Disney has been exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence in its upcoming films, facing various obstacles in its implementation. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the company attempted to apply this technology in its live-action adaptation of Moana and in the science fiction sequel Tron: Ares.
Technical and legal issues everywhere
In the case of Moana, Disney considered partnering with the company Metaphysic to create a deepfake of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s face. The goal was to reduce the time Johnson had to spend on set, using his cousin and stunt double, Tanoi Reed, to film the scenes, and then digitally overlay Johnson’s face. However, negotiations with Metaphysic stalled due to concerns about information security and copyright, which led to Reed not appearing in the film and Johnson filming the scenes on his own.
On the other hand, in Tron: Ares, Disney considered the inclusion of a completely AI-generated character named Bit, in the context of a plot centered around artificial intelligence beings entering the real world. However, the idea was discarded due to growing concerns about copyright and the potential negative public reaction to the use of AI in the film’s narrative.
Generative artificial intelligence has become a controversial topic, especially in the entertainment industry, where companies like Disney have already faced lawsuits over the use of copyrighted material to train generation models. Furthermore, the use of AI raises serious ethical concerns, including the risk of replacing human workers, which has led to criticism of the company, especially after its experience with an AI-generated credit sequence in its series Secret Invasion.