NEW YORK (AP) -- The idea of raising Laurence Olivier from the dead for "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" started with producer Jon Avnet.

"I'm kind of bored with these living villains," Avnet told The Associated Press by phone Tuesday. "They have a pulse, but they're dead."

Old footage of Olivier, who died in 1989, was used to create Dr. Totenkopf, an evil scientist who plans to destroy the world. The role is small and fragmented, comparable to the wizard in "The Wizard of Oz."

The filmmakers acquired nondescript documentary footage from the actor's estate. Director Kerry Conran then manipulated the images into 3D to create a figure they could move and mouth the scripted lines. Soon Conran and Avnet were busy trying to find a voice that sounded like the British actor.

Using old footage of deceased actors isn't new. In recent years, commercials have shown Fred Astaire dancing with a vacuum cleaner and John Wayne in a beer ad. The sight of these actors in commercials not of their choosing has made some wonder about the fairness of the practice.

Olivier's "Sky Captain" performance is new and entirely created by moviemakers, rather than inserted into the movie, but there are similarities.

"At the time we did this with such affection," Conran told the AP Wednesday. "These are actors here, and we're not doing anything to damage or change this person's legacy."

He added: "But I do think it certainly raises certain ethical questions. Ultimately, it's in the hands of the people with the rights, the estates."

The affection for Olivier seems credible. In the background of a scene in "Sky Captain," a theater's marquee is clearly visible, reading the title to one of Olivier's most loved films: "Wuthering Heights."