Disney being sued over Star Wars: Rogue One's infamous CGI moment
09/11/2024 07:53 AM
Those who have seen Star Wars: Rogue One remember the moment that revived the later Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, and Disney is paying for it now and is being sued.
The Times reports that Disney is being sued over the control of Cushing’s image for”less than £500,000.” CGI was used to recreate Tarkin in the movie, but one of Cushing’s friends, Kevin Francis, is fighting back against this.
He alleges that Cushing “agreed not to grant permission for anyone to reproduce his appearance through special effects without his authorization.”
The case has been upheld
Disney failed to have Francis’ claim dismissed for “unjust enrichment” at the High Court in London, England, on Monday, September 9. Previously, Judge Master Francesca Kaye, denied the studio’s request to dismiss it in December 2023, saying that it should go to trial.
After upholding Judge Kaye’s ruling, Judge Tom Mitcheson conceded that he is “far from persuaded” that Francis will succeed in the lawsuit also added, “I am also not persuaded that the case is unarguable to the standard required to give summary judgment or to strike it out.”
They are claiming that they did not think they needed permission to recreate Cushing’s likeness because of “the terms of his contract in the original film and the nature of the special effects.”
Still, Disney allegedly paid around £28,000 to Cushing’s estate after being contacted by Francis. It is important to note that Cushing did sign an agreement that would not allow his image to be used in projects without Francis’s permission. This was while he was in pre-production of a TV movie, A Heritage of Horror.
Francis is a producer in his own right. His company, Tyburn Film Productions, is suing Lucasfilm and Lunak Heavy Industries. Additionally, he has brought claims against the executors of Cushing’s estate, both of whom have passed, and Cushing’s former representation, Associated International Management.
Bringing Grand Moff Tarkin back in Star Wars: Rogue One
Unfortunately, Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin is not the only instance of Star Wars: Rogue One bringing dead actors back. The end of the movie features Princess Leia, who was played by Carrie Fisher until her death.
The Rise of Skywalker, the ninth Star Wars movie, also brought back an older Leia. This time, they used previously-filmed footage that did not make the cut from prior movies.
What is it about?
Rogue One is a spin-off Star Wars movie set right before the events of A New Hope. It depicts part of the opening credits from A New Hope and follows a group of rebels who come together to steal the Death Star plans.
Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Men Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, Mads Mikkelsen, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker starred in the movie.
Rogue One was a big hit for Disney. It grossed over $1 billion worldwide at the box office on a budget of $200 million. It was so successful that it spawned a spin-off.
Andor is a Disney+ series that follows Luna’s character. The first season premiered on September 21, 2022, and has a second on the way.
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