Peter Cushing's digital replica rights as Star Wars Moff Tarkin Lawsuit thrown out of UK court today.

Legendary actor Peter Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars (1977).
The actor passed away in 1994.
LucasFilm resurrected Cushing to play Tarkin for Rogue One (2016) with a digital creation from Visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) after Cushing's family agreed to the project.
Tyburn Film Productions took LucasFilm/Disney to the UK courts in 2021 arguing they held rights over the star being bought back to life by technology and the digital replica used in Rogue One was done without permission.
Today (18th Dec 2025) after four years, appeal judges tossed the case out of court based on the fact that Tyburn's contract did not apply in this case.
The news continues to add weight to many actors opposed to digital scanning and AI.

#PeterCushing #StarWars #RogueOne #MoffTarkin
#LucasFilm #Disney #TyburnFilmProductions #Lawssuit
#IndustrialLightMagic #ILM #GuyHenry #CGI #DigitalReplica
#DigitalReproduction #DigitalResurrection #QuirkyFilms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7RGzgbh-_Y

AI-generated “dead bots” are becoming increasingly popular, offering a way to simulate the presence of deceased loved ones. While some see this as a comforting tool, experts warn of ethical concerns and the potential disruption of the natural grieving process. #AI #DigitalResurrection #Ethics #Grief #BreakingNews

https://kokcha.news/5814/dead-bots-created-by-ai-to-bring-back-the-deceased-are-gaining-popularity-raising-ethical-concerns/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

🧬🕵️ They said it wrapped a god. Turns out it hugged a statue. Some tech guy with 3D toys ran the numbers and came up short on flesh. No ribs, no bones, just fabric and fantasy. If this was Jesus, he was marble.
#DigitalResurrection
https://futurism.com/shroud-of-turin-3d-body

Talking to dead people through AI: the business of ‘digital resurrection’ might not be helpful, ethical… or even legal
#Tech #AI #DigitalResurrection #Ethics #Grief #Memory #TechEthics #DigitalLegacy #Mourning #LegalConcerns #HumanExperience #Psychology
https://the-14.com/talking-to-dead-people-through-ai-the-business-of-digital-resurrection-might-not-be-helpful-ethical-or-even-legal/

Chinese companies offer to 'resurrect' dead loved ones. It raises questions
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/17/nx-s1-5001751/chinese-companies-offer-to-resurrect-dead-loved-ones-it-raises-questions

* generative artificial intelligence more mainstream in China
* unconventional service: "resurrecting" the dead
* raises many questions
* Silicon Intelligence can create an avatar for $30 USD with a few seconds of video
* avatars look, talk almost exactly like the real person
* https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/silicon-intelligence

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #avatars #death #resurrection #DigitalResurrection #ChatGPT #LLM

ChatGPT is making it possible to digitally resurrect the dead in the form of “thanabots”: chatbots trained on data of the deceased. A program called Project December already allows users to input information about a person and have a custom chatbot created for them based on that person. This could have major implications for how we remember and interact with our loved ones after they have passed away. #thanabots #chatGPT #digitalresurrection https://bigthink.com/the-future/thanabots/