Metaphysic will de-age Tom Hanks live on set

Robert Zemeckis has never met a bleeding-edge film technology he did not want to push to its absolute breaking point. Now, he is bringing generative AI straight onto his movie set.

His upcoming Miramax film Here, an adaptation of Richard McGuire’s graphic novel set entirely in a single room across generations, will heavily de-age stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Instead of relying on traditional, months-long post-production visual effects, the production is relying on an AI tool called Metaphysic Live.

Real-time de-aging on set

Metaphysic is best known for the viral @DeepTomCruise account and its headline-grabbing deepfake demonstrations on America’s Got Talent. But Metaphysic Live is built for a completely different environment: live, real-time filmmaking.

The company claims the tool produces high-resolution, photorealistic face swaps and de-aging directly over an actor’s live performance. Production VFX supervisor Kevin Baillie noted that actors can actually use the system on set as a "youth mirror," checking out how their younger selves look in real time and tweaking their acting choices on the spot.

Alongside the film project, Metaphysic announced a strategic partnership with major Hollywood talent agency CAA to build generative AI tools and services for actors, emphasizing data ownership and ethical frameworks.

Why it matters

We think this move represents a massive shift in how Hollywood approaches digital visual effects.

For actors and directors, real-time feedback completely changes the creative process. In past projects like The Irishman, actors had to wear bulky capture gear and perform blindly, hoping the visual effects artists in post-production could pull off a miracle months down the road. Giving performers a live reflection of their de-aged faces turns a technical hurdle into an immediate acting tool.

For the film industry, this is a clear shot across the bow of traditional VFX houses. Full-pipeline digital de-aging has historically been one of the most expensive and time-consuming line items in big-budget filmmaking. If generative AI can deliver feature-quality results live on camera without extensive compositing passes, the economics of period pieces and multi-decade dramas will look dramatically different.

Metaphysic’s partnership with CAA is also remarkably savvy. Hollywood is deeply nervous about deepfakes, likeness theft, and AI replacing human labor. By aligning directly with a top talent agency under an "ethics-first" banner that promises performers control over their digital identity, Metaphysic is building industry trust from the inside out.

The real test will be the silver screen itself. What looks dazzling on a calibrated video assist monitor on set might still stumble when projected on a 50-foot cinema display. If the uncanny valley creeps in, audiences will notice immediately.