How Weta Digital brought a younger version of Dwayne Johnson to life in Central Intelligence

Summary:

In the film “Central Intelligence,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had to be de-aged and his body was changed for the character portrayal. Visual effects supervisor Martin Hill from Weta Digital shared the challenges they faced in creating the younger version of Johnson on screen. The team had to use reference footage to create a scared expression, mix between both Johnson’s and Vine star Sione’s performances, and meld Sione’s body and Johnson’s digital face to create younger Robbie Ston. Kevin Hart was also de-aged for the film, and Rodeo FX produced much of the rest of the visual effects.

How did Weta Digital create the younger version of Dwayne Johnson?
What challenges did Weta Digital face in creating the younger version of Dwayne Johnson?
Who else was de-aged for the film?
Who produced the rest of the visual effects in the film?
What other behind-the-scenes action can viewers expect from “Central Intelligence”?

Introduction:

“Central Intelligence” is an action-comedy film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart as two old high school friends who team up when one of them joins the CIA. In order to portray a younger version of himself on screen, Johnson’s body had to be changed and he had to be de-aged using special effects. In this Q&A article, we’ll explore how Weta Digital brought a younger version of Dwayne Johnson to life on screen and the challenges they faced.

Q&A:

How did Weta Digital create the younger version of Dwayne Johnson?

The team at Weta Digital used reference footage, including footage of Johnson looking scared (a rarity in his films), to bring a younger version of the action hero to life on screen. They also used face tracking animation software to accurately capture Johnson’s performance and mixed it with Vine star Sione’s performance, who provided the body for the younger version of Johnson’s character, Robbie Ston. Sione’s body and Johnson’s digital face were melded together to create a recognizable young version of Johnson.

What challenges did Weta Digital face in creating the younger version of Dwayne Johnson?

According to visual effects supervisor Martin Hill, one of the biggest challenges the team faced was finding reference footage of Johnson looking scared in his previous films. The team had to mix performances between Johnson and Sione depending on the shot, and meld Sione’s body with Johnson’s digital face. Designing the young Robbie Ston was also challenging, as they had to create a character that was recognizable as Johnson but younger than both him and Sione.

Who else was de-aged for the film?

Kevin Hart was also de-aged for a sequence in the film, with the real Kevin being used as the source for the young Calvin you see on the basketball court.

Who produced the rest of the visual effects in the film?

Rodeo FX produced much of the rest of the visual effects in the action sequences throughout the film.

What other behind-the-scenes action can viewers expect from “Central Intelligence”?

Viewers can expect a lot of behind-the-scenes action from “Central Intelligence,” including the use of reference footage, face tracking animation software, and the melding of body and digital face to create the younger version of Dwayne Johnson on screen.