Yahoo Movies Chris Evans leads those slating plans to bring back James Dean in CGI movie
Captain America himself has slated plans for a new movie which plans to bring back the late James Dean using CGI.
The plans have been met with fierce criticism online, with Avengers star Chris Evans among those leading the fury, alongside Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams.
Read more: James Dean to be resurrected for new film role
Magic City Films announced yesterday that it is planning to make a Vietnam-era drama called Finding Jack, based on the novel of the same name about the 10,000 military dogs who were abandoned after the war.
The film's potential directors Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh obtained rights to use Dean's image for the movie – the actor died aged 24 in 1955 – but the response to the plan has been overwhelmingly negative so far.
“This is awful,” tweeted Evans. “Maybe we can get a computer to paint us a new Picasso. Or write a couple new John Lennon tunes. The complete lack of understanding here is shameful.”
I’m sure he’d be thrilled 🙄
This is awful.
Maybe we can get a computer to paint us a new Picasso. Or write a couple new John Lennon tunes.
The complete lack of understanding here is shameful. https://t.co/hkwXyTR4pu— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 6, 2019
Zelda Williams also spoke out against the plans. Famously, Robin Williams took steps to restrict the exploitation of his image for 25 years after his death, bequething it to a charitable trust.
“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.”
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. 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. https://t.co/elS1BrbDGv
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) November 6, 2019
Many others have also chimed in.
NOPE. this shouldn’t be a thing. https://t.co/RH7jWY5cAG
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) November 6, 2019
Yeah, that's not James Dean.
It's his face on a motion capture performance and an "anonymous" actor providing voice pattern and choices.
I'd like to know how it will be credited.
How the real actors will be paid.
And how little this team understands the acting craft https://t.co/MkIQHrB5Y0— Julie Ann Emery (@julieannemery) November 6, 2019
Please don't do this. https://t.co/BBXDjR2pWy
— VICE (@VICE) November 6, 2019
"We couldn't find a non-dead actor for the role of a white guy in a Vietnam war movie" is truly an amazing take https://t.co/oOoN1BDkA6
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) November 6, 2019
When the "only person" who can play the part you've written has been dead for nearly 70 years, I'd suggest you find a new casting director before reanimating the corpse of James Dean. pic.twitter.com/RTqJ2TPvSo
— 𝗔𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻 𝗢’𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻 (@artimusfoul) November 6, 2019
Hard to think of a more grotesque sentence than "This opens up a whole new opportunity for many of our clients who are no longer with us." (via @alex_shephard)https://t.co/2NM1Pj2hJe
— Mark Krotov (@markkrotov) November 6, 2019
So far, Magic City Films is yet to comment on the matter, but it plans to begin production of the film later this month, with a release set for 2020.
