Watch Harrison Ford in Solo: A Star Wars Story, thanks to a little help from artificial intelligence
You can now watch Harrison Ford in Solo: A Star Wars Story, thanks to an AI that used a process called deep learning to place him there.
Star Wars fans are pretty aware that Harrison Ford didn’t play Han Solo in the film, Solo: A Star Wars Story. While it would have been stellar to have him do so, it just wasn’t possible since Ford is all of 76 years old and this was a film about young Solo. Thus, the role of Han went to actor Alden Ehrenreich.
While Hollywood wouldn’t have been able to de-age Ford using their normal methods, there is a new way that this could happen. We have YouTube channel derpfakes to thank for sharing how artificial intelligence could be used to insert Ford into the role of Han Solo, and the results are pretty fascinating.
Derpfakes’ channel often posts videos that show what artificial intelligence can do when it comes to images. The AI uses what is called “deep learning” and looks at tons of images of a person. The AI uses this analysis to make a database of the person that contains how they would look in almost all angles and body positions. The AI can use this database to create a face replacement over an original source of film.
In this particular YouTube video, the AI puts Harrison Ford’s face over Alden Ehrenreich’s. You can check out the short clip for yourself, here.
This is a very interesting new technology that could be used in films in the future. As iO9 points out, an AI deep learning program was also used to replace the mustache Henry Cavill had in Justice League, and the end result looked overall better than the special effects used in the actual film. Maybe instead of CG, Hollywood will use AI to place celebrities in films who have passed away or grown too old to play the role they played in the past. Then again, is this a technology we want and need in film?
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What do you think of the Solo clip? Does it capture Harrison Ford’s essence or not so much? Share your comments with us below!