7 dead film stars who have been brought back to life on screen with CGI-Laura Harman-Entertainment – Metro

Several actors have appeared in films posthumously thanks to CGI (Picture: Getty/Disney/Warner Bros)

Several movie stars have returned to the screen from beyond the grave due to the use of deepfaking, AI, and CGI technology – with varying success.

Alien: Romulus, the scary reboot of the classic body horror franchise landed in cinemas on August 16.

Fans loved this new instalment, but many were disgusted by one element of the film, the use of AI to include Ash a character played by Ian Holm in the original 1979 film but died in 2020 at the age of 88.

Before the film was even released, Metro.co.uk‘s Tori Brazier suggested that Holm’s AI incarnation would upset viewers as she branded the move ‘ethically murky’ – and she was right.

The response to Holm’s return to the screen was overwhelmingly negative as they labelled his appearance as ‘weird’ and disrespectful.

But this isn’t the first time a dead actor’s return to screen has upset fans.

Here’s a look back at some posthumous film appearances over the years.

Ian Holm

Ian Holm reprised his role as Ash in the recent Alien film (PictureSunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

As mentioned, Holm died in 2020 but his likeness still made an appearance in the 2024 Alien reboot.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly the director Fede Álvarez defended his actions as he said he asked permission from Holm’s widow.

‘The whole thing started with me calling the estate and talking with his widow,’ he revealed.

‘She felt that Ian was given the cold shoulder by Hollywood in the last years of his life, that he would’ve loved to be part of more projects after The Hobbit, but he wasn’t. So she was thrilled about the idea of having him back.’

Despite having permission to include Holm in the film, fans did not enjoy his appearance in the film, with many suggesting the actor deserved a better homage.

Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve appeared in The Flash in 2023 (Picture: Warner Bros)

Christopher Reeve died in 2004 at the age of 52 but was resurrected in the film The Flash which was released in 2023.

The studio used CGI to recreate the actor’s likeness and his version of Superman is seen in the multiverse by the Flash, played by Ezra Miller.

Controversially, Reeve’s children told Variety that they had never watched the film and said they were not asked if the studio could use their father’s likeness for a cameo.

Fans were divided by Reeve’s reappearance in the film with some agreeing it was a sweet reference to an iconic role, and others feeling it crossed an ethical line as Reeve couldn’t consent to the role reprisal.

Paul Walker

Paul Walker returned to reprise his role via CGI (Picture: Universal/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

Paul Walker was brought back to life in Fast 7, the seventh film in the Fast and Furious franchise which was released in 2015, two years after his death.

In the final moments of the film, the actor can be seen driving away after giving his co-star one last smile.

The stunt was pulled off by using deep AI and CGI technology to place the late actor’s face onto his brother Cody Walker’s face who was driving the car.

This was well-received by fans and seen as a lovely farewell to the late actor who died at the age of 40.

Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher returned to the screen in one of her most iconic roles three years after she died (Picture: Disney)

Carrie Fisher died in December 2016 but reprised her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker, released in 2019.

Speaking about how they were able to reprise her character, filmmaker J.J. Abrams told Vanity Fair: ‘We weren’t going to recast, we couldn’t do a CG character.’

‘We looked at the footage we had not used in The Force Awakens, and we realized we had a number of shots that we could actually use. It was a bit like having a dozen pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and then having to make other pieces around it and paint a cohesive image from these separate pieces.’

It was also revealed that Billie Lourd, Fisher’s daughter, was the body double to stand in for her mother in the scene.

‘Billie was playing her mother,’ Visual Effects Supervisor Patrick Tubach said. ‘It was a poignant thing, and something that nobody took lightly – that she was willing to stand in for her mom.’

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn died at the age of 63 in 1993 but made a CGI appearance in a Galaxy chocolate advert that was released in 2013.

The chocolate brand used her likeness and CGI’d the iconic actress’s face onto another woman for this commercial.

The advert divided fans as some saw it as disrespectful and others felt that the actress would have loved the homage.

Hepburn’s sons authorised the use of her image, and would have been paid for the use of their mother’s likeness in the advert.

In a press release, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti say their mother would be ‘proud’ and added that she ‘often spoke about her love of chocolate and how it lifted her spirit’.

Harold Ramis

Ramis returned to screens seven years after his death (Picture: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Harold Ramis died in 2014 but made a cameo appearance in Ghostbusters Afterlife which was released in 2021 and dedicated to his memory.

The actor originally played Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989) and reprised his role through CGI in the reboot of the franchise.

In the film, Ramis’s likeness was used to create a ghost version of his original character, who was fundamental to the plot.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the director emphasised that the CGI was used with Ramis’s family’s permission.

‘I was never going to make this movie unless they were comfortable with the portrayal of Harold,’ Jason Reitman said. ‘Everyone has a favourite Beatle. And everyone has a favourite Ghostbuster. My favourite was always Egon.’

Marlon Brando

Brando was digitally inserted into the 2006 film (Picture: Warner Bros)

Marlon Brando died in 2004 but made an appearance in the film Superman Returns in 2006.

The actor played Jor-El, Superman’s father in the franchise in the 1978 film (with Christopher Reeve as Superman) and was paid $3.7 million for two weeks of work.

When it came to bringing the franchise back to life with Brandon Routh as Superman, video and voice footage were lifted from the 1978 film so that Brando could posthumously reprise this role.

Brando’s estate agreed to his appearance in the film and his appearance in the film was met positively by fans who enjoyed the homage.

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