Summary

• New images have been released from Here, Robert Zemeckis' family drama starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, which will feature both actors de-aged for portions of the runtime.
• The images tease how the film will chronicle a family's journey over the course of multiple decades, all from one perspective in their home.
• De-aging technology has thus far not been entirely convincing in major Hollywood movies, and it's risky that Here is using it so prominently in the story.

1994's Forrest Gump, Here chronicles the lives of various families across generations, all told from the perspective of the home they inhabit. The film, which also serves as a Forrest Gump reunion for Hanks and Wright, was previously reported to be using de-aging technology on its stars.

Now, Vanity Fair releases the first batch of images from Here, showing scenes from the film with Hanks and Wright at various ages. The images showcase a Christmas scene, a wedding scene, and a milestone birthday, but also include some behind-the-scenes shots of Zemeckis with Hanks and Wright on set. Check out the images below:

In addition to Hanks and Wright, the Here cast includes Kelly Reilly, Paul Bettany, Michelle Dockery, and Ophelia Lovibond.

Will Here's De-Aging Technology Be Convincing?

Why De-Aging Tom Hanks & Robin Wright Is A Risk

The first images for Here are a promising sign for the movie's de-aging visual effects, but it remains unclear whether the visuals will hold up during the actual film. So far, de-aging has struggled to be convincing in major Hollywood movies. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny used de-aging VFX in 2023, and the 20-minute sequence of a de-aged Harrison Ford was a bit of a mixed bag. While the visuals were often convincing, there were moments where they weren't, and it's these moments that can break immersion for audiences.

One big problem that could come with de-aging Hanks and Wright for Here is that, even if their faces look convincingly young, their voices and bodies might reflect the actors' real ages. This was a problem in the latest Indiana Jones movie and in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman. For the de-aged scenes of Ford and Robert De Niro in these two movies, the actors' faces were often ably youthful, but neither actor sounded or moved like they did at the ages they were supposed to be in the story.

Director George Miller recently told Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, essentially explaining that, even when the effect is done well, audiences look more at the technology than at the actor's performance. Hanks and Zemeckis have collaborated on a number of films in the past, and Forrest Gump was a major triumph in 1994, but it will certainly be a challenge for Here to overcome these hurdles. If it does, however, it could open the door for more movies to effectively use de-aging in the future.

Source: Vanity Fair