Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. All Rights Reserved. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Finding Jack Director Defends CGI James Dean Casting, JJ Abrams Explains How & Why Carrie Fisher Is In Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: Episode IX Deals With Carrie Fisher's Death in a 'Beautiful Way', REVIEW: Frank Miller Presents Ancient Enemies: The Djinni #1 Crafts a Compelling Origin Story, REVIEW: DC's Shazam! The U.S. didn't send troops to Vietnam until 10 years after Dean's death, so it's not like his image is essential to our collective cultural understanding of that era. Per the THR story: Directed by Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh, the project comes from the filmmakers' own recently launched production house Magic City Films, which obtained the rights to use Dean's image from his family. Ernst and Golyk also serve as producers along with Artistry Media Groups Donald A. Barton. 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WebJames Dean Synopsis Adapted from Gareth Crocker's novel, "Finding Jack" is based on the existence and abandonment of more than 10,000 military dogs at the end of the Ever since the news broke that the upcoming Vietnam War film Finding Jack would utilize CGI technology to digitally bring back James Dean for a starring role, film fans have been voicing their opinions all over social media about the idea of using someones digital likeness in a new role after their death. Los Angeles based production company Magic City Films is behind the project and obtained the rights to use James Dean from his family. We do not intend to let his fans down.. RELATED: Star Wars: Episode IX Deals With Carrie Fisher's Death in a 'Beautiful Way', "At the end of the day, what we really want people to know is the movie is about love and friendship, the veterans that served in the Vietnam War and especially the dogs that were with them. A digital version of James Dean is set to star in a new movie titled Finding Jack, which is set for release next year. In fact, wouldn't they technically be better since they're A) human and B) don't have the baggage of being compared to a beloved, late cultural icon? For this particular project, the goal was to employ original footage and photos of the late actor to digitally recreate him, with another actor voicing him. "We feel very honored that his family supports us and will take every precaution to ensure that his legacy as one of the most epic film stars to date is kept firmly intact. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The projects official synopsis reads: Based on the actual existence and abandonment of over 10,000 canine units at the end of the Vietnam War, Finding Jack is a film of friendship and love under desperate circumstances that will grab your heart and wont let go. Casting is underway to find the actor who will play the lead role. ", Not only that, but it also seemed (at the time, at least) that there were potential plans to bring back other deceased screen icons for various projects. Directors Ernst and Tati Golykh acquired the rights to use Deans image from his family and partnered with Canadian VFX, Imagine Engine and South African VFX company MOI Worldwide to digitally create a realistic version of James Dean by using actual footage and photos from his past works. Oscars 2023: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Predictions, We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean, Ernst told THR. He emphasized how Anyone that is brought back to life -- you have to respect them. I do understand those who have a viscerally negative reaction to these kinds of re-creations, she said. Finding Jack is based on the Gareth Crocker novel of the same name. Carteris noted that while the guild embraces how the continued evolution of technology can help filmmakers tell their stories, the James Dean example is ripe for potential abuse. 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Finding Jack co-director Anton Ernst responds to the backlash he's received due to digitally resurrecting James Dean for the film. "We feel very honored that his family supports us and will take every precaution to ensure that his legacy as one of the most epic film stars to date is kept firmly intact. Screen icon James Dean is about to appear in his first film since his death in 1955, and its all due to the magic of CGI. The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. Based on Garth Crockers novel of the same name, Finding Jack revolves around Rogan the character Dean is to appear as a suicidal soldier who finds a Producer and former casting director Wallis Nicita emailed me her thoughts on the issue: Does RIP mean resurrected individual performance? We never intended for this to be a marketing gimmick. Ernst also pointed out that Deans two cousins on the actors fathers side have been supportive of the film and see this as the icons fourth film. The film will employ"full body" CGI and bring in a voice actor. Here are, With the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid arriving in theaters on May 26, Alan Menken, who composed the music, The newest Alien film is set to begin production soon, with 20th Century Studios confirming that production will start in, The official Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Twitter account posted a new picture from the upcoming animated sequel. Nov 6, 2019, 01:28 PM EST. He also said that Deans estate has been supportive of the film. The film takes place during the tail end of the Vietnam War, with the character that Dean will portray -- made possible through modern CGI trickery -- featuring as a core character to the story. All Rights Reserved. Today in terrible ideas: James Dean will return from the grave to star in the new movie Finding Jack. We'll treat it with a seriousness that a cultural icon of his status deserves. I also challenge those who say this is the only way the creators vision can be realized.. