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Credit: Universal StudiosIs the new Back to the Future Part 4 trailer featuring Tom Holland real or fake?
The rapid emergence of AI (artificial intelligence) has started to blur the lines between reality and fantasy. This ground-breaking new tech feels like something out of a Hollywood movie (take your pick), however, it has already started to drastically alter every aspect of modern-day life. Among its most alarming capabilities are “Deepfakes,” computerized avatars manipulated to capture the likeness of a real person; a “digital clone,” if you will.
Studios like Marvel and Lucasfilm have been using this technology for years to “de-age” actors so that they can reprise iconic roles or to re-create deceased ones. But Deepfake is open source, and now, it seems everyone is using it, and the reasons are endless. One example is fan-made movie trailers. They’re nothing new, but fake trailers created using AI are fast becoming popular.
The latest in an extensive line of such trailers is Back to the Future Part 4, uploaded to YouTube by KH Studio just a few days ago.
Related: 6 Ways a New ‘Back to the Future’ Movie Could Work
Through the use of AI, it imagines the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man actor Tom Holland as Marty McFly, who was played by Michael J Fox in the three Back to the Future films.
Holland’s name has been thrown into the ring to play Marty McFly many times. Still, the idea of a Back to the Future Part 4, or a reboot, is vehemently opposed by fans and even the creators of the films themselves, Bob Gale (writer/producer) and Robert Zemeckis (writer/director). However, Michael J Fox and Doc Emmett Brown actor Christopher Lloyd championed the idea of a female-led installment earlier this year.
But will this fake trailer change our collective opinion, or does it simply contribute to the destruction of the very soul of film itself? Is this a world of pure imagination, or an absolute abomination?
Check out the Back to the Future Part 4 trailer below, which sees Tom Holland — a version of him, at least — suiting up as Marty McFly and stepping into the DeLorean:
Related: 5 Actresses Who Could Play Female Marty McFly In ‘Back to the Future’ Reboot
Seamlessly blending existing footage of Michael J Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Doc Emmett Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines-McFly), and Elisabeth Shue (Jennifer Parker) with scenes from the sci-fi fantasy epic Ready Player One (2018) featuring the DeLorean, the trailer is impressive. Unfortunately, Tom Holland’s Deepfake Marty McFly is, at times, the stuff of nightmares.
In the case of re-creating or de-aging actors, when used well, and sparingly, AI is wildly impressive. Putting the synthetic aspects aside, though, the trailer itself is reasonably compelling, if a little too serious by Back to the Future‘s standards. Ultimately, it does nothing to make the case for a fourth Back to the Future movie, or AI.
Related: ‘Back to the Future’ Series Takes Place in an Alternate Timeline
Should an actual sequel ever happen, Tom Holland is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate to take on the role of Marty McFly. He might pale in comparison to Michael J Fox, and his portrayal of the time-traveling teen would also, without question, be inferior, but that boyish charm and wide-eyed wonder certainly set him in good stead.
Will Back to the Future 4 ever happen? Never say never. Unlikely as it may seem, could you ever have imagined a time when AI was able to create digital versions of human beings?
If you’re looking for something made of all things practical (including the time-traveling DeLorean), the award-winning Back to the Future: The Musical (2020) is currently on Broadway, with a North American tour set for 2024.
What do you think of this Back to the Future 4 trailer? What do you think of AI in general when it comes to film? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!