Dead for 64 years, Actor James Dean is going to be re-created by VFX (visual effects) as the star of "Finding Jack" a post-Vietnam War story about the abandonment of canine units as "surplus military equipment," USA Today reported.
"We searched high and low for the perfect character to portray the role of Rogan, which has some extreme complex character arcs, and after months of research, we decided on James Dean," producer Anton Ernst wrote in a statement to USA Today. "We feel very honored that his family supports us and will take every precaution to ensure that his legacy as one of the most epic film stars to date is kept firmly intact.
"The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. We do not intend to let his fans down."
Dean was an iconic actor who was killed in a 1955 car accident at the age of 24, having just "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955), "East of Eden" (1955), and "Giant" (released in 1956 after his death) to his big-screen film credits, per IMDB.
The casting of a dead actor with visual effects has received criticism on social media.
"'We couldn't find a non-dead actor for the role of a white guy in a Vietnam war movie' is truly an amazing take," feminist writer Andi Zeisler tweeted.
"Finding Jack" is a true story of abandoned military dogs after the Vietnam War, featuring a soldier who refuses to leave his best friend.
"Following a tragic accident, Fletcher Carson joins the flagging war effort in Vietnam," Ernst's summary reads on IMDB.com. "Lost and lonely, he plans to die in the war. But after stumbling upon a critically injured Lab, Fletcher unexpectedly begins to regain his will to live. When the war ends, Fletcher is forced to abandon his dog.
"But how do you leave your best friend behind? So together they embark on an adventure against all odds to fight for survival."
Release of the movie is planned for Veterans Day 2020, according to the report.
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