Iron Man deepfake replaces Downey Jr. with Tom Cruise

Once upon a time a report claimed Tom Cruise wanted to play Iron Man. What a very different Marvel Cinematic Universe that would have been. Now, thanks to Collider and the frightening deepfake video manipulation software, we can see what a Tom Cruise “I am Iron Man” line delivery would have been like.

It doesn’t quite work, does it?

Cruise’s head sits on Robert Downey Jr.’s shoulders like a bobblehead. His voice, an imitation by Evan Ferrante, comes off as less self-knowing and sarcastic, more hopeful and square-shooting.

There’ve been much smoother deepfakes in the past. A deepfake of Bill Hadertelling a story on David Letterman has him morph into the likes of Cruise and Seth Rogen. Malicious deepfakes, targeting celebrity, politician and average person alike, can frighteningly make a person appear to be doing or saying things they never did.

While research into detecting deepfakes is underway — using mice of all things — its use to stir political chaos carves a grim horizon. See this sophisticated Barack Obama deepfake from a year ago.