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. A couple days ago, we reported that James Dean, who died in a car crash in 1955 at the age of 24, would be resurrected via CGI for Anton Ernst s movie Finding Jack. WebFinding Jack Action Adventure Note: Because this project is categorized as in development, the data is only available on IMDbPro and is subject to change. THR says that the new movieFinding Jack is going to bust James Dean out of his grave and have him return to the silver screen. Hell be a CGI composite, put together from leftover footage and archival stills. Canadian VFX banner Imagine Engine will be working alongside South African VFX company MOI Worldwide to re-create what the filmmakers describe as "a realistic version of James Dean. Andre the Giant and Burt Reynolds are among the 400 other dead celebrities Worldwide XR wants to digitally resurrect. We do not intend to let his fans down.". Director Anton Ernst has responded to the backlash surrounding his upcoming film Finding Jack, which Dont call it a comeback! The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh were going to film an adaptation of Gareth Crocker's novel, "Finding Jack," which tells the story of the more than 10,000 military dogs that were released following the Vietnam War. Another actor will voice his lines. We do not intend to let his fans down.. Despite having died almost seven decades ago, actor James Dean is set to star in a new movie, Finding Jack. Finding Jack director Anton Ernst and his creative team decided to use a CGI James Dean to star in the movie. Director Anton Ernst has responded to the backlash surrounding his upcoming film Finding Jack, which has met criticism due to its controversial decision to utilize CGI technology to cast iconic film star James Dean in the lead role. I think we will bring awareness of James Dean to a new generation of moviegoers, he added. The CGI James Dean will be playing the films secondary lead named Rogan with another actor set to voice the character. It will tell the story of an unlikely friendship between a man and a yellow Labrador. The film was set to be produced by Ernst and Golykh's production company, Magic City Films, and even had a song written for the film by Academy Award-nominated songwriter Diane Warren. 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I think the line should be you must always honor the deceased's wishes and try to act in a way that is honorable and full of dignity. The director also pointed to Martin Scorseses forthcoming movie, The Irishman, which uses digital effects to de-age actors. Canadian VFX studio Imagine Engine will work alongside South African VFX company MOI Worldwide to bring Dean back to CGI life. 24,486 views Nov 6, 2019 James Dean, who died in a 1955 car crash at the age of 24, is making an unexpected return to the big screen. 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The sci-fi curiositySky Captain and the World of Tomorrow had the lateLaurence Olivier play the villain via archival footage, and theTales From the Crypt episode "You, Murderer" featured a "starring" role forHumphrey Bogart, also using archival footage. Last week, The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that James Dean will star in an upcoming war drama called Finding Jack. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ernst admitted he was saddened and confused by the negativity surrounding the film. Yes, that James Dean who infamously died in 1955. While it begs the question of why not simply cast an actor who embodies Dean's qualities, co-director Anton Ernst told the Hollywood Reporter that they "searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean. The man has delivered some of the greatest blockbusters of all time and did, Rumors surrounding James Gunns future plans for the DC Universe are still flying around, one of which being that the. We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean,Ernst said in a statement. Barton added: Now that we have closed with this iconic figure, we look forward to rapidly closing our remaining actors.. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Jenny Zigrinos new hour special Jen-Z to premiere with Comedy Central, V3 Weekend: Roll Call @ SoWa, Tiny in JP, The Big Lebowski in Somerville, Creed III Review: Michael B. Jordan knocks em out, Small Town Murder plots return to the scene of the crime at The Wilbur, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre Review: This movie: Pas bien. For the hundreds of dog handlers throughout Vietnam, whose dogs had saved countless lives, the news is greeted with shock and disbelief. As for the culture-wide implications for a choice like this, well let the final paragraphs of the THR article speak for themselves: This opens up a whole new opportunity for many of our clients who are no longer with us, said Mark Roesler, CEO of CMG Worldwide, which represents Deans family alongside more than1,700 entertainment, sports, music and historical personalities, including the likes of Burt Reynolds, Christopher Reeve, Ingrid Bergman, Neil Armstrong, Bette Davis and Jack Lemmon. Finding Jack will be directed byAnton Ernst and Tati Golykh through their Magic City Films banners with Maria Sova writing the films screenplay. Magic City Films announced on the opening day of the American Film Market that it had obtained rights from Deans family to cast Dean posthumously as the secondary lead role in the movie. 