Top 10 Scariest Deepfake Videos

Passing away in 1989, Spanish artist Salvador Dalí left behind an unparalleled legacy that continues to inspire. In some respects, this deepfake is a bizarre work of art worthy of Dalí. In other respects, it’s an unnerving example of how far artificial intelligence has come. Dalí reportedly once said, “If I die, I won’t completely die.” As a man with a distinctive mustache and accent emerges from the shadows, it appears Dalí’s premonition has come true. In reality, the Dalí Museum produced this video using archival footage, an actor resembling Dalí, and an AI algorithm. The seamless results are both impressive and macabre, much like one of Dalí’s paintings. In this new age of technology, nobody completely dies… but is that good or bad?

Human meme generator Nic Cage has brought the Internet no shortage of laughs, but his over-the-top expressions have also left us deeply disturbed. It’s only natural that Cage would become the subject of numerous deepfakes, taking his, uh “face off” and inserting it into various random clips. Who needs a “Friends” reunion when you can just have Cage play every role? The deepfake that gets under our skin the most, though, sees Cage adopt Amy Adams’ hair and figure. While the image of Cage’s face pasted onto Adams’ body is strange enough, it’s hearing the actress’ voice come out of his mouth that freaks us out. Complete with a performance of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” we continue to ask ourselves why the caged Nic sings.

So, this is the fake news we’ve been hearing so much about. We’re going to be honest, we love creativity, mash-ups and exploring new frontiers of pop culture, but if this hair-raising deepfake is any indication, it’s that some ideas are better left unexplored. Trump, who, of course, once owned the Miss USA pageant, is turned into, umm... a “beautiful” little girl about to have her moment in the spotlight. We’re not sure what’s creepier: seeing Trump as a spoiled little girl or how eerily similar the dialogue is to one of his press conferences. All that’s missing is toddler Trump saying, “This beauty pageant was stolen from us!”

Facebook overlord Mark Zuckerberg is a controversial figure for a variety of reasons. Among other things, many are concerned that Zuckerberg hasn’t done enough to prevent potentially damaging deepfake videos from popping up on social media. Facebook’s policies were only made more ironic by this chilling deepfake. Made using an older video, Zuckerberg’s words are manipulated to enforce our worst fear: that Facebook is mining our personal data to control our futures. The fake Zuckerberg proceeds to creep us all out in the most threatening way. Keen viewers will notice that Zuckerberg’s voice and delivery are a tad off here. For those who can’t tell the difference, though, it feels like something out of a James Bond movie come to life.

Most deepfake videos are designed to amuse, manipulate, or troll the viewer. This one functions as more of a PSA, teaching viewers that they can’t blindly believe everything they see online… no matter how convincing the product seems. That said, the more disturbing a PSA is, the more its message will likely stick with you. With Jordan Peele lending his voice, former President Barack Obama proclaims that Erik Killmonger was the true hero of “Black Panther,” reveals the whereabouts of Ben Carson, and gets frank about Donald Trump. Peele appears towards the end so the video won’t be taken the wrong way, but the lesson is still a nerve-racking one. What else would you expect from the amazing Peele?

Some deepfakes are freaky for how convincing they are. Of course, it also works the other way around. This deepfake might not fool as many people, but the bobblehead effects still make us sink into our seats in horror. Created by Collider, the deepfake finds Mark Ellis moderating a roundtable between phony versions of Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Goldblum, George Lucas, and Ewan McGregor. Throughout their fifteen-minute chat, they discuss everything from the streaming wars to “Star Wars.” As hilarious as their banter is, the unnatural imagery can make it hard to focus on anything they’re saying. There’s something about the bodies and faces that just don’t match up. We will say, however, that Josh Robert Thompson does a scary good Lucas impression.

If anyone could rival Nicolas Cage as the king of memes, it’d be Steve Buscemi. The Internet’s obsession with Steve has naturally led to several deepfakes, some creepy and others… really creepy! Have you ever wanted to watch a gender-swapped remake of “Basic Instinct” with Buscemi filling the Sharon Stone role? If that’s not harrowing enough, allow us to transport you to a parallel universe where Buscemi is Jennifer Lawrence. In real life, fresh off a Golden Globe win, Lawrence gave her thoughts on “The Real Housewives” during an interview. For whatever demented reason, somebody thought the clip needed more Buscemi... and a nightmare was born. Suddenly, “mother!” is only the second most horrifying thing in J-Law’s filmography.

If “The Shining” had come out a decade or so later, we think Jim Carrey could’ve given a truly twisted performance as Jack Torrance! All work and no play make Jim a dull boy in this series of deepfakes. These videos chill us to the core for three reasons. 1) “The Shining” was already a horror masterpiece, giving the deepfake creator a strong foundation to build upon. 2) Carrey is a perfect replacement for Jack Nicholson, as both have often achieved equal levels of pure intensity. Carrey has also impersonated Nicholson in the past, and the two even share a certain resemblance. 3) The blending of Carrey’s face with Nicholson’s body is practically flawless. If we didn’t already know these were deepfakes, we’d assume this was Kubrick’s Carrey Cut.

He may be eight, but Kevin McCallister has John Rambo’s survival skills. So, inserting Sylvester Stallone into “Home Alone” isn’t the most random idea we’ve ever heard. The results, however, are scarier than anything from “Angels with Filthy Souls.” With Joe Gaudet impersonating Stallone, Kevin wakes up to find that his family has disappeared. In addition to little Macaulay Culkin, Stallone also slips into the role of Peter McCallister, the father. Some dialogue is directly from the 1990 film, although a few “Stallone-isms” are thrown in. While the deepfake itself was already cringe-worthy, the video takes an especially grim turn when the Christmas classic becomes “Final Destination.” Leaving Kevin alone in more ways than one, this is somehow darker than all of the “Rambo” movies.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Better Call Don
Sorry, Rudy, But Trump Can Defend Himself in Court From Now On

A Joker’s Tale
Come On, Hit Me!

Ron Swanson as Wednesday Addams
All Together Ooky
Ooky rhymes with Spooky

Ron by Any Other Name
Draw Me Like One of Your Pawnee Girls, Jack

So they made another “Baby Geniuses” movie and it’s every bit as horrifying as the previous two. Okay, so only the second part of that statement is accurate. This deepfake stems from Andrew Schrock’s “Cutest Baby Montage Ever.” Where that viral video was adorable, seeing Schrock’s baby replaced with Elon Musk will forever haunt us. It’s hard to explain, but whenever the real Musk smiles, a childlike sense of wonder beams from his face. He’s like a centibillionaire kid in a candy store. But Musk’s baby face mixed with an actual baby pushes us to the fathoms of the uncanny valley we care not to visit again. The only thing that would make this deepfake even creepier is if the Musk baby started talking. Yikes!