The release of Rogue One has sparked an unexpected controversy. The film features Peter Cushing, a familiar face from the original Star Wars: IV A New Hope (1977), reprising his role as Grand Moff Tarkin. Cushing appears in new scenes and interacts with fresh characters, despite having died in 1994. More than 20 years later, an actor has been digitally resurrected.
Responses have been mixed, to say the least. Some hate the digital version of Cushing because they perceive it to be artificial and distracting. Others have ethical concerns about the use of a deceased actor's image (although Cushing's estate gave permission for this). Other viewers just assumed they were watching a live actor.
As a visual effects artist, I found the work in Rogue One impressive but not totally convincing. There is still, for me at least, that oddly disconcerting gap between the artificial and the real. If the computer generated (CG) version of Cushing had been used more sparingly the audience would have had less time to study every detail and search for flaws.
The CG version of young Princess Leia in Rogue One was altogether more successful with audiences, though I confess to finding her smooth-skinned youthful face less believably real than digital Cushing's craggy visage. The acceptance of CG Leia was likely due to the character's limited screen time.
Carrie Fisher herself is said to have approved of the move. Since her death, however, Disney has emphasised that it will not be creating a digital Leia for future episodes.