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Actor Chris Evans has criticized the CGI casting of James Dean, who will be digitally resurrected for a secondary lead role in the Vietnam War film Finding Jack. Actors not only have to compete with the living, but now also with the dead. We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean,. September 30, 2021, 11:00 PM UTC A writer finds a newborn in the back seat of his car after a storm subsides in Cholame, Calif., the place where, on Sept. 30, Through the use of CGI, of course. Thats way too zombie for me. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. A realistic version of James Dean will be digitally inserted Finding Jack, with another actor taking on his voice. The image shows, The depiction of the Marvel comic character MODOK (short for Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing) in Ant-Man and the, Its been known for some time that Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney would play a big role in Sonys Madame Web, DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn is at it again, as the director tweeted out plenty of new tidbits about the, Harrison Fords Indiana Jones has been through tons of adventures, and as he gets ready for another one in the, We take James Cameron for granted. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! 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The producers said that theyve received strong expressions of interest during the first three days of AFM. "We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean, Ernst told The Hollywood Reporter. That's what we've done here as well. As per Entertainment Weekly, Zelda Williams, whose father was legendary actor and comedian Robin Williams, stated in a since-deleted tweet that digitally recreating Jame Dean was "puppeteering the dead for their 'clout'," and highlighted potential scenarios in which major companies use the likenesses of deceased entertainers to sell their products. Finding Jack is based on the Gareth Crocker novel of the same name. But will audiences be able to concentrate on the plot? The iconic James Dean will be brought back to life for Finding Jack, a Vietnam war drama that is destined to become controversial. On Wednesday, news broke that famously not-living actor James Dean had been cast in an upcoming Vietnam film called Finding Jack. Attempting to justify his position, Ernst noted how visual effects is a tool, juxtaposing his intent to utilize Deans image with how Star Wars posthumously included Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing in their recent movies. David Moye. But, .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}according to The Hollywood Reporter, "a realistic version of James Dean" will appear on-screen for the first time in 63 years: "We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean," Ernst told THR. Finding Jack is being spearheaded by filmmakers Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh. But during one of his early missions, Fletcher rescues a critically wounded yellow Lab whom he nurses back to health and names Jack. The family has read the script and has been fully supportive, Barton said. Well, we now know that Deeply depressed, he plans to die in the war. Mikey also arrives at the scene. Posted: Nov 7, 2019 4:16 am. In news you probably werent expecting to read until they finished polishing off the Tupac holograms tour dates, The Hollywood Reporter is claiming that James Dean is going to be digitally revived so that he can take a supporting role in the Vietnam War drama Finding Jack. But does anyone think this is a good idea? James Dean Makes Return to Big Screen in 'Finding Jack While "Finding Jack" has since been shelved, one of the more interesting aspects of the film that's worth returning to is who was going to play one of the leads, and Finding Jack a movie that made headlines Wednesday for its directors' plans to digitally recreate Hollywood icon James Dean 's likeness for a co-leading role 64 The script apparently focuses on how more than 10,000 military dogs were abandoned at the end of the Vietnam War. Thats what weve done here as well. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Director Anton Ernst recently spoke to THR about the announcement of Finding Jack, as well as the outrage on social media about the news. We never want to lose that emphasis and this [social media reaction] becomes a distraction of what the story is about.. Related The actor died in a car crash at age 24 in 1955. Another actor will provide Rogans voice. James Dean Will Return From The Grave (Via CGI) In 'Finding Jack'. Related Today in terrible ideas: James Dean will return from the grave to star in the new movie Finding Jack. We may earn a commission from these links. RELATED:Olivia DeJonge to Play Priscilla Presley in Baz Luhrmanns Elvis Biopic. Director Anton Ernst addresses James Dean controversy. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. To paraphrase Dr. Ian Malcolm, the filmmakerswere so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. Maybe we can get a computer to paint us a new Picasso. The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make.