The live-action Moana movie almost included an AI deepfake of Dwayne Johnson, which the actor himself signed off on. Released in 2016, the animated original Moana became a massive success, especially on Disney+ in the years after its theatrical bow.
Following the release of an animated sequel last fall, Disney is now set to continue the franchise with an upcoming live-action Moana remake, with Johnson set to reprise his role as Maui. Catherine Laga’aia will take on the title role in the film, which is directed by Thomas Kail.
A new report from The Wall Street Journal now sheds some light on the live-action Moana‘s production, revealing that Disney had plans to collaborate with Metaphysic to create deepfakes of Johnson’s face. This deepfake would then be layered on top of a performance by Tanoai Reed, Johnson’s similarly-sized cousin.
The deepfake would only have been used in a “small number” of shots, and it would have allowed Johnson to not be present on set every day. Despite the actor’s approval of the idea – and 18 months of work and contract negotiations between Metaphysic and Disney – the plan was ultimately scrapped due to legal concerns.
Dwayne Johnson’s AI Deepfake Cancellation Explained
To be clear, it’s not unusual for movies to feature digital doubles of actors. This is a common practice for stunts, for example, where an actor’s face will be digitally imposed onto a stunt double. The inclusion of AI in the process, however, complicated things for Moana.
The WSJ report goes into more depth regarding the decision to move away from this plan, with concerns from Disney’s legal department being a key factor. There was said to be apprehension about how this Johnson deepfake could be used in the future and how it would be protected. Both of those concerns also came up during the SAG-AFTRA strike negotiations in 2023.
An interesting addition to these concerns, however, is Disney’s fear over ownership. Who actually owns AI-generated material remains legally something of a gray area, and the company was said to be uncomfortable with the idea of not being able to claim ownership over every element of the live-action Moana.
The concerns outlined above are not just facing Moana and Disney, but all of Hollywood. AI technology is progressing extremely rapidly, but there’s no comprehensive legal framework in place to govern how it can be implemented into Hollywood productions.
Disney and Universal both sued AI firm Midjourney in June over its image generator, which allegedly reproduced copyrighted characters and material.
AI uncertainty also played a role in a key creative decision with Disney’s upcoming Tron: Ares, according to the WSJ report. It’s said that there was talk of incorporating generative AI into an AI character named Bit, which could have served as a buzzy piece of marketing. Disney scrapped this idea during the SAG strike, however, out of fear of backlash.
What This Means For Moana
When Moana hits theaters next year, there will seemingly be no AI deepfakes included in the final cut. Plans may have fallen apart this time, but AI technology isn’t going anywhere, and it is poised to play a larger role in the movie-making process in the years ahead.
Though strong rules and regulations are not yet in place regarding the use of AI in film, this is sure to change. It’s not yet clear how AI use will impact Hollywood, but it will evidently be crucial to ensure the technology is used responsibly.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Moana
- Release Date
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July 10, 2026
- Director
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Thomas Kail
- Writers
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Ron Clements, John Musker, Chris Williams, Don Hall, Pamela Ribon, Aaron Kandell, Jordan Kandell, Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller
