Buzz
While film critique remains a deeply personal endeavor, few would dispute that Nicolas Cage's presence elevates any movie he’s in. Imagine a world where we’re no longer constrained by the unpredictable choices of Cage and his team, such as the remake of The Wicker Man. What if we could retroactively cast him in films from eras long before his time?
These profound philosophical dilemmas are perfectly suited for the Reddit community. As highlighted by The A.V. Club, a subreddit has emerged dedicated to software capable of superimposing faces onto existing video footage. This 'deep learning' innovation allows for the seamless integration of lifelike facial features onto actors within the original frame.
A YouTube compilation demonstrates this technology in action, showcasing Cage 'transformed' into iconic roles like Indiana Jones, James Bond, and even Lois Lane.
Certain clips showcase varying levels of refinement. Cage’s transformation into Lois in Man of Steel is impressively realistic, while his overlay on John Travolta (portraying Cage in Face-Off) resembles a digital clay animation.
Unsurprisingly, users of this software have expanded beyond creating a Cage-dominated media universe. The technology has already been applied to adult content, making it seem as though celebrities are involved in explicit acts—a development that raises significant ethical and legal concerns, which are likely to intensify as the technology advances.
In contrast, placing Cage into The Godfather (directed by his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola) or crafting an all-Cage rendition of Pitch Perfect appears far more innocuous. However, Reddit will need to hustle to keep up with Cage’s prolific output, as he starred in five films in 2016, another five in 2017, and already has five (and counting) slated for release in 2018.
