As The Walt Disney Company prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday, fans have been left divided after watching some wise words from the man who started it all.
Yes, despite passing away in 1966, Walt Disney has made a virtual comeback as a hyperrealistic hologram as part of the Disney100: The Exhibition in Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute.
As reported by HuffPost, the new exhibition allows guests to tour 10 immersive galleries that proudly display some of Disney's greatest "crown jewels". These including iconic movie costumes, treasured theme park artifacts, original animation cells, and props used by some of Disney's most iconic stars.
And earlier this week, the official Disney23 Twitter page shared footage from the showcase, teasing what fans can expect as they first enter the exhibition.
Check out the video below:Guests will first be greeted by Mickey Mouse in his 'Sorcerer’s Apprentice' outfit from Fantasia (1940), before throwing things over to "his pal, Walt".
The video then pans to a hologram of Walt Disney appearing via one of Mickey's magic spells, as he then addresses the audience. In the clip, he says:
"There's a lot of satisfaction in developing ideas into reality. When we consider a new project, we really study it. Not just the surface of idea but everything about it. And when we go into that new project, we believe in it all the way. We have confidence in our ability to do it right, and we work hard to do the best possible job.
"There's really no secret about our approach. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors, doing new things, because we’re curious. And curiosity keeps us leading down new paths - we’re always exploring and experimenting."
Per The New York Times, the incredible visual was created by integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools with archival video footage of Walt when he was alive.
However, despite Disney always striving to push the envelope on what is possible, this particular demonstration left fans divided.
There were, of course, those who loved seeing Walt "brought to life" in front of their very eyes, with one person tweeting: "Very nice [to] see Walt again, as a kid on the ranch we all grew up with him. Have to get out there to see him face to face again. Welcome back."
A second added: "Downright beautiful. Happy 100th anniversary Disney!"
But others disagreed, with one person replying: "I think I'm creeped out. I'm not sure why, but this makes me uncomfortable."
Another tweeted: "I genuinely cannot put into words how terrible this is".
And another wrote: "Tasteless and especially absurd when it's obvious he'd fire virtually the entire company if he was still alive."
One person would even describe the hologram as "dystopian".
Walt Disney was known for breaking down technological barriers and creating what many believed was "impossible" - whether it was the first feature-length animated movie with Snow White or his audio-animatronic figures throughout his exhibits and theme parks.
So, is this a fitting tribute to the entertainment pioneer or a step too far? Let us know your thoughts.
