The use of Al in order to bring back fan favorite characters has been universally considered to be a cheap cash grab. When it comes to extensive franchises of movies, like the DCEU, MCU, and LOTR universe, there is often a problem of the actors aging out or passing away. And this effects the franchise deeply. Many fans get accustomed to the face of the actor, which is associated with the character. but it is considered an infringement, as we all saw how The flash was ostracized for bringing back George reeves as Superman. Lord of the Rings, however, played it safe.
Ask any fan of the series, and they will tell you how perfect Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Saruman was. Sadly, the actor passed away in 2015. Therefore, when the War of the Rohirrim showrunner mentioned his return, many fans were outraged at the possibility of his revival as some sort of Al-generated wizardry.
This is however far from the truth, as Phillipa Boyens confirmed that the voice used as the voice of Saruman is acquired from the archival footage, which has been approved for usage. “Christopher would’ve wanted this.” The line in question comes from the recording of Lee at the time of The Hobbit. The showrunners repurposed the line and recontextualized it to bring back Lee as Saruman a decade after his death.
The last time we saw Lee was in The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies as Saruman, the leader of Istari. The War of Rohrrim is set about 183 years from the events of the Lord of the Rings diving into the origins of the fortress at Helm’s Deep. The movie will release on December 13.
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