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Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’ (Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024)

Wicked and Conclave lead the list of the 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards, earning 11 nominations each, followed by Dune: Part Two and Emilia Pérez with 10. The top four nominated films will go head-to-head in the Best Picture and Best Director categories.

The Brutalist picked up nine nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Adrien Brody), and Best Supporting Actor (Guy Pearce). Anora and The Substance received seven nominations, with Sing Sing and Nickel Boys scoring five nominations. Nosferatu, Challengers, and Gladiator II earned four nominations, and A Complete Unknown and A Real Pain collected three nominations each.

Winners will be announced during the Critics Choice Awards gala airing live on E! on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 7pm Et/Pt.

Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’ (Photo by Giles Keyte...

Edward Berger’s Conclave and Jon M. Chu’s Wicked lead the nominations for the 30th Critics Choice Awards with 11 each.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Both features are nominated in best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay. Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rosellini pick up acting nods in best actor and supporting actress while Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are nominated in best and supporting actress, respectively.

Following closely behind is Dune: Part Two and Emilia Perez which scored 10 nominations each. All four films compete in best picture against A Complete Unknown, Anora, The Brutalist,Nickel Boys, Sing Sing and The Substance.

The nominations are not unlike...

Conclave and Wicked lead the 30th Critics Choice Awards film nominations, with 11 nominations each, the Critics Choice Association announced today.

Dune: Part Two and Emilia Pérez follow closely behind with 10 nominations apiece, including Best Picture nominations for both films. Rounding out the Best Picture category are A Complete Unknown, Anora, The Brutalist, Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, and The Substance.

Conclave was nominated for Best Picture and Best Acting Ensemble, with Ralph Fiennes recognized in the Best Actor category and Isabella Rossellini up for Best Supporting Actress. Edward Berger was nominated for Best Director, while Peter Straughan earned a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and Stéphane Fontaine nominated for Best Cinematography. Rounding out the nominations for Conclave were Suzie Davies for Best Production Design, Nick Emerson for Best Editing, Lisy Christl for Best Costume Design, and Volker Bertelmann for Best Score.

In addition to Best Picture, Wicked’s 11 nominations include Best Acting Ensemble,...

The film nominations for the 2025 Critics Choice Awards have been unveiled!

The awards show celebrates both TV shows and movies, with the TV nominations having been announced last week. So, we now have the full list of nominees!

Wicked and Conclave are the top 2 nominated films this year, both garnering 11 nominations.

The 2025 Critics Choice Awards will air on January 12, 2025. Chelsea Handler will return as the host.

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down to see all the movie nominations this year…

Movie Nominations:

Best Picture

A Complete Unknown

Anora

The Brutalist

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

The Substance

Wicked

Best Actor

Adrien Brody – The Brutalist

Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown

Daniel Craig – Queer

Colman Domingo – Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes – Conclave

Hugh Grant – Heretic

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo – Wicked

Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez

Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths

Angelina Jolie – Maria

Mikey Madison – Anora

Demi Moore...

The Critics Choice Association has revealed the film nominees for the 2025 Critics Choice Awards.

Conclave and Wicked lead this year’s nominees with 11 nods each, including for the top prize of best picture.

The Critics Choice Association last week announced nominations in its TV categories, with Shogun scoring a leading six nods.

The winners across film and TV categories will be revealed during the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards, hosted by Chelsea Handler, which is set to take place on Jan. 12 at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar and will air live on E! from 7-10 p.m. Et/Pt, with the show moving to the NBCUniversal cable network from its previous home of The CW.

A complete list of this year’s film nominees follows.

Best Picture

A Complete Unknown

Anora

The Brutalist

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

The Substance

Wicked

Best Actor

Adrien Brody...

Nominations voting is from January 8-12, 2025, with official Oscar nominations announced January 17, 2025. Final voting is February 11-18, 2025. And finally, the 97th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 2 and air live on ABC at 7 p.m. Et/ 4 p.m. Pt. We update our picks through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2025 Oscar predictions.

The State of the Race

The Best Visual Effects Oscar race has turned into a potential Wētā FX simian battle between “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Studios) and “Better Man” (Paramount), the Robbie Williams musical biopic, in which the British pop star is portrayed as a CG chimp. However, the fall will bring both “Gladiator II” (Paramount) and “Wicked” (Universal), among others. And don’t forget “Dune: Part 2” (Warner Bros.), which is also a major contender.

Wes Ball’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” kicks off...

As we officially hit summer, Denis Villeneuve's 2024 sequel "Dune: Part Two" remains one of the best films of 2024. The way Villeneuve managed to translate Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel to the big screen was nothing short of extraordinary, and as anyone who has seen it will tell you, a big part of the reason for the movie's success is because of the truly gigantic sense of scope the filmmaking team was able to bring to the story. In a cinematic landscape where some high-profile blockbuster movies and TV shows are being shot on green screens or in The Volume, the "Dune" films' reliance on using as many practical effects as possible in camera is actually palpable, as opposed to merely a publicity talking point.

In "The Art and Soul of Dune: Part Two," producer Tanya Lapointe and co-writer Stefanie Broos take readers behind the scenes of the film's...

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"Dune: Part Two" may have been a bit of a bleak blockbuster, but compared to its predecessor, 2021's "Dune," it's positively refulgent. While the first movie spent a lot of time on exposition and establishing the rules of Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Part Two" signals that it's a much more action-packed and visually diverse affair right from the off.

As the film opens, we join a team of Harkonnen hunters on the barren plains of the planet Arrakis. The group are hunting Fremen, the native inhabitants of the desert planet who have recently been joined by Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica. After we witness the villainous cohort evade a potential sandworm attack by way of their anti-gravity packs — a peak sci-fi moment for cinematographer Greig Fraser — they suddenly come...

Now that "Dune: Part Two" has arrived and passed multiple box office milestones, director Denis Villeneuve can claim to have done the impossible and successfully adapted Frank Herbert's "unfilmable" 1965 novel. 2021's "Dune" and the sequel's critical and commercial triumphs are well-earned, too, with Villeneuve and his team delivering a truly epic sci-fi two-parter that immerses viewers in a world that feels at once alien and believably real.

The Oscar-winning effects in "Dune" and its sequel create an impressive sense of scale, but they're also remarkable for achieving such a feat without making the films feel akin to the blockbuster CGI-fests we're used to in the modern age. Villeneuve, cinematographer Greig Fraser, and production designer Patrice Vermette managed to craft a world that feels visceral and convincing throughout, despite the heavy use of visual effects. Of course, filming on location in the deserts of Jordan and Abu Dhabi helped a lot in that regard,...

This post contains spoilers for Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" films.

When the Atreides first arrive in Arrakis in "Dune: Part One," we get our first glