James Dean to be recreated via CGI for Vietnam War drama

Late Hollywood icon James Dean is returning from beyond the grave to star in a new Vietnam War movie.

The Rebel Without a Cause star's rising career was cut short in 1955, when he was killed in a car accident at the age of just 24. However, modern technology has enabled producers at Magic City Films to bring Dean back to life with the help of computer-generated imagery (CGI) for Finding Jack.

Dean's family has granted directors Anton Ernst and Tati Golykh the rights to use his image for the action-drama, which will be based on Gareth Crocker's novel about the real-life abandonment of thousands of military canine units at the end of the Vietnam War, according to editors at The Hollywood Reporter.

"We feel very honoured 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," Ernst said in a statement to the publication. "The family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. We do not intend to let his fans down."

It's believed visual effects will enable Dean to be resurrected onscreen with the use of old footage and photos, while another actor will be brought on board to voice his character, named Rogan.

Dean only had three official movie credits to his name before his untimely death - East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause in 1955, and Giant in 1956.

Production on Finding Jack is set to begin this month, with producers hoping to release the film on U.S. Veterans Day in 2020. No other casting details have been announced.