Disney Tried To Use AI To Work Around Its Dwayne Johnson Problem

Readers may recall that two years ago, during an anti-Dwayne Johnson campaign, there were a number of pieces that detailed The Rock’s unprofessional behavior on set. Specifically, that he was late to set on average seven to eight hours a day, refused to work a full shooting day (even factoring in his three-hour workout routine), and at one point pissed off Ryan Reynolds on the set of Red Notice by making him wait five hours before showing up to set. There were even reports that Johnson, when he did show up, tried to save time by peeing in water bottles instead of going to the bathroom.

Ultimately, Johnson’s chronic tardiness reportedly added an extra $50 million to the budget of Red One.

In a Wall Street Journal piece this week, many of the challenges studios—particularly Disney—are facing with AI were detailed. Specifically, they’re worried about losing the rights to parts of their characters when AI is used, because the law is unsettled, as well as the PR nightmares that could ensue.

However, they did attempt to use it on the set of the live-action Moana remake, in a plan ultimately approved by Johnson. They wanted to use Johnson’s brother—who is of a similar build—and AI to essentially clone Johnson’s face so he could be “two places at once.”

The report didn’t say why Johnson needed to be in two places at once “for a small number of shots,” but it’s hard not to read his reported past behavior as a reason. Sure, he’s busy. He has several projects in development. But they did eventually scrap the idea, though not before spending “18 months negotiating on and off over the terms of the contract and work on the digital double,” only to scrap all the footage created with it.

The studio probably could’ve saved a lot of time and money, I’m guessing, if Johnson could be trusted to show up on time and work a full shooting day without pissing into a bottle.