Cinesite Wins the VFX Contract for Dawn Treader

Cinesite – a special effects company based in London – has just announced that they have won the primary special effects contract for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Here is the press release:

October 02 2009 – Cinesite today confirmed that we have won a large contract for visual effects on the latest installment in the highly successful Chronicles of Narnia series, The Voyage of The Dawn Treader.

This news follows other recent major announcements, including a large award of work for Fox’s Marmaduke, and winning an Emmy award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for HBO’s highly acclaimed mini-series Generation Kill two weeks ago.

More announcements about new production awards are likely to be made over the coming two weeks. Cinesite is currently undertaking a major international recruitment drive, and is refurbishing key areas of our Soho-based Sheraton Street facility to accommodate the influx of new, exciting projects.

Dawn Treader, Directed by Michael Apted, follows the continuing adventures of Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, as they return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace. They meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

The production is currently filming on the Gold Coast of Australia. Angus Bickerton is Visual Effects Supervisor (Angels & Demons, Inkheart, The Da Vinci Code, Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy) and Barrie Hemsley is Visual Effects Producer (Angels & Demons, 10,000 BC, 1408). Cinesite’s Matt Kasmir and Jensen Toms are supervising the 2D and 3D aspects of our work (both have recently worked on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time).

The Voyage of The Dawn Treader is scheduled for release in late 2010.

Up until now, we haven’t heard anything official about which special effects companies were working on Dawn Treader. While we believe Framestore and Moving Picture Company (both worked on Prince Caspian) did some work on VDT at some point, it’s nice to have some official news on a special effects company.

Cinesite is also currently working on Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2, Naked Beauty, Clash Of The Titans, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Marmaduke, Leap Year and The Prisoner.

Cinesite’s website can be found here.

171 Responses

  1. Somebody says:

    Sweet.

  2. Lucille Brown says:

    This is really cool! This is encouraging.

  3. GlimGlum says:

    Well, somebody has go to do those special effects thingamajigs. Looking forward to a job well done. 🙂

  4. Fire Fairy says:

    It's funny when you can tell someone doesn't pay much attention to the books…the Pevensies meet up with KING Caspian, not Prince Caspian. 😉 Oh, well, not everybody's a Narnia nut like we all are.

    But, yeah, I've never heard of Cinesite, so let's keep our fingers cross and hope they make this movie's special effects into masterpieces (especially Dragon Eustace. I can't WAIT to see what they do with that. And the sea serpent).

  5. Shy Galadriel says:

    "a band of lost warriors"???? What?

  6. 7chronicles says:

    Hope they do a good job!

  7. Narnia Lover says:

    Cool! 😀 SAIL ON VDT!!!

  8. JadistarkilleR says:

    cool! they worked on The Dark Knight, plus the HP films. i'm confident 🙂

  9. Christian says:

    Probably the Narnian Lords, Shy Galadriel. <_<

  10. NarniaRox says:

    I hope they dont ruin the movie with tooo many special FX
    XD

  11. NarniaRox says:

    wait a minute…i thought they were doing all seven movies at WETA…?

  12. mm1991 says:

    I'm glad, they have a good rep!

  13. On-Fire4God says:

    OOO!

  14. Narniamiss says:

    Good deal. Glad to hear someone with that much stuff under their belts are doing this.

  15. narniaismylife says:

    i know, did you see how many awards they won!!

  16. narnian1 says:

    Indeed,
    I am confident as well. 🙂

  17. Mirima Rosetrader says:

    What happened with WETA? Not that I doubt Cinesite's abilities, but what happened with WETA? I hope Cinesite does a good job with Narnia. I don't think I have seen any of the movies they've done. I hope they do their job well. Sail on VDT!

  18. NarnianHarpist says:

    I know. While I am relieved that Cinesite is a quality, big-league special effects company, I still prefer WETA.

  19. Lucy&Reepicheep says:

    Yeah I agree WETA was really good. They(The crew of VDT) keep on hanging things like director, composer, and now this.

  20. Lucy&Reepicheep says:

    changing sorry

  21. narnia365 says:

    Wow, the irony. They also did The Golden Compass…

  22. Sammie says:

    I thought the article said that Cinesite won A contract, not THE contract. From descriptions in the commentaries, it seemed tptb had multiple groups all around the world working on the effects for both "LWW" and "PC" – often two or three in one scene.

  23. narnian resident says:

    wow! cool! i bet they deserve it! with all three movies together, the special effects are AMAZING!!

  24. Peepiceeka says:

    Ooooh…an Emmy award winner! This great news!

