How the Classic Pepper’s Ghost Illusion Is at the Center of the Technology of Celebrity Holograms

Fascinated by the sudden booming business of celebrity holograms, Wired UK spoke with two rival companies, Pulse Evolution and Hologram USA, about their respective philosophies around the virtual reincarnation of dead celebrities. While the priorities differ vastly between the two companies, both acknowledge that the classic Pepper’s Ghost Illusion, a technique first implemented in 1862, is at the root of their technology.

Whether its Tupac, Michael Jackson or some other revered artist, dead celebrities reincarnated as holograms are big business – and, for two startups looking for fame and fortune, a source of untapped millions.