Disney has scrapped their plans to use AI deepfake on Dwayne Johnson in the upcoming live-action remake of Moana.
The actor is set to reprise his iconic role of Maui in the highly anticipated live-action remake of the beloved Disney animated film, which is set to release in theaters next year. Since there are no trailers or first-look photos released yet for the film, fans have been wondering what Johnson will look like in the role. However, as it turns out, no AI tool will be used for the character's live-action version.
Why Did Disney Scrap Their Plans on Using AI Deepfake for Dwayne Johnson in Moana?
According to The Wall Street Journal, Disney was planning to use an AI deepfake to digitally clone Johnson and use a body double in some shots.
"Disney would work with AI company Metaphysic to create deepfakes of Johnson’s face that could be layered on top of Reed’s performance in the footage—a ‘digital double’ that effectively allowed Johnson to be in two places at once," they wrote in their report.
While Johnson gave consent to the idea, Disney was "worried" that they "ultimately couldn’t claim ownership over every element of the film if AI-generated parts of it."
The studio and the AI company weren't able to come up with the terms on how to handle the AI elements of the film. By the end, they scrapped the plans of utilizing any tool on the footage.
This was not the only upcoming film that Disney almost used an AI tool, as they also considered the idea when they were making Tron: Ares.
The report claimed that the "executives pitched the idea of actually incorporating AI into one of the characters in the sequel to the 1980s hit movie Tron as a buzzy marketing strategy."
However, they also scrapped the plans after the "executives internally were told that the company couldn’t risk the bad publicity."
What to Expect in Moana Live-Action Remake
The live-action remake of Moana will follow the story of the original 2016 animated film and is expected to feature new versions of the songs from the soundtrack.
Hamilton director Thomas Kail helmed the new version. Aside from Johnson, the cast also includes Catherine Laga'aia, John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Rena Owen. Auliʻi Cravalho, who voices Moana, serves as an executive producer and was involved in the casting of the titular role.
Production already took place last year, with plans of theatrical release in July next year. It also happens to be the 10th anniversary of the original animated film.
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