2026 Will Be The Year Celebrities Lock Down Their Faces

Last year, I wrote about Cole Palmer trademarking his face to protect and commercialise his digital likeness (see comment below)

It became my most engaged post.

Because it wasn’t really about football and licensing opportunities, but how traditional IP can be used to tackle and commercialise fast paced tech.

I predicted that in 2026, we’d see a wave of celebrities taking active steps to protect their image. Responding to a global imbalance of image rights protection in the age of AI.

That moment is arriving earlier than I thought.

Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey has trademarked his image, face, and voice to prevent unauthorised AI cloning.

Including his most memeable and viral quotes:
“𝘈𝘭𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”

This is not the same as Cole Palmer’s registrations.

Palmer’s filings spanned multiple classes, opening broad licensing opportunities that incidentally capture AI likeness opportunities.

McConaughey’s move is far more deliberate.

One class only.
Class 41 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 '𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺...'

The intent is to protect and commercialise digital likeness and AI clones.

With popular AI text-to-video platforms and social apps such as Sora, Character AI to name a few, the risk is accelerating.

In 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, expect celebrities to further:

1️⃣ Own and license digital replicas
2️⃣ Protect motion marks (gestures, dances)
3️⃣ Protect iconic poses and silhouettes
4️⃣ Combine legal rights with protection software: watermarking, provenance, and traceability of digital assets.

But here’s the real question.

If identity is becoming property, should protection only belong to the famous and well-funded? Trade marks must be distinctive.

Countries like Denmark already recognise statutory image rights.

Will others follow, or just be left to the Regulators?

Will control over your own likeness become a luxury good?