How ‘Gladiator II’ Rejected Masculinity

In 'Gladiator,' Maximus embodied masculinity in the highest order. In 'Gladiator II,' masculinity is treated like a bad joke.

Disney, Lucasfilm sued for using likeness of actor Peter Cushing 22 years after his death



Disney and subsidiary Lucasfilm are being sued for the allegedly-unauthorized use of actor Peter Cushing's likeness in a 2016 Star Wars film.

For "Rogue One," released in December 2016, Disney's Lucasfilm resurrected Cushing 22 years after his death to reprise his role as evildoer Grand Moff Tarkin. The studio reconstructed old footage from his appearance in the 1977 Star Wars original "A New Hope."

Cushing died in 1994 at age 81 from prostate cancer but allegedly signed an agreement the year before.

As reported by the Times, the actor signed an agreement that his likeness could not be used without the expressed permission of his friend and movie producer Kevin Francis. The agreement was apparently signed while the two were preparing to make a made-for-TV movie that was never completed.

Disney claimed however, that it did not believe permission was required to recreate Cushing due to the terms of his contract from his original appearance, as it pertains to the use of special effects.

Disney was reportedly contacted by Cushing's agent, who facilitated a payment to the actor's estate in the amount of £28,000, or just under $37,000.

'In an area of developing law it is very difficult to decide where the boundaries might lie.'

Francis is seeking $650,000 in damages, Futurism reported, after a judge in the English High Court has allowed the lawsuit to continue. Disney attempted to dismiss the case in December 2023 but was denied by Master Francesca Kaye, who said it should go to trial.

Judge Tom Mitcheson also denied Disney's appeal and said he was "far from persuaded" that Francis would succeed but added that his case was not "unarguable."

"I am also not persuaded that the case is unarguable to the standard required to give summary judgment or to strike it out," the judge said. "In an area of developing law it is very difficult to decide where the boundaries might lie in the absence of a full factual enquiry."

The lawsuit also named Cushing's estate and his former representation, Associated International Management, as defendants.

The Star Wars studio has, of course, used the likeness of other actors since their passing, including Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia. The actress died in 2016 but appeared in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" using previously unused footage.

Lucasfilm has also digitally aged down still-living star Mark Hamill for his subsequent Luke Skywalker appearances.

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'They're just going to steal my body': Nicolas Cage says he's terrified of what AI will do to art



Iconic actor Nicolas Cage said he doesn't want his likeness to be used after his passing and wonders what effect artificial intelligence will have on artists.

Cage gave an interview ahead of his latest project described as a Spider-Man noir show for Amazon Prime and mentioned that he was dreading doing digital body scans for his role.

'What are you going to do with my body and my face when I’m dead? I don’t want you to do anything with it!'

The actor said that he needed to end his interview a bit early because of his prior commitments:

"I have to slip out after this to go get a scan done for the show, and then also for the movie I'm doing after the show. Two scans in one day!" he said begrudgingly.

The 60-year-old was asked what the purpose of the body scan was, at which point Cage began to express his discontent with the new, digital aspects of his art form.

"They have to put me in a computer and match my eye color and change — I don’t know," he tried to explain. "They’re just going to steal my body and do whatever they want with it via digital AI. ... God, I hope not AI," Cage told the New Yorker.

"I'm terrified of that. I've been very vocal about it."

The living legend clarified that he didn't know what would happen to his likeness after he passes away but is certain he doesn't want anything to be done with it.

"It makes me wonder, you know, where will the truth of the artists end up? Is it going to be replaced? Is it going to be transmogrified? Where's the heartbeat going to be? I mean, what are you going to do with my body and my face when I'm dead? I don't want you to do anything with it!" he exclaimed.

Cage also answered questions about his aura and the "meme-ification" he has received over time for his performances, both iconic and infamous.

"Well, I used to be in control of [the myths]. I don't think I'm in control of that anymore. ... I'm now 60. Nonetheless, some of the roles that I've gravitated toward have created this mythology, or compounded it. When I signed up to be a film actor, we didn't have the Internet. We didn't have cell phones with cameras. I didn't know this was going to happen to me in such a pervasive way—the so-called memes. So that, now, is out of my hands."

In addition to stating that he wasn't a fan of playing violent roles anymore — killing monsters is ok — he isn't interested in "$100 million science fiction" movies, either.

"I'm interested in 50mm [cameras], right in your face ... the psyche," he added.

Cage has explained some of his meme-able roles in a 2018 interview with GQ. In the sit-down, Cage said that he was actually blackout drunk while filming "Leaving Las Vegas."

"There were a couple scenes where I really wanted to be hammered because I wanted to be out of control and have them photograph that so I could reach that kind of credibility, of authenticity of what I saw on the streets of Mexico [while researching for the film]."

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Hamburger with a Side of Misogyny | More On Trivia: Cincinnati vs. Los Angeles | 2/11/22

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