Vijayakanth might be dead, but the makers of GOAT are attempting to revive his spirit using AI. Directed by Venkat Prabhu and starring Vijay, it’s a rather interesting and trendy move, but it remains to be seen whether it comes across as a gimmick or something lifelike and realistic, because AI tech, especially for videos, is still not there yet. On the other hand, audio has progressed quite far, and you can get very realistic outcomes – just have a look at the recent George Carlin special “I’m Glad I’m Dead.”
So, what’s GOAT about? It’s apparently a time-travel film modelled on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Looper (2012). You can have a look at their wiki page, where there’s a whole load of “hey, these guys are involved in the film,” and nothing much beyond.
If the DeepFakes I’ve seen are anything to go by, the makers here need to do a lot more proving. I’d be lying if I pretend to know more than I do. A good guess is that the Prabhu and team will use existing footage and utilize de-aging techniques. Regardless, since the AI cat is out of the bag, GOAT is just the beginning of a new trend, where more and more AI tech will be used to revive and enhance stars who might otherwise not be available. Whether that translates into a better viewing experience remains to be seen.