In Disney’s live-action version of “The Lion King,” only one genuine shot was used, while the rest of the movie relied on computer-generated imagery (CGI). Similarly, in Disney’s recent live-action remake of “Snow White,” they opted for CGI dwarves instead of human actors. This use of CGI in movies that are supposed to be “live-action” has been questionable and not necessarily for the better. Remarkably, Disney even considered something more controversial: using an artificial intelligence deepfake of Dwayne Johnson‘s face overlaid on a body double for the upcoming live-action “Moana.
Indeed, both the studio and Johnson were genuinely convinced that utilizing AI in this manner was a sound approach, and they put their best efforts into realizing this idea.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Disney is planning an innovative approach for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to reprise his role as Maui the demigod in the upcoming Moana remake without requiring daily physical presence on set. Instead of Johnson himself, they will film some scenes with his regular body double, Tanoai Reed (6’3″, 250 lbs, Johnson’s cousin). Then, a deepfake technology developed by AI company Metaphysic will be employed to superimpose Johnson’s face onto Reed’s body for the movie. This digital double will essentially stand in for The Rock.
According to Johnson, it was as if he let out the deepest sigh ever heard: he concurred with the plan and backed the executives wholeheartedly. However, after 18 months of debating legal intricacies and negotiating terms, such as whether Disney would maintain full ownership of its own movies, the idea ultimately fell apart. Consequently, Johnson’s AI-generated scenes will not be featured in the live-action version of Moana.
It’s disappointing that Disney contemplated this concept, but it’s unfortunate that the project didn’t move forward due to legal issues instead of creative or moral considerations. Thankfully, an AI version of The Rock will only exist in our imaginations. (Similarly, Disney also dropped plans for AI in Tron: Ares.) It’s already frustrating when live-action remakes don’t feature real actors; using artificial versions would make things even more disheartening.
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2025-08-05 21:05