‘Dune’ VFX Supervisor Talks Creating Epic Sandworm Sequences

When Paramount announced the return of the original cast return for “Star Trek 4” with director Matt Shakman (“WandaVision”) at the helm a few months back, it was news to the entire cast, who were reportedly “shocked.” And in case you’re wondering if that’s changed, and they’ve been updated those cast members, the answer is no. In a conversation with IndieWire while promoting “All The Old Knives,” actor Chris Pine said he still doesn’t know what is actually happening with “Star Trek 4” and hasn’t read a script, although the studio announced everyone was back and production was to begin before the end of 2022.

EXCLUSIVE: An influx of U.S. studios and streamers heading to next week’s Mip TV should mitigate the loss of some of the bigger European distributors, according to Lucy Smith, who runs the annual market.

At the 94th Academy Awards, Dune‘s Greig Fraser landed his first Oscar for Best Cinematography, joking that he was happy his award was up early in the broadcast, so that he could “get out and get to the bar.”

It’s hard to have a better start to a year than cinematographer Greig Fraser. After starting the year with a slew of critical accolades for his work on Matt Reeves‘s “The Batman,” Fraser has now taken home the 2022 Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of “Dune.” This is the second nomination for Fraser after 2016’s “Lion” and his first victory.

Kate Middleton has been pictured channelling one of Princess Diana ’s well-known traits while visiting children in the Bahamas. Diana was known as the ‘the people’s princess’ – a title she earned in the wake of all of her humanitarian work before her passing in 1997.The late princess often spent time with children, and was known to bend down to their level to converse with them, so the youngsters weren’t having to crane their necks to chat to her. Following in her mother-in-law’s footsteps, Kate – who often takes style notes from Diana – was seen chatting to children on the last leg of her and Prince William’s Caribbean tour yesterday, Saturday 26 March.

The “Obi-Wan Kenobi” limited series on Disney+ is two months away, and it’s a big draw for many “Star Wars” fans hoping for the return of Ewan McGregor’s Kenobi and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. While some of been critical of Vader’s inclusion and the new face-off that is coming between former master and pupil—there are many lines in ‘A New Hope’ that always indicated they had never seen each other since ‘Revenge of The Sith’ and that this new face-off undercuts that film—one way that seems to make it all work is the live-action introduction of the Inquisitors.

WarnerMedia EMEA & Asia President Priya Dogra has talked up the U.S. media giant’s plan to “ramp up investment in local creative communities across Europe,” with 40 shows in the pipeline for 2023.

Paramount International boss Raffaele Annecchino has talked up the streamer for “launching quicker than others” in key European markets, as he unveiled a tied-up with global Lupin and Narcos production house Gaumont and set titles from France, Argentina and Germany.

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we’ll shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re speaking to esteemed UK TV executive Jane Tranter, co-founder of Bad Wolf. The company is behind hits such as His Dark Materials and A Discovery Of Witches and recently sold a majority stake to Sony Pictures Television. In her first interview since the deal, we take a deep dive into Tranter’s career and Bad Wolf’s ambitions for the future. 

In today’s episode of Bingeworthy, our revitalized TV and streaming podcast, co-hosts Mike DeAngelo and Rodrigo Perez dig into Paramount+’s long-gestating sci-fi epic, “Halo.” Based on the video game franchise of the same name, the show takes place in the 26th century amidst a war between humanity and an alien race called The Covenant. At the center of the story is Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), a genetically enhanced super-soldier who uncovers an artifact that changes the course of his life, and potentially all life as he knows it (read our review here).

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent“Game of Thrones” producer Frank Doelger, after executive producing “The Swarm” through his Berlin-based Intaglio Films, now has two new high-end shows for the international pipeline in the pipeline: “Concordia” and “Doing Good.”During a panel at the Series Mania TV festival Doelger described “Concordia” as “a series about a 21st century community which uses cutting edge AI technology to see if it can create a fairer, safer, society.” Twenty years after this community has been a huge success, “countries around the world are approaching the founders of this social engineering experiment to found similar communities in their countries,” he added.And, “as they research the twenty-year history of this community, they discover that this instance of utopia has provided safe homes for immigrants and thousands of refugees seeking a better life. But they also discover the dark secret that led to its founding.” Doelger — whose Intaglio is a joint venture between German outfits Beta Cinema and ZDF Enterprises — said  “Concordia” will start shooting in September.

Tim Gray Senior Vice PresidentWith “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve confirms that he is a visionary director. Adapted from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, “Dune” is set in the year 10191 and Villeneuve salutes his artisans who helped him create the look and sound of the film, which covers multiple interplanetary cultures and locations. Patrice Vermette, production design Patrice preps a lot.

