would not be excited about their likeness and traits and so forth being presented in artificial form, no matter how good or precise or accurate it might be. Not terribly unlike the big stink about 20 years ago when Turner Entertainment bought one of the major film archives (Fox? MGM? don't remember) and was going to colorize all of it. Most of the living directors who filmed in black and white were appalled. I'm sure the technology will eventually get good enough where it will be entirely indistinguishable. And I don't think that's a good thing.
I agree that soon enough the tech will make it indistinguishable. But I don't think it'll be a straighforward bad thing. It will, like virtually all technological innovations, be mixed good and bad. And we'll probably see a matching legal and economic development to protect post-mortem image rights for those individuals concerned about such things. It'll be interesting to see famous dead people deliver educational content on whatever replaces YouTube. Might get kids interested in history or politics or whatever.
I heard about the film in early production of having a CGI James Dean of him in the Vietnam War. I mean I'm not bashing James Dean(since he was rumored to be bi back in the early 50s) but James did not act in any war pictures as far as I know or served in Vietnam. But I did watch a clip from Collider Video on Youtube that James Dean's estate gave the film producers their blessing. Just asking but who the hell is running Jame's estate. I mean his parents are probably long dead, his siblings?. I'm not sure if James had extended family or maybe his likeness was purchased by licensing company I assume? I wouldn't mind a CGI Judy Garland in some LGBTQ films if her children(Liza Milleni and Lorna Luft and her son Joey Luft) approve the film. I mean if the deceased actor or actresses's surviving spouse or children or family that knew them and approve the film, I would be okay with it.
I think it should be up to their families and/or their estates if their likenesses are used. I could see it being hurtful if, for instance, Robin Williams’ likeness were used against his daughter’s wishes or without consulting her. Same for Carrie Fischer.
As an anination degree holder, I always found this fascinating. I think its great to use in situations where the actor died in the middle of a film production, or if they have to show the character at a different age and dont want to recast the role with a live actor, a la Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing in Rogue One and Rise of Skywalker or Paul Walker in Fast & the Furious, and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 It's amazing technology, but I feel like it should be used in the right circumstances. First the technology should not be used to replace live actors with dead ones just so they can save money by not paying a live person (Like, digitally recreating Marilyn Monroe to be the star in a movie when a live actress could play the part just fine) Second, I do feel like they should get permission from the actor's loved ones in order for the actor to be digitally ressurected, so that way the family can sign off on it and it won't leave a bad taste in the family's mouth if it's done badly.
I expect it will definitely be done to save money on actors one day. Same as holograms, VR and robots will replace many jobs.
When a movie is made about the life of a famous person, such as a singer or politician or monarch, they don't use CGI to make the actor look like the person they are portraying, they just rely on a hairstyle, a bit of makeup and the actor's performance. So it seems strange to me when a movie does try to replicate a dead actor using CGI. I can understand if the actor has died during production and most of his or her scenes have already been filmed and it would be too much trouble to reshoot entire scenes with a new actor. In other cases, I think it would be better to find an actor who can pull off a younger version of an older actor.
It's interesting that so many here seem to have a low view of it, or don't really want it. I wonder how many will retain that view if/when the tech becomes really good ... Will this be like the introduction of sound or colour?
The introduction of sound and color didn’t put people out of work or force families to see promotions with dead family members potentially being portrayed as doing things they never would have agreed to do in real life. Basically, color didn’t have ethical implications. This does.
I’m not gonna lie. My opinion on it is partly swayed by “The Running Man.” It’s an 80’s movie that’s probably super dated, but it shows ways how that technology could be abused.
What are the living actors supposed to do while that keep using dead people in movies? I can see the uses if a star died mid shoot but replacing actual people with CGI is a terrible idea.
