Category: Visual Effects

Author Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan franchise could be headed for a revival, VARIETY reports.

Paramount Pictures is in negotiations with Sam Raimi to develop and direct a series of four films (produced Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Raimi's Buckaroo Entertainment partner Josh Donen) centered around the CIA analyst character.

Ryan has already been played by three actors in four mega hit movies for Paramount since 1990.

TurboSquid announced the latest 3D modeling and translation tools from nPower.

These products include several NURBS modeling titles and several translators for using 3ds Max with other CAD programs. nPower Software empowers 3D artists, designers and engineers by connecting end users with advanced technology tools. nPower's superior suite of NURBS and Boolean tools for 3ds Max and Viz provide sophisticated 3D design environments.

Digieffects has released Damage, a new set of plugins for video and film postproduction professionals.

Digieffects Damage is a collection of four effects designed for post production professionals who want to create an extensive variety of digital and/or analog defects, errors and artifacts in their footage.

It supports Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Autodesk Combustion and Boris RED.

Peter Berg will direct big screen adaptation DUNE for Paramount Pictures, VARIETY reports.

DUNE is the 1965 classic sci-fi novel by Frank Herbert that takes place on the desert planet of Arrakis. A war breaks out over the control of the spice Melange, used for distant space travel.

DUNE also was the inspiration for a 1984 David Lynch film and a 2000 Sci Fi Channel miniseries with William Hurt.

The theme of limited ecological resources is considered especially timely, and producers are looking for a scribe who will adhere to the original work.

Collin Chou, who played Seraph in the second two MATRIX films, told SCI FI WIRE he will be one of four leads in a fantasy ninja movie from Larry and Andy Wachowski, who will produce but not direct.

Chou did not confirm whether the title VARIETY reported as NINJA ASSASSIN was accurate.

Framestore CFC, who created the vfx for THE GOLDEN COMPASS (and won an Oscar doing it), is wading into film production, VARIETY reports.

The new Framestore Features is getting behind Richard Linklater's ME AND ORSON WELLES, shooting now on the Isle of Man, supernatural thriller TRIANGLE from Chris Smith and five genre movies from Generator Entertainment, an new Irish house.

Framestore will executive produce, but will also serve as technical advisor on films that normally can't afford fancy vfx.

Marvel Studios, in its first major TV deal since going independent in 2005, has pre-sold the cable rights to IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK to FX, VARIETY reports.

The deal also includes three yet-to-be determined superhero movies, none of which has debuted in theaters.

"This is a watershed deal for the company," said David Maisel, chairman of Marvel to VARIETY. "It's a real vote of confidence" in the viability of the Marvel superheros.

In response to consumer demand and requests from key theater chains at the Showest convention in Las Vegas last week, Empire Film Group has announced that it will upgrade its current production of SHADOW VISION to conform with the popular new Real D 3D theatrical format from Real D Cinema.

Recently released films in the Real D 3D format include BEOWULF and HANNAH MONTANA, both of which generated record-breaking per screen averages from 3D locations, eight times greater box office revenues than standard format theaters.

HarperCollins Children's Books announces the launch of its "Read It Before You See It" global digital campaign for C. S. Lewis' THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA series.

The massive Web presence focuses attention on the seven books in the series as a lead in to the Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media release of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN film on May 16.

Brad Bird, recent Oscar winner for Disney/Pixar's RATATOUILLE, will make his live-action feature directorial debut with the financial backing of both Warner Bros. and Disney/Pixar, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The story is about a college student investigating his father's murder who discovers corruption that will prove devastating for the city of San Francisco when the Great Earthquake and subsequent fire hit in 1906 -- the title of the movie.

Bird is rewriting the script, originally written by John Logan.

Paramount classic ROSEMARY'S BABY will likely be remade, VARIETY reports.

Horror production company Platinum Dunes (with partners Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller) is in talks with Paramount to bring the Roman Polanski original back.

The 1968 BABY was taken from an Ira Levin novel and follows a young couple (Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes) who move into a gothic New York apartment. The husband allows his wife to become impregnated by the devil in exchange for a lucrative career when he discovers their elderly neighbors are a coven of witches.