Disney Abandons AI Deepfakes in Moana, Tron Amid Legal, Publicity Concerns

Disney has decided to abandon plans to use AI-generated deepfake technology in its upcoming live-action film Moana and the sci-fi sequel Tron: Ares due to legal, ethical, and creative concerns. For Moana, the studio initially planned to digitally map Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s face onto his cousin and stunt double Tanoai Reed to reduce Johnson’s on-set time, a concept Johnson had approved. However, after nearly 18 months of negotiations with AI company Metaphysic, Disney scrapped the idea over worries about intellectual property rights and ownership of AI-generated content. Similarly, Disney dropped plans to create an AI-generated character named Bit for Tron: Ares, citing concerns over public backlash and unclear legal frameworks around AI use. These decisions reflect the film industry's cautious approach to integrating AI, balancing innovation with the ethical implications for performers and creative control. Disney's protective stance on its intellectual property is also evident in its recent lawsuit against an AI company for copyright infringement.