  25. aslanschild says:

    oh thats cool! those movies have really cool special effects. they'll probebly da a great job!

  26. narniaismylife says:

    of course they will do a great job!!! I have NO doubts!!!

  27. narniaismylife says:

    this is very good news!!!!!!!!!

  28. Crimson Dragon says:

    Yeah, they just say "warriors" cause it sounds cooler. No one really would want to see a movie about finding lost politicians, would they? 😀
    I'm just glad the synopsis here makes no mention of the Unfathomable Fate.

  29. Crimson Dragon says:

    I don't think WETA did the VFX for the others… they just did the armor and weapons and some set designs, unless I'm mistaken. However, they aren't even doing that this time around, because of scheduling conflicts, so yes, no WETA in VDT. Still, I love all the armor we've seen so far, so I'm not worried (even though I love WETA).

  30. narniafan4ever says:

    haha! Your comment made me laugh, Crimson Dragon. Are you hinting the fact that some people are getting sick of politicians? lol 😀

  31. LucyReepicheep♥(used to be celtic13 and Narnian Jesus Freak) says:

    'They meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader.'
    Not to sound overly critical, but it's KING Caspian now. 🙂
    Anyway, sounds great! I can't wait for VDT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    (and I better not leave the theatre dissapointed like PC)

  32. aravistarkheena says:

    Congrats! Just do a good-wait, scratch that-great…no, that won't work either… TOTALLY AMAZING AND FANTASTIC job. Good luck!:)

  33. Mark Friedrich says:

    me too.

  34. pselpevensie says:

    this is pretty cool.

  35. Princess Arya says:

    Is Vodt going to be in 3D?

  36. Aslan=Jesus says:

    Does anyone know anything about this "Unfathonable Fate" thing?

  37. JadistarkilleR says:

    yes they did. and regardless of how Golden Compass fared in the box office, that film had some kickass VFX. 🙂

  38. Mark Friedrich says:

    I was wondering about that to?

  39. Fire Fairy says:

    WETA doesn't do the special effects. They're in charge of the armor and props and sets and stuff.

  40. Fire Fairy says:

    What??? No WETA??? That's sad! So who's doing the props and armor and stuff this time?

  41. Fire Fairy says:

    Language, please! Some of us like narniaweb because it's clean…please keep it that way!

  42. Fire Fairy says:

    You're not the only one…that was my first thought as well!

  43. Fire Fairy says:

    There's been rumors, but I haven't seen anything official on that. I'll be fine with it if they don't throw in any cheap 3D tricks (like they did in Journey to the Center of the Earth, although that was a great movie). That would completely ruin VDT altogether.

  44. At first I thought you were talking about the comments cause I was scanning through them, but I pay attention to the books I just hadn't read them in a while.^^

  45. Not that I'm not exited about this, but I have no Idea what you are talking about (mainly because I didn't want to read it) and who is VFX?

  46. tenthofthatname says:

    Hah I say the same thing anytime someone talks about VDT and calls him Prince Caspian!

  47. Hannah the Manticore says:

    Does that annoy you, too? It does me. 😉 Can't wait to see what kind of amazing stuff they come up with for this one!

  48. Hannah the Manticore says:

    Just Googled Weta Workshop! They do physical production and conceptual design, not special effects. And they have the masks from Prince Caspian right on their home page!!!! (/gushing)

  49. NarniaRox says:

    VFX is an abbreiviation for Visual Effects!!

  50. Mark Friedrich says:

    I would disagree, I think having VOD in 3D is a great idea.

  51. kate Achey says:

    lucy pevensie is cool

  52. que padre esta esto pero que lastima que yo tengo que aguantar hasta el 2010 mmmmm que lastima jajajaja

  53. Lucy&Reepicheep says:

    Your right having VDT in 3D is just wrong it goes against Narnia

  54. Roguewolf says:

    I wouldn't call the Narnian Lords "warriors", but that might be just me. And I have no idea what this "unfathomable fate" thing is? Odd.

  55. Mark Friedrich says:

    I here is why I would disagree with you, I think having having VOD in 3D is a great I diea because It would make you feel like your right in the adventure. And besides I think 3D movies are cool.

  56. Mark Friedrich says:

    And besides I don't think It would discourage and dishoner the movie at all.

  57. Matthias of Redwall says:

    yeah…I was hoping that Weta would do the special effects,since they did so well with the lord of the rings movies and various other projects they have worked on, but o well.

  58. Mark Friedrich says:

    Could you try yo translate that?

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