8 Years On, 'Rogue One's Peter Cushing Resurrection Is Part of a Weird Legal Fight

The actor's estate argues that Disney used CGI to recreate a "substantial likeness" of Cushing

Disney's use of CGI to recreate the late Peter Cushing in the movie "Rogue One" has landed the company in a legal battle with Cushing's estate. The estate argues that Disney used CGI to recreate a "substantial likeness" of Cushing, violating his right of publicity. The case is one of the first to address the issue of using CGI to recreate deceased performers. It raises important questions about the rights of deceased performers and the use of their likeness in posthumous works. "Rogue One" was released in 2016 and starred Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, a character he previously played in the original "Star Wars" movie. Cushing died in 1994, but Disney was able to recreate his likeness using CGI. The Cushing estate argues that Disney did not have the right to use CGI to recreate Cushing's likeness without his permission or the permission of his estate. The estate also argues that Disney's use of CGI was not fair use as it was not transformative enough. Disney has argued that its use of CGI was fair use. The company argues that the CGI recreation of Cushing was not a "substantial likeness" of the actor and that it was used in a transformative way. The case is ongoing.

The case is one of the first to address the issue of using CGI to recreate deceased performers

The case of Cushing's estate v. Disney is one of the first to address the issue of using CGI to recreate deceased performers. The case raises important questions about the rights of deceased performers and the use of their likeness in posthumous works. The outcome of the case could have a significant impact on the film industry. If Disney is found liable, it could make it more difficult for studios to use CGI to recreate deceased performers in future films. The case is also being closely watched by the entertainment industry as it could have implications for the use of CGI to recreate deceased performers in other forms of entertainment, such as television and video games.