Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban?

Shilliam Watner · December 27 2012, 12:35 AM

This is a rumor over at TrekMovie that was started by a presumed production assistant with IDM Comics that created a heated discussion about it. In the trailer there is a scene where two men are seen walking out of a room filled with pods (crew of the Botany Bay). One guy on the left has broad shoulders, a ponytail and wearing what is presumed to be a white Sikh coat. People are presuming it is Khan. I wouldn't mind a CGI Kahn if they got it right. After all, they got a CGI Marlon Brando right for 'Superman Returns'.

Flake · December 27 2012, 12:41 AM

Dont forget CGI Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy and CGI Arnie in Terminator Salvation!

I dont have a problem with it as long as it is brief, I think there are a few years to go yet before the uncanny valley is traversed

YARN · December 27 2012, 12:51 AM

Flake wrote:

I dont have a problem with it as long as it is brief, I think there are a few years to go yet before the uncanny valley is traversed

Very well put - also, wideshot only.

SalvorHardin · December 27 2012, 12:51 AM

I joked about this in one of the threads here a few days ago.
I'm not against that kind of thing in general but I have to agree it would have to be a brief appearance, distant shot and no lines.

And I can't see showing Khan alive and well and not using him extensively in this movie or the next.
So to be honest I don't think a cgi Khan is going to happen.

The Mirrorball Man · December 27 2012, 12:52 AM

I think it would be ridiculous. What's wrong with hiring a flesh and blood actor?

Flake · December 27 2012, 12:58 AM

Maybe if we can get some of Ricardo Montalbans DNA (off a hair brush?) and some Temporal RNA we can create a clone which will undergo rapid ageing that could be ready in time for a third Trek movie?

SalvorHardin · December 27 2012, 12:59 AM

Flake wrote:

Maybe if we can get some of Ricardo Montalbans DNA (off a hair brush?) and some Temporal RNA we can create a clone which will undergo rapid ageing that could be ready in time for a third Trek movie?

Make sure you do some rewriting to enhance the chest area.

Ryan8bit · December 27 2012, 01:06 AM

They're not going to do that regardless of what fans speculate.

Also, the guy didn't even appear to have a ponytail, unless it was tucked into his collar, which I don't think could be discerned.

Christopher · December 27 2012, 01:09 AM

It would never work. People give far too much credit to computers when they propose things like this. They assume computers are magic and can do anything, but that's very wrong. No matter how photorealistic a CGI creation is, it's still reliant on a human actor (and human animators) to give it voice and movement and personality. The computer is just a tool operated by human artists, interpreting a human performance. It might look like Montalban, but it wouldn't sound like him -- the technology to computer-simulate a natural-sounding human voice is still years away at least -- and it wouldn't act like him. It would just be an impersonation, no matter how much CGI trickery you threw into it.

You see, Brando in Superman Returns was not a full CGI creation. They took footage of the real Marlon Brando that was cut out of Superman II and modified it with CG, but the voice, the performance, was the real Brando.

Besides, why would they bother? They've recast everyone else -- they even had two different actors as Spock in the same movie.

Not to mention that it's still just a rumor that Khan will be in the movie at all.

BillJ · December 27 2012, 01:30 AM

Just hire an actor.

Shazam! · December 27 2012, 01:40 AM

As a technical exercise I would not be averse to it but what would be the point otherwise? Would they then use a fully CG Khan when they [inevitably] get around to using the character as a primary villain?

Carcazoid · December 27 2012, 01:45 AM

Ridiculous.

lurok · December 27 2012, 01:50 AM

Only if the entire cast was CG.

MarsWeeps · December 27 2012, 01:53 AM

Shilliam Watner wrote:

Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban?

Well since you asked...

That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard about this movie.

Nerys Myk · December 27 2012, 01:56 AM

Flake wrote:

Dont forget CGI Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy and CGI Arnie in Terminator Salvation!

I dont have a problem with it as long as it is brief, I think there are a few years to go yet before the uncanny valley is traversed

Yeah, but in those cases the actors were still living.

