Yesterday, it was announced that a studio was going to use a CGI version of James Dean for a new role in an upcoming Vietnam War film called “Finding Jack.” No, this isn’t through the use of old footage being repurposed. The studio plans on digitally recreating the actor and “casting” him in a brand-new role in a film that would take place more than a decade after the actor’s untimely passing. As you might expect, this caused quite the debate on social media.
And by debate, I really mean people got pissed.
The amount of people unhappy with Magic City Films and directors Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh is, frankly, hard to keep track of, as the responses to the news keep piling up. However, there are some current Hollywood figures speaking out about this, mincing no words about their disgust.
“I’m sure he’d be thrilled,” tweeted Chris Evans, with an eye roll emoji. “This is awful. Maybe we can get a computer to paint us a new Picasso. Or write a couple new John Lennon tunes.”
He added, “The complete lack of understanding here is shameful.”
Evans was joined by a chorus of other folks on social media that agreed with the actor.
“NOPE. this shouldn’t be a thing,” wrote actor-producer Elijah Wood.
Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda Williams, offered a more lengthy explanation for her displeasure at the idea of casting a dead actor in a new role decades after his passing.
“I have talked to friends about this for YEARS and no one ever believed me that the industry would stoop this low once tech got better,” she wrote. “Publicity stunt or not, this is puppeteering the dead for their ‘clout’ alone and it sets such an awful precedent for the future of performance.”
We’ll have to wait and see if the outrage being expressed by the industry has any effect on the production of “Finding Jack.” Clearly, this was used as a publicity stunt…and it worked. Perhaps, just not in the way that the studio was anticipating. Or perhaps, the folks working on the film are perfectly happy being the target of disgust?
https://twitter.com/ChrisEvans/status/1192137540842733568
https://twitter.com/elijahwood/status/1192221224228683776
https://twitter.com/zeldawilliams/status/1192141551171854338
