Robert Downey Jr. joins Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson in legal battle against AI

The Oscar-winning actor, 59, says he has briefed his lawyers to take immediate action over any unauthorised digital images of himself that appear on screen.

And he expects his legal team to follow his wish long after he passes, by issuing posthumous lawsuits against studio bosses if they try to resurrect him using the controversial powers of artificiaI intelligence.

Robert, who won a best supporting actor Academy Award this year for his role as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, declared: "I would like to state for the record that I fully intend to sue all future executives on spec."

When asked how he will do this when he is dead, he said: "My law firm will still be very active." Other top stars are now expected to follow Hollywood's highest-paid leading man, who can command £38.6million a movie.

He returns to the Marvel Comics universe - as arch-villain Doctor Doom - in Avengers: Doomsday, which is due for release in 2026.

Legal experts predict some celebrities are now likely to change their wills, instructing future executors of their estates to preserve their legacies by blocking any attempts to bring them back to life. Hollywood veteran Tom Hanks and Downey Jr's Avengers co-star Scarlett Johansson have successfully sued two AI companies for using their "deep fake" images in online commercials.

And Game of Thrones author George RR Martin is one of 17 writers who have launched lawsuits against tech giant Open AI for using their books and scripts to train its ChatGPT programme.