Disney Reportedly Considered AI Deepfake of Dwayne Johnson for Live-Action ‘Moana’ — Here’s Why They Passed

When Disney started making the live-action version of “Moana,” they had an interesting idea about how to handle Dwayne Johnson’s role as Maui. Instead of having Johnson on set all the time, the studio planned to use his cousin, Tanoai Reed, as a body double for some scenes. Reed is also very muscular, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 250 pounds, so he was a good fit for the job.

The plan was to use AI technology from a company called Metaphysic to create deepfake images of Johnson’s face that could be put over Reed’s performance. This digital double would let Johnson be “in two places at once,” making filming more flexible.

Johnson was on board with the plan, but Disney’s lawyers had many concerns. They spent a lot of time working out how to use the new technology safely. There were worries about data security and questions about who would own the rights to the parts of the movie made with AI.

People involved in the talks said that these issues made the negotiations slow and complicated, according to The Wall Street Journal. After about 18 months of back-and-forth, Disney and Metaphysic could not fully agree on the contract, and the AI-created footage did not make it into the final movie, which will come out next summer.

This story about using deepfake technology for Johnson is just one example of the bigger changes AI is bringing to Hollywood. Studios are trying to figure out how to use AI tools to make movies cheaper and faster, but they also face legal challenges and fear of upsetting fans and workers.

Some Silicon Valley companies see AI as the future of creativity, but many in the film business worry about the risks and uncertainties.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is asking members about their AI use, and studios have paused AI experiments while they negotiate contracts with unions. Disney, in particular, has a lot at stake. It owns many beloved characters like Donald Duck, Buzz Lightyear, and Stitch, so it is very protective of its creative works.

More than 20 current and former Disney employees and partners described the company as caught between the push to use AI and concerns about its impact.

Disney has started exploring ways to bring AI to its platforms, like letting Disney+ subscribers create clips or letting gamers interact with AI versions of characters like Darth Vader in Fortnite. The company even invested $1.5 billion in Fortnite’s owner, Epic Games. Still, some AI projects inside Disney 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 almost brought real artificial intelligence into its upcoming film “Tron: Ares.” The plan didn’t make it past the early stages, but it would have been a big first for the studio. People familiar with the idea say executives thought it would be a cool way to market the movie, which is set to come out in October and is all about an AI soldier entering the real world.

The pitch was to bring back Bit, the small animated sidekick from the original “Tron” movie that starred Jeff Bridges. A writer would give a generative AI program all the backstory and details about Bit. Then, on set, the AI would act as the character, voiced by a human actor, and respond to questions in real time while the cameras rolled.

But the timing was bad. Disney was in contract talks with unions representing writers and actors. According to people familiar with the matter, executives were told the idea could backfire and cause a public relations mess. So the plan was shut down.

Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, who is expected to step down in early 2026, faces pressure to cut costs and improve creativity after declines in theater attendance and streaming subscriptions. Balancing AI innovation with protecting Disney’s legacy is one of his biggest challenges.

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