Recieved word recently that Disney is seeking to diversify its ability to produce movies and shorts in the event that the pandemic continues into the future, or in the event that such a crisis should ever occur again. According to sources, Disney is seeking to push forward with the same technology used to create movies such as The Lion King 2019 and The Jungle Book 2016, as well as human facial CGI seen in Rogue One, to begin work on an unnamed film that would be fully computer animated but presented as a live action film featuring human characters. The goal is to test the waters of creating computer animated films indistinguishable from live action, thus bypassing the need for actors (and actor salaries), as well as the need for proximity. According to one source, the unnamed film is a movie about young Indiana Jones, though no other person has been able to corroborate the subject matter.
Specific to Walt Disney World, the interesting information is that due to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 film shooting being significantly delayed, the company is interested in using Cosmic Rewind as a proof of concept if they are unable to get the coaster film work completed by the actors in person on time. Given that the Young Indy film (if the one source is accurate) could be 3-5 years out, this provides perfect timing for Disney to test audiences' reaction to the technology they've developed within an attraction. Decisions should be made within the next 2 months as to whether or not you'll be seeing a virtual, yet indistinguishable from real, Chris Pratt when you hop on the coaster.
Feige has likewise expressed interest in potentially moving forward with an offshoot Marvel series using the virtual live action system. Meanwhile, Lucasfilm inked a deal with Mark Hammill without much fanfare within the past 18 months which permits them to produce films featuring a CGI Luke Skywalker. I'm told that within that contract, Disney also is given the ability to use CGI faux reality Luke in future adaptations of Galaxy's Edge. Unfortunately, due to the abysmal financial situation, the latter may not come to fruition anytime soon.
Both in the parks and in theaters, it is likely going forward that Disney will use the pandemic to slowly begin moving towards computer animation as a substitute for human actors. Of course this doesn't mean that Disney will immediately stop traditional live film, just that they have the capability for the first time in history (they believe), and they're now prepared to move forward with it to some degree... if only because they never want to be in their current stalled position ever again.
