LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nicolas Cage has sparked a conversation about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in films as he opened up about his cameo appearance in Warner Bros' recent release, 'The Flash'.
Fans of the superhero genre may recall Cage's brief appearance in the movie, but the actor has revealed that his involvement in the film was not quite what he had expected.
Nicolas Cage's portrayal of Superman in 'The Flash' differed from the original scenes
In 'The Flash', Cage was featured as a younger version of Superman inspired by 'Superman Lives', a shelved Man of Steel project by director Tim Burton dating back to 1998.
However, Cage's portrayal of Superman battling a massive spider that fired red lasers from its eyes differed significantly from the original scenes he filmed for the movie.
Cage shared his insights during an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, expressing his concerns about AI and its use in film production.
He stated, "When I went to the picture, it was me fighting a giant spider. I did not do that." He continued, "I don't think it was [created by] AI. I know Tim (Burton) is upset about AI, as I am. It was CGI, okay, so that they could de-age me, and I'm fighting a spider."
The actor made it clear that he did not perform the scenes involving the spider, and he found himself somewhat in the dark about the changes made to his appearance in the film.
Cage sympathized with Tim Burton's concerns about AI, describing the use of artificial intelligence as "a nightmare" and "inhumane."
Cage added: “But I don’t think it [was] AI [in ‘The Flash’]. I just think that they did something with it, and again, it’s out of my control. I literally went to shoot a scene for maybe an hour in the suit, looking at the destruction of a universe and trying to convey the feelings of loss and sadness and terror in my eyes. That’s all I did.”
What challenges and ethical concerns did Nicolas Cage raise about the use of CGI, AI, and de-aging technology in film industry?
However, Cage clarified that he didn't believe AI was involved in 'The Flash' but acknowledged that significant alterations had been made beyond his control.
He mentioned his original role, in which he wore the Superman suit and portrayed emotions of loss, sadness, and terror in his eyes. Cage explained, "I literally went to shoot a scene for maybe an hour in the suit, looking at the destruction of a universe and trying to convey the feelings of loss and sadness and terror in my eyes. That's all I did."
Cage further elaborated on what he did during the day of shooting his cameo, emphasizing that his character was meant to witness the end of a universe without any dialogue.
He conveyed the emotional depth of the scene solely through his expressions. He recounted his experience on set, saying, "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."
He continued to explain, "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 I had to] convey with my eyes the emotion. So that's what I did. I was on set for maybe three hours."
Cage's comments have ignited discussions about the increasing use of CGI and de-aging technology in film, as well as the ethical implications of AI in the creative process.
Fans of both Cage and the superhero genre have weighed in on the issue, expressing their views on the actor's concerns about the use of AI in the entertainment industry.
While 'The Flash' may have featured a unique take on Superman, it has also brought to light important questions about the intersection of technology and art in modern filmmaking.
Fans agree Nicolas Cage AI concerns
Responding to news of Cage's interview on X, formerly Twitter, people had a lot to say about his brief appearance.
One fan wrote, "Yep, whole Cage's Superman was like bad CGI, so..."
Another wrote, "The over reliance on CGI and visual effects has ruined filmmaking."
"Did they just take his picture and fed him for 3 hours? This movie is one giant fumble — you had Michael Keaton and there is tech good enough to deage someone. Here’s was their chance to use this Superman," commented one.
A fourth person commented, "This is very interesting to hear...... Tbh, I was like wtf when I saw all the scenes of Mr cage. That movie dint hit for me the way I was expecting it to."
Another critique said, "This scene literally did nothing for the film. All the legacy characters in No Way Home actually served the story & helped shape Tom Holland's Spider-Man on the right path. Seeing all these universes & CGI caricatures in The Flash just took away from all the tension & focus."
