Nicolas Cage has shared his thoughts on the use of AI in films, as well as his feelings about the final cut of his cameo as Superman in Warner Bros. The Flash.
In a recent interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Cage expressed his personal distaste for the technology, saying, AI is a nightmare to me. Its inhumane. You cant get more inhumane than artificial intelligence.
While AI did not play a part in Cages surprise cameo as Superman in The Flash, the final scene was different from what he shot for the 2023 superhero movie, according to the actor.
What I was supposed to do was literally just be standing in an alternate dimension, if you will, and witnessing the destruction of the universe, Cage explained. Kal-El was bearing witness [to] the end of a universe, and you can imagine with that short amount of time that I had, what that would mean in terms of what I can convey. I had no dialogue [so had to] convey with my eyes the emotion. So thats what I did. I was on set for maybe three hours.
In The Flash, Cages Man of Steel is seen battling a giant spider as the multiverse begins to collapse, a reference to Tim Burtons axed Superman Lives movie, which the actor was set to star in as the titular superhero.
When I went to the picture, it was me fighting a giant spider, Cage said. I did not do that. That was not what I did. I dont think it was [created by] AI. I know Tim [Burton] is upset about AI, as I am. It was CGI, OK, so that they could de-age me, and Im fighting a spider. I didnt do any of that, so I dont know what happened there.
Back in September, Burtoncriticized AI recreationsof Disney characters in his trademark style in an interview withThe Independent, saying, I cant describe the feeling it gives you. It reminded me of when other cultures say, Dont take my picture because it is taking away your soul.
What it does is it sucks something from you, he continued. It takes something from your soul or psyche; that is very disturbing, especially if it has to do with you. Its like a robot taking your humanity, your soul.
Burton later weighed in on Cages cameo as Superman in The Flash, saying, But also it goes into anotherAIthing, and this is why I think Im over it with the studio. They can take what you did, Batman or whatever, and culturally misappropriate it, or whatever you want to call it. Even though youre a slave of Disney or Warner Brothers, they can do whatever they want. So in my latter years of life, Im in quiet revolt against all this.