It’s the middle of Oscar voting, “CODA’s” win at the PGA Awards has everyone buzzing and we’re exactly one week away from the big show. Sunday, March 20 features the last day of guild honors.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThe American Society of Cinematographers handed out its top prize in feature film visual storytelling to “Dune.” Last year’s winner, Erik Messerschmidt for “Mank,” presented the feature film prize to Greig Fraser.The 36th Annual ASC Awards ceremony returned to a limited in-person component at the the ASC Clubhouse in Hollywood. Debbie Allen served as the night’s host.Other winners included “Pig,” which won the spotlight award ,and James Laxton, who took home the motion picture, limited series, or pilot made for television award for “The Underground Railroad.”Rachel Morrison, Stephen Hopkins and Jay Holben were among the cinematographers who presented the honoree awards.

**WINNER.Feature FilmBruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC for “The Tragedy of Macbeth”** WINNER Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS for “Dune”Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF for “Nightmare Alley”Ari Wegner, ACS for “The Power of the Dog”Haris Zambarloukos, BSC, GSC for “Belfast”SpotlightRuben Impens, SBC for “Titane”** WINNER Pat Scola for “Pig”Adolpho Veloso, ABC for “Jockey”Documentary** WINNER Jessica Beshir for “Faya Dayi”Isabel Bethencourt and Parker Hill for “Cusp”Daniel Schönauer for “The Hidden Life of Trees”Motion Picture, Limited Series, or Pilot Made for TelevisionSteve Annis for “Foundation” – Pilot Episode: “The Emperor’s Peace”Tim Ives, ASC for “Halston” – Episode: “The Party’s Over”** WINNER James Laxton, ASC for “The Underground Railroad” – Episode: “Chapter 9: Indiana Winter”Christophe Nuyens, SBC for “Lupin” – Pilot Episode: “Chapter 1”Ben Richardson, ASC for “Mare of Easttown” – Episode: “Illusions”Episode of a One-Hour Television Series – Non-CommercialStuart Biddlecombe for “The Handmaid’s Tale” – Episode: “The Wilderness”David Garbett for “Sweet Tooth” – Episode: Big ManDavid Greene, ASC, CSC for “Chapelwaite” – Episode: “The Promised”** WINNER Jon Joffin, ASC for “Titans” – Episode: “Souls”Boris Mojsovski, ASC, CSC for “Titans” – Episode:“Home”Kate Reid, BSC for “The Nevers” – Episode: “Hanged”Episode of a One-Hour Television Series – CommercialThomas Burstyn, CSC, NZSC for “Snowpiercer” – Episode: “Our Answer for Everything”** WINNER Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, ASC for “Snowfall” – Episode: “Weight”Ronald Paul Richard for “Riverdale” – Episode: “Chapter Eighty-Nine: Reservoir Dogs”Brendan Steacy, CSC for “Clarice” – Episode: “Silence is Purgatory”David Stockton, ASC for “Mayans M.C.” – Episode: “The Orneriness of Kings”Gavin Struthers,

Tim Gray Senior Vice PresidentDenis Villeneuve, the director, co-writer and a producer of WB/Legendary’s “Dune,” talked with Variety about the four creative stages of filming — scriptwriting, preproduction, production and post — as they related to his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. The film has been Oscar-nominated in each of those four stages, with 10 well-earned bids.“I’m very proud of my team.

Zack Sharf Denis Villeneuve is planning to go even bigger in “Dune: Part 2” than he did in the 2021 first installment. Speaking to Collider, the director confirmed that the screenplay for his anticipated “Dune” sequel is “mostly” finished. Villeneuve and cinematographer Greig Fraser shot several sequences in “Dune” using IMAX cameras, and they will do so again in “Dune: Part 2” to a hopefully even larger degree.“Greig Fraser and I, we fell in love with this format, and definitely there will be — even probably more — IMAX footage in this movie.

as the British Academy Film Awards returned Sunday with a live, black-tie ceremony after a pandemic-curtailed event in 2021.Jane Campion was named best director for “The Power of the Dog,” only the third woman to win the prize in the awards’ 75-year history.Lead acting trophies went to Hollywood star Will Smith and British performer Joanna Scanlan, as an event that has worked to overcome a historic lack of diversity recognized a wide range of talents — including the first deaf acting winner in Troy Kotsur for “CODA.”Last year’s awards ceremony was largely conducted online, with only the hosts and presenters appearing in person.