While CG de-aging made its big debut (though it had been seen in commercials and music videos before) in 2006 with X-MEN 3, the technology has been making substantial improvements since then. This includes an over-the-hill Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting an in-his-prime Ah-nuld in TERMINATOR: GENYSIS (one of the only highlights) or the jaw-dropping teenage Robert Downey, Jr. in CIVIL WAR (as well as some setbacks, like the plastic-faced Jeff Bridges in TRON LEGACY).
But with the (mostly) successful resurrection of Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin in ROGUE ONE (as well as a 19-year old Carrie Fisher in the same film), it seems Hollywood is getting more-and-more bold with the technology. In fact, according to Terminator Fans, a rumor has spread that the production will be using CGI to de-age a Replicant from the original film:
We can now reveal that a source close to the production of Blade Runner 2049 has informed us that the power of CGI will bring a Replicant character from the cult 1982 film back for the theatrical Blade Runner sequel…The digital CG Replicant character’s appearance in the movie will be at least 10 shots of film or more, so it won’t be a blink of the eye cameo.
They go on to speculate who it might be, which included Rutger Hauer's Roy Batty (as well as Darryl Hannah's Pris, Sean Young's Rachel, and possibly even a younger version of Harrison Ford's Deckard). Take this all with a grain of salt (or possibly a spoonful) but I honestly would be more shocked if they didn't do something like that at this point.
Either way, BLADE RUNNER 2049, co-starring Ryan Gosling and directed by ARRIVAL's Denis Villeneuve, will blade-run into theaters October 6th, 2017.
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