If you’re a Star Wars fan, then you are assuredly familiar with the term “Deepfake.” If you’re not, in a nutshell, it’s a process whereby someone improves upon existing CGI technology or morphs a different actor into a particular role. We’ve seen amazing results with a younger Princess Leia (replaced by Millie Bobby Brown). More recently, someone enhanced Luke Skywalker’s appearance in The Mandalorian so well that Lucasfilm actually hired the artist. It’s a 2019 Star Wars Deepfake creation featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, however, that’s resurfaced and is catching folks’ attention again.

Young actor Jake Lloyd found himself thrust into the unforgiving Hollywood spotlight when Gorge Lucas cast him as a young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. Sadly, to paraphrase Yoda, unready for the burden, was he. Lloyd should never have been put in such a difficult position, and he suffered for it. Star Wars fans, you see, can be unforgiving too; just ask Ahmed Best. Lloyd is thankfully in a much better place now. (Lloyd’s family updated us on his health in 2020 – you can read what they had to say HERE). Still, fans have wondered “what if” ever since the questionable casting. The 2019 Star Wars Deepfake, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker, seems answers that question.

Leonardo DiCaprio: the OG Star Wars Deepfake

Leonardo DiCaprio; Star Wars deepfake
That’s Lloyd on the left, DiCaprio on the right.

In the video above you can see what the Revenant Oscar winner would have looked like as Anakin Skywalker. The video embeds his face on the character throughout his progression. From Lloyd’s adolescent “Annie” all the way to Revenge of the Sith’s would-be Vader, the footage is impressive. Sure, the quality of the Star Wars Deepfake re-dos has gotten infinitely better over the last several years… But the question remains of whether casting a live-action replacement actor would be better. (Think Sebastian Stan as Luke Skywalker.) Can you imagine DiCaprio actually playing the role of Anakin?

Leonardo DiCPario; Star Wars Deepfake
Could you imagine this? (Deepfake Image: Collider)

Even if you could, don’t count on the Titanic star ever stepping into Hayden Christensen’s shoes. Christensen, of course, is already set to reprise his role of Anakin/Darth Vader in next year’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Notwithstanding, this Star Wars Deepfake with DiCaprio gives us a good glimpse of what might have been.

Source: MovieWeb, via Collider