Disney Reportedly Planned AI Deepfake of Dwayne Johnson for Live-Action ‘Moana’ — Here’s Why It Didn’t Happen

When Disney started working on the live-action version of “Moana,” they came up with an unusual idea to handle Dwayne Johnson’s role as Maui. Instead of having Johnson on set for every scene, the studio planned to use his cousin, Tanoai Reed, as a body double for some shots. Reed is a good match, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 250 pounds, just like Johnson.

The twist was that Disney wanted to use AI technology from a company called Metaphysic to create deepfake images of Johnson’s face.

These digital images would be layered over Reed’s performance, creating a “digital double” that could let Johnson appear in two places at once. Johnson agreed to the idea, but Disney’s legal team raised a lot of concerns.

According to The Wall Street Journal, lawyers at Disney worried about data security and who would own the rights to the parts of the movie made using AI. The negotiations dragged on for about 18 months but ended without a deal. In the end, the AI-generated footage did not make it into the final movie, which is set to be released next summer.

This story about using deepfake technology is just one example of how AI is shaking up Hollywood. Studios want to use AI to cut costs and speed up filmmaking, but they also face legal risks and fear upsetting fans and workers. While some Silicon Valley companies see AI as the future of creativity, many in the film world are cautious.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has even surveyed its members about AI use. Meanwhile, many studios have paused their AI experiments while negotiating new contracts with actors and writers. Disney, which owns famous characters like Donald Duck, Buzz Lightyear, and Stitch, is especially careful about protecting its creative work.

More than 20 current and former Disney employees and partners described the company as stuck between wanting to use AI and worrying about its impact.

Disney has tried some AI projects, such as letting Disney+ subscribers create clips or adding AI characters like Darth Vader in Fortnite, a game made by Epic Games. Disney even bought a $1.5 billion stake in Epic Games. But some internal AI projects have been stopped or slowed down.

Horacio Gutierrez, Disney’s legal chief, said in an interview, “We have been around for 100 years and we intend to be around for the next 100 years. AI will be transformative, but it doesn’t need to be lawless.”

Disney also almost brought AI to its upcoming film “Tron: Ares.” The idea was to use a generative AI program to bring back Bit, the animated sidekick from the original “Tron,” with the AI responding in real time during filming. But because of ongoing union contract talks and worries about bad publicity, the plan was dropped.

Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, faces pressure to cut costs and boost creativity as theater attendance and streaming numbers decline. Finding the right balance between using AI and protecting Disney’s legacy is one of his toughest challenges.

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