A couple of days ago the news broke that Marvel Studios had acquired the image rights of Stan Lee, the beloved creator of the comic company who unfortunately passed away in 2018. Thanks to this transaction, the undisputed king of cameos would return to appear in the company’s films and series thanks to the immense archive of videos that are available about him as well as, above all, the use of computer generated graphics (CGI.)
This decision by Marvel Studios has divided fans into those who can’t wait to see this endearing lord again in future Phase 4 projects, while others reject the idea that not even death is of any use. excuse to leave a person alone. However, it should be noted that this would not be the first time that the CGI technique has been used to resurrect deceased actors .
Some of the most remembered examples are the following…
Brandon Lee
It was the first of all. Sonado was his death in the middle of filming the movie El Cuervo which, in order to finish it and be able to take it to theaters, needed computer graphics to recreate some shots with the son of Bruce Lee (another actor who was also revived after death, but with less refined techniques than those used with its offspring). He led the way.
peter cushing
As you can see, the Star Wars saga has used the CGI resurrection technique on more than one occasion. In the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story they brought to life (digitally) an entire institution such as Peter Cushing, who gave life to the legendary Grand Moff Tarkin in Episode IV of Star Wars . Although the CGI did not convince some followers, for the time it was an impressive feat.
Harold Ramis
The death of this actor and director in 2014 was a devastating blow. In the movie Ghostbusters: Beyond , during the final battle against the fearsome Zuul, the original ghostbusters suddenly arrive to save the day, except for Egon Spengler, who in fiction was dead for years. Surprisingly, the ghostly version of the Harold Ramis character appears, joining the battle against the demonic entity, thus reuniting the original members of the 1984 film. Hair like spikes!
Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed was another of the actors who needed certain touch-ups to complete his work in Gladiator since the British interpreter died during filming. In the video you have above you can see the sequence for which certain CGI brushstrokes were needed, as well as the shots from which the expressions of his gesture were taken.
Paul Walker
One of the most notorious cases in recent times. The young actor who starred in the successful Fast and Furious franchise died in a tragic car accident in 2013. For the character to make an appearance in the seventh film in the saga, one of Walker’s brothers was called on to play body double, while the actor’s face would be added in post-production. At the end of the film he was given a heartfelt tribute that continues to make fans cry like cupcakes to this day.
Marlon Brando
It was for Superman Returns that Warner decided to revive the character of Jor-El and therefore bring back Marlon Brando, who had already acted in the original films in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Although hidden behind a ice block of the Fortress of Solitude, you can feel those CGI touches of the 3D graphics.
Carrie Fisher
One of the most notorious cases of the CGI resurrection of actresses. The legendary interpreter died unexpectedly at the end of 2016 and although she had already filmed her scenes for the eighth installment of Star Wars The Last Jedi, she did not give her time to record her scenes for the end of the trilogy . The writers, instead of choosing to kill her offstage, decided to use deleted scenes from episodes VII and VIII. Also, during a flashback in which Leia trains alongside Luke, the actress was digitally resurrected and rejuvenated. She before, she had also appeared in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with an appearance similar to the one she showed in the original 1977 film, although she had not died at that time.
Bonus: Mark Hamill
In this case , our protagonist has not died , but it was such a commented case that we had to include it here even if it was as an “extra”. In one of the most exciting moments in modern television, during the season two finale of The Mandalorian, we saw a rejuvenated Master Luke Skywalker save our heroes from a horde of dark soldiers. This version of the character played by Mark Hamill had a rejuvenated face that did not convince fans too much. In contrast, during The Book of Boba FettWe were able to see this young Skywalker again, this time with a CGI much more faithful to the actor (in his role in 1977, 1981 and 1983), even looking like a deleted scene from the Ep. SAW.