Disney wanted to use AI in the live-action Moana to replace actor Dwayne Johnson.

The film industry has witnessed the rise of artificial intelligence. This technology has gained a foothold in studios because it's now capable of dubbing voices as if they were real people, and can even create digital replicas of actors by scanning a person's face and body. But what studios would actually do such things, given that they would be taking away jobs? It may sound unconvincing, but Disney studios have tried to use generative AI on occasion to make films, both live-action and sequels.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal , two productions that have attempted to use generative AI are the live-action remake of 'Moana' and the new installment of the cult classic 'Tron'.

For the former, Disney planned to work with artificial intelligence company Metaphysic to create a digital deepfake of actor Dwayne Johnson , who will reprise his role as Maui in the remake . So, in an attempt to cut down on the number of hours The Rock would be spending on set, the alleged plan was for the actor’s cousin, Tanoai Reed, to act as a body double so that Johnson’s fake face could be placed over his performance in post-production.

However, The Wall Street Journal reports that, despite the original plan being to do this edit for a "small number of shots," after more than a year of negotiations between Disney and Metaphysics, none of the shots featuring Reed will be in the film when it's released next summer . The reason? The outlet reveals serious concerns about data security on Disney's part, as well as the legal question that lingers over any adoption of generative AI in the Hollywood industry.

On the other hand, it's important to remember that Disney partnered with Universal to sue Midjourney . Both studios accused the company of offering users tools that allow them to create images and videos with its characters, so the creation of an AI-powered person could jeopardize Disney's lawsuit.

In another case mentioned by The Wall Street Journal , as we have mentioned, it is claimed that Disney executives suggested to the creative team of 'Tron' to incorporate a character based on generative AI. in the plot . The proposal fit with the premise of the film, which centers on artificial intelligences that manage to escape the digital environment of 'The Grid' to be used as military contractors in the physical world. According to the outlet, the character would be named 'Bit' and would be conceived as a possible companion to Kevin Flynn played by Jeff Bridges. Starting from a context written by a screenwriter, the AI ​​would generate the character, whose lines would later be recorded and performed by an actor , responding as if the model itself were Bit.

However, the outlet indicates that the proposal was also blocked due to ongoing legal disputes , coinciding with union negotiations. It also claims that the company was asked to abandon the idea because "the company could not risk bad press."

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