Between 1956 and 1969, Elvis Aron Presley starred in a total of 31 movies. Now he could be back for more.
Virtual actors in new films have long been a dream for producers. Since 2004, when Kerry Conran's Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow brought Laurence Olivier back 15 years after his death to play crazed scientist Dr Totenkopf, it has been a reality. Yet though Sky Captain represented a big step forward from the simple archive footage techniques used in films like Zelig and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, it has taken a while for technology to catch up to the point where it can successfully render dead actors in new situations. The options available to producers have also been limited by copyright issues, with the rights to big stars' images often increasing after their deaths.
Last month, Core Media made a big impression by bringing Tupac Shakur back from the grave for a live concert performance. Today they announced that they have successfully acquired the rights to Elvis' image and plan to make him available for a number of projects over the next few years, including films. It is not yet known how they intend to represent his voice.
