All articles tagged with #likeness rights
Neill Blomkamp’s 13‑minute short Nightborne is largely generated by AI using ByteDance Seed 2.0, with 32 real people providing likenesses for voices and faces, while humans handled concept art; the film’s sci‑fi plot about a brain-dead pilot reanimated as a mind-controlled super-soldier has drawn heavy negative reactions from fans who view the project as an ethical and artistic misstep in AI cinema.
RGG Studio's Stranger Than Heaven will feature a digitally resurrected Tupac Shakur and explore how he might act if he were alive in 2026, with consent from his family and estate and a focus on envisioning a potential future rather than recreating his past; the cameo ties to Snoop Dogg's role and the game's Tojo Clan origin story, with a winter release and ongoing rights considerations.
RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama explains the decision to cast Tupac Shakur in Stranger Than Heaven, a move inspired by Snoop Dogg and pursued with Tupac’s family and estate approval; the team intends to depict Tupac’s potential future rather than his past, a choice that remains controversial as the game launches January 15, 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Peruvian Indigenous actress Q’orianka Kilcher filed a lawsuit against James Cameron and Disney, claiming Cameron used Kilcher’s facial features from a 2006 film to design Neytiri in the Avatar franchise, when Kilcher was 14. The suit alleges deliberate, non-consensual extraction of her biometric identity and cultural heritage, citing Cameron sketches and remarks naming Kilcher as the inspiration. Kilcher learned of the connection after Cameron acknowledged the source in an interview and presented her with a Neytiri sketch. Zoe Saldaña played Neytiri on screen, and Cameron and Disney have not yet commented. The case highlights concerns about deepfake-like likeness rights in a highly lucrative franchise, which has generated billions at the box office.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has registered trademarks on his image and voice with the US patent office to curb unauthorized AI use, including clips of his catchphrase; the move is described as a potential first for an actor using trademark law to protect likeness in the AI era, aiming to ensure consent and attribution in AI-generated content and to capture value created by new tech.
Matthew McConaughey has filed eight USPTO trademarks to protect his likeness in video and audio from AI misuse, seeking consent and attribution for any AI-generated representation. The proactive move—aided by his ElevenLabs ties—aims to deter unauthorized uses amid unclear AI-likeness rules and aligns with ongoing industry debates following SAG-AFTRA negotiations.
Actor Barry Tubb, known for his role in the original "Top Gun," is suing Paramount Pictures for using his likeness in the sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" without permission or compensation. Tubb claims that the use of his image in a photograph in the sequel is misleading and deceptive, and he is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, with a minimum amount of $75,000, and a trial by jury. The lawsuit alleges that Paramount intentionally misappropriated Tubb's image and deprived him of the right to negotiate its use.
A Florida man, known as the "Florida Joker," is demanding $2 million from Rockstar Games for allegedly using his likeness in the reveal trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6. The man, who gained attention for tattooing his face to resemble the Joker, claims that the character in the trailer looks like him. However, a voice actor from Red Dead Redemption 2, Roger Clark, dismissed the claim, stating that Rockstar Games knows what they can and cannot do legally. Clark advised the man to capitalize on the attention instead.
Contract talks between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have stalled due to the studios' desire to own actors' digitally scanned likenesses in perpetuity. The AMPTP's proposed contract would allow studios to secure the likenesses of certain performers without their consent or the consent of their estates. SAG-AFTRA has refused this proposal and is pushing for changes that would require studios to pay actors each time their faces are used and obtain their consent. The strike has brought attention to the need for protections for all actors, including background actors, and highlights concerns about how actors' faces are used for commercial purposes.
Tom Cruise reportedly has a secret clause in all of his film contracts that prohibits the use of his likeness for merchandise, which is why his face is not seen on video game covers or merch. This clause has been in place for years, predating the current SAG-AFTRA strike. The strike has been fighting against the use of AI in film, and while Cruise has lobbied for SAG-AFTRA's concerns to be heard, his unique contract clause has sparked a debate on social media. Some applaud Cruise for protecting his likeness, while others criticize his connections to Scientology.