History Main / DigitalDeaging

* ''{{Film/Aquaman}}'' opens with a flashback that features de-aged versions of Arthur's parents, played by Creator/NicoleKidman and Creator/TemueraMorrison. Another flashback also does this with Creator/WillemDafoe's Vulko.

middle-left: Creator/MichaelDouglas (''Film/AntMan'')\\

** ''Film/AntMan'' features a prologue where Hank Pym, as played by Creator/MichaelDouglas, is de-aged to look as the actor appeared in ''Film/WallStreet''. Its sequel, ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'', uses the same technology on Creator/MichellePfeiffer's Janet Van Dyne, and Creator/LaurenceFishburne's Bill Foster.

When well-executed, it can be a nearly seamless SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome. If done poorly, can be an especially irritating example of the UncannyValley.

** ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' features a brief flashback of a younger Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, with the characters appearing as they did around the time of ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi''.

* ''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug'' and ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies'' both utilized this on Creator/OrlandoBloom's Legolas, to account for the fact that the character (as an Elf) doesn't age, but 10 years had passed since the previous trilogy.

* ''{{Film/Aquaman}}'' opens with a flashback that features de-aged versions of Arthur's parents, played by Creator/NicoleKidman and Creator/TemueraMorrison.

* ''Film/AmericanPastoral'' uses this on Creator/JenniferConnelly, making her appear as she did in ''Film/TheRocketeer''.

** ''Film/AntMan'' features a prologue where Hank Pym, as played by Creator/MichaelDouglas, is de-aged to look as the actor appeared in ''Film/WallStreet''.

** ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' brought Azar back to reprise his role as a T-800 circa 1998, with Jude Collie portraying a yonger Eddie Furlong, also via DigitalHeadSwap.

* ''Film/TheIrishman'' uses this for long stretches of its runtime, allowing the septugenarian Creator/RobertDeNiro and Creator/AlPacino to play characters in their 30s and 40s.

For most of film history, the go-to tool for de-aging an actor has been makeup, to varying degrees of success. But modern innovations in CGI have allowed filmmakers to digitally de-age their actors, by digitally erasing wrinkles, mapping footage from the actor's youth onto the modern face, or some combination of the two. It's often a subtle variation of SerkisFolk - expect set images from films employing this technique to have actors' faces covered in plastic dots.

** Marvel's first foray into this treatment was actually with [[InvertedTrope the reverse of this effect]], as ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' opted to age up Creator/HayleyAtwell digitally when the crew weren't satisfied with aging her up with how makeup tests made her look. With ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the same approach was used to show [[spoiler:an elderly Steve Rogers who had returned from an alternate timeline where he got to live a full life with Peggy after returning the Infinity Stones and Thor's hammer to their proper timelines]].

** The late Creator/StanLee was digitally de-aged for his final cameo in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', set in TheSeventies.

* The first major use was in ''Film/TronLegacy'', where CGI was used to make Creator/JeffBridges look as he appeared 28 years prior.

* Episode 3 of ''Series/TwinPeaks: the Return'' features a scene where Agent Cooper saves Laura Palmer, with Sheryl Lee made youthful through a combination of CGI and lighting.

** The T-800 from ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' was made by scanning a model made from a [[PropRecycling mold that was used all the way back]] for ''Film/TheTerminator'' then overlaying the face of bodybuilder Roland Kickinger with it, and not by digitally making Arnold's face younger.

* This is used in ''Film/GrudgeMatch'' to show early matches between Billy "The Kid" [=McDonnen=] (Creator/RobertDeNiro) and Henry "Razor" Sharp (Creator/SylvesterStalone).

** ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have the 1984 T-800 (played by bodybuilder Brett Azar with Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger's [[DigitalHeadSwap face overlayed on his body]]) face off against one played by Arnold in his 70s.

* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' to place Arnold's face on the body of a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line, and will be used again in ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate''. Though the one from ''Salvation'' was made by scanning a model made from a [[PropRecycling mold that was used all the way back]] for ''Film/TheTerminator'', and not by digitally making Arnie's face younger.

* ''Film/ItChapterTwo'' uses this on flashbacks of the younger Losers from ''[[Film/It2017 It: Chapter One]]''.

* Martin Scorsese's upcoming ''Film/TheIrishman'' will use this for long stretches of its runtime, allowing the septugenarian Creator/RobertDeNiro and Creator/AlPacino to play characters in their 30s and 40s.
%%* The final shot of ''Film/RogueOneAStarWarsStory'' used CGI to make a stand-in of Carrie Fisher look as she appeared in ''Film/ANewHope''.

%%* The final shot of ''Film/RogueOneAStarWarsStory'' used CGI to make a stand-in of Carrie Fisher look as she appeared in ''Film/StarWars''.

** ''Film/CaptainMarvel'' is set in the 1990s and used CGI to give virtually seamless de-aged portrayals of Creator/SamuelLJackson and Creator/ClarkGregg as Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, respectively.

* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' to place Arnold's face on the body of a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line, and will be used again in ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate''.

* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' to place Arnold's face on the body of a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line, and will be used again in''Film/TerminatorDarkFate''.

* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' to place Arnold's face on the body of a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line.

* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' to show a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line.

[[caption-width-right:350:Footage from decades past, or CGI? Only some can tell.]]

!!:Examples:

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** ''Film/AntMan'' featured a prologue where Hank Pym, as played by Creator/MichaelDouglas, was de-aged to look as the actor appeared in ''Film/WallStreet''.
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' featured a brief scene where Creator/RobertDowneyJr was de-aged to play a teenaged Tony Stark.
** Creator/KurtRussell was de-aged to appear as a younger version of Star-Lord's father in flashbacks for ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2''.
** ''Film/CaptainMarvel'' was set in the 1990s and used CGI to give virtually seamless de-aged portrayals of Creator/SamuelLJackson and Creator/ClarkGregg as Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, respectively.
* ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' used CGI to have a new T-800 played by Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger face off against one that has aged twenty years. This technique was also briefly used in Film/TerminatorSalvation to show a T-800 that has just come off the assembly line.

* The final shot of ''Film/RogueOneAStarWarsStory'' used CGI to make Carrie Fisher look as she appeared in ''Film/StarWars''.
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* Episode 3 of ''Series/TwinPeaks: the Return'' featured a scene where Agent Cooper saved Laura Palmer, with Sheryl Lee made youthful through a combination of CGI and lighting.