Should Hollywood use CGI to replace dead actors in movies? | The Tylt
"Rogue One" turned heads for using computer animation to resurrect the late Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin. Now Disney might be forced to recreate the late Carrie Fisher with CGI in future "Star Wars" installments. Some critics say it is disrespectful to the dead to use archival film and effects to manufacture a performance the original artist never agreed to. Others say this is just the natural progression of special effects and actors don't own characters. What do you think? 📽️

The depiction of Peter Cushing in "Rogue One" resurrected a classic debate about the ethics of replacing dead actors with CGI in media. While ILM acknowledges that building computer generated characters is labor-intensive and financially indefensible unless there are significant story concerns, that won't be the case forever. We're nearing a new dawn of filmmaking.
Digital technology is clearly reaching a point where photo-realistic depictions are possible and we need to ask ourselves what the entertainment of the future will look like? Are we comfortable using the visages of dead celebrities as puppets in our future movies and commercials? Maybe we are.
Resurrecting Peter Cushing with CGI was a real "first" for Hollywood, as LucasFilm created a living and breathing character with more than just spare archival footage for a brief cameo. This was a fully fleshed-out character with a decent chunk of screen time... and people liked it!
Lo, though the effects wizards walk through the “uncanny valley,” Tarkin registers as quite alive — even if his facial proportions sometimes read as ever so slightly off from the original trilogy. We are nearing the reality of a fully fleshed-out, CGI-enhanced performance long after an actor has passed.
As Hollywood's addiction to tentpole movies consumes the entire industry, the need to keep franchises going long after actors have died is becoming a financial necessity. Imagine if Chris Evans died before the latest Avengers movie went into production, Disney could potentially lose hundreds of millions of dollars at the box-office.
The technology is here and as long as studios recreate deceased actors with the blessing of the actor's estate, and doesn't mock the actor's likeness, Hollywood should let the story live on.
The whole Peter Cushing character was still pretty creepy and fans are not cool with Disney replacing Carrie Fisher with some computer generated lookalike. It feels cheap and doesn't honor Fisher's legacy as the iconic character. Stories can be rewritten; there's no excuse to move forward with digitally recreating an actor when production hasn't even started yet. But beyond Carrie Fisher, Hollywood is swimming in murky water. The technology is here, but our sensibilities are not.
Even as technology improves to the point where humans and CGI creations are visually indistinguishable, something will still be missing. A computer character could never capture the spirit of a person who exuded life as completely and unabashedly as Carrie Fisher. That will forever be something the tech can’t touch.
No one wants to pay money to see a ghost.
Fans were pretty mixed about Peter Cushing being resurrected for "Rogue One"
This guy (Peter Cushing) died 20 years ago. They used CGI to bring him back to life in the new Star Wars movie. This is scary. pic.twitter.com/1hQUvBG7Au
— Jason (@ItsNOSAJ) December 31, 2016
Just watched Star Wars. Moff Tarkin looks totally CGI for his first couple of scenes. Freaky.
— Jamie Woods (@JamieWoods77) December 31, 2016
when i die, CGI me into the next Star Wars movie
— Matt Binder (@MattBinder) December 30, 2016
But the possibility of Disney resurrecting the late Carrie Fisher through CGI struck a chord with fans, and responses are all over the maps. Is it ethical to digitally recreate dead actors? No one seems certain.
Stop. Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200. Do Not Turn Carrie Fisher Into An Unholy CGI Abomination For #StarWars Episode IX
— Donna Dickens (@MildlyAmused) January 6, 2017
If Leia is vital to the story in Episode Nine, you had fucking better CGI in Carrie. Do not recast Leia. @starwars
— jyn erso; (@stardustandors) December 29, 2016
She was supposed to be in upcoming films omg they better use cgi for her face, I don't want a diffrent princess leia
— Kal El (@blueetoo11) December 27, 2016
I hope the Star Wars production team doesn't CGI Carrie Fisher into any movies after episode Vlll. Let her and her character rest in peace.
— Honeybee (@bobbeebitch) December 29, 2016
Please @starwars don't make a CGI or cast someone else to play general leia in episode 9 let her and her character Rest In Peace ❤
— RIP Carrie Fisher 😭 (@gabybball0505) December 29, 2016
I want a Leia Organa movie I DONT CARE IF ITS WITH CGI I WANT ONE
— lu loves carrie (@hanleiarey) December 17, 2016