Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
director Tony Gilroy has revealed that the revolutionary technology that recreated Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin was actually scrapped. Industrial Light & Magic used revolutionary CGI technology to bring back the late Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue Oneand was widely seen as the start of a huge ethical debate. It’s still controversial to this day, with Lucasfilm sued by the Rogue One cameo earlier this year.
Speaking to Empire Magazine, however, Rogue One director Tony Gilroy revealed that the technology is extremely outdated.
“What’s interesting is that all the technology used in Tarkin was like a Manhattan Project. All this technology was discarded. By the time machine learning came around, they didn’t do anything this way anymore 1732288973. It was like building steam cars and building the best steam car you could make – then someone comes along and says, ‘We’ve got gas that works a little better.’ Now it’s completely upside down.”
Rogue One’s Moff Tarkin idea wasn’t as groundbreaking for Star Wars as we thought
AI has completely replaced this technology
Gilroy is clearly referring to the development of AI, which is clearly having a transformative impact on visual effects. It’s no surprise that Industrial Light & Magic’s technology is cutting edge; It’s always been this way, with George Lucas himself encouraging them to experiment with every new technology that came along. Rogue OneGrand Moff Tarkin came into being when AI was still at an early stage, so different techniques were used.
There is intense speculation that Gilroy is speaking from experience. He has spent the last few years working on Andorthe Rogue One prequel, and many believe that Grand Moff Tarkin will return in Andor 2nd season – although presumably created with modern technology. Gilroy refuses to confirm this, but Tarkin certainly feels like a natural fit for the story he’s currently telling.
The debates opened by Rogue One’s CGI Tarkin are still important
Ethical controversy still persists
Technology may have changed, but ethical debates remain the same: Should technology really be used to recreate those who have passed away? Lucasfilm chose not to do this after Carrie Fisher’s death, instead recycling unused footage of General Leia Organa and bringing in her daughter Billie Lourd for a flashback scene. When does a CGI or AI game stop being disrespectful? Where are the lines drawn?
In fact, the advancement of AI technology has made these questions even more pressing. Some actors are vehemently opposed to the idea of ​​AI recreations following his death, with Robert Downey Jr warning that any replacement will lead to legal action. Meanwhile, some studios are signing contracts that explicitly authorize AI recreations. The emerging status quo is complicated and confusing, and the debate from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story undoubtedly prefigured this.
Source: Império Magazine
Set in the weeks leading up to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story provides additional context for the Rebellion’s plan to destroy the Death Star. Rogue One follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) as she enlists the help of rebel Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to locate her father, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), after the Empire kidnaps him.
- Writers
-
Tony Gilroy, Chris Weitz