December 27 2012, 12:35 AM	#1
Shilliam Watner Lieutenant Commander Location: In linear time	Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? This is a rumor over at TrekMovie that was started by a presumed production assistant with IDM Comics that created a heated discussion about it. In the trailer there is a scene where two men are seen walking out of a room filled with pods (crew of the Botany Bay). One guy on the left has broad shoulders, a ponytail and wearing what is presumed to be a white Sikh coat. People are presuming it is Khan. I wouldn't mind a CGI Kahn if they got it right. After all, they got a CGI Marlon Brando right for 'Superman Returns'. __________________ Why did Obama feel compelled to state that his birth status was governed by the British Nationality Act of 1948 rather than the 14th Amendment?

December 27 2012, 12:41 AM	#2
Flake Commodore Location: Manchester, UK	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? Dont forget CGI Jeff Bridges in Tron Legacy and CGI Arnie in Terminator Salvation! I dont have a problem with it as long as it is brief, I think there are a few years to go yet before the uncanny valley is traversed

December 27 2012, 12:51 AM	#4
SalvorHardin Rear Admiral Location: Star's End	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? I joked about this in one of the threads here a few days ago. I'm not against that kind of thing in general but I have to agree it would have to be a brief appearance, distant shot and no lines. And I can't see showing Khan alive and well and not using him extensively in this movie or the next. So to be honest I don't think a cgi Khan is going to happen. __________________ www.youtube.com/user/SalvorSeldon Last edited by SalvorHardin; December 27 2012 at 01:14 AM.

December 27 2012, 12:52 AM	#5
The Mirrorball Man Vice Admiral Location: Switzerland	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? I think it would be ridiculous. What's wrong with hiring a flesh and blood actor? __________________ Check out my deviantArt gallery!

December 27 2012, 12:58 AM	#6
Flake Commodore Location: Manchester, UK	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? Maybe if we can get some of Ricardo Montalbans DNA (off a hair brush?) and some Temporal RNA we can create a clone which will undergo rapid ageing that could be ready in time for a third Trek movie?

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December 27 2012, 01:06 AM	#8
Ryan8bit Commodore Location: St. Paul, MN	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? They're not going to do that regardless of what fans speculate. Also, the guy didn't even appear to have a ponytail, unless it was tucked into his collar, which I don't think could be discerned.

December 27 2012, 01:09 AM	#9
Christopher Writer	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? It would never work. People give far too much credit to computers when they propose things like this. They assume computers are magic and can do anything, but that's very wrong. No matter how photorealistic a CGI creation is, it's still reliant on a human actor (and human animators) to give it voice and movement and personality. The computer is just a tool operated by human artists, interpreting a human performance. It might look like Montalban, but it wouldn't sound like him -- the technology to computer-simulate a natural-sounding human voice is still years away at least -- and it wouldn't act like him. It would just be an impersonation, no matter how much CGI trickery you threw into it. You see, Brando in Superman Returns was not a full CGI creation. They took footage of the real Marlon Brando that was cut out of Superman II and modified it with CG, but the voice, the performance, was the real Brando. Besides, why would they bother? They've recast everyone else -- they even had two different actors as Spock in the same movie. Not to mention that it's still just a rumor that Khan will be in the movie at all. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

December 27 2012, 01:30 AM	#10
BillJ Vice Admiral Location: Greater Cincinnati	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? Just hire an actor. __________________ J.J. Abrams didn't change Star Trek, audience expectations did.

December 27 2012, 01:40 AM	#11
Shazam! Rear Admiral	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? As a technical exercise I would not be averse to it but what would be the point otherwise? Would they then use a fully CG Khan when they [inevitably] get around to using the character as a primary villain?

December 27 2012, 01:45 AM	#12
Carcazoid Captain Location: Planet Carcazed	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? Ridiculous. __________________ =Carcazoid=

December 27 2012, 01:50 AM	#13
lurok Commodore Location: Lost In The EU Expanse	Re: Would You Be Ok With Khan Being A CGI Ricardo Montalban? Only if the entire cast was CG.