There’s something to be said for movie sequels, where audiences have a familiarity with the characters and backstories. For film studios, sequels, prequels, and retellings are typically less risky, since there is already an established fan base. For production studios, sometimes this means assets that can be reused as is or with updates or modifications based on the new story – enabling them to concentrate on other aspects of the visuals. And sometimes, it means starting from scratch.
This summer, several powerful but familiar VFX properties are making their way into theaters. Planet of the Apes is back for the third installment in the more recently rebooted series.
The Mummy also returns with a reboot, this time with Tom Cruise assuming the lead role.
Transformers is transfixing audiences again with the fifth installment of the series, and
Spider-Man is making another swing, his sixth appearance since the turn of the century in a film bearing his name.
While these properties are easily recognizable, they are by no means stale. The stories are fresh, and the visuals keep getting better and better.
Evolutionary Steps
Weta Digital ups the VFX ante in War for the Planet of the Apes
Unwrapping the Mummy
VFX studios help breathe life into the undead
Robot Wars
The battle of the bots continues in Transformers: The Last Knight
Role of a Lifetime
A young Spider-Man evolves into a webmaster in Spider-Man: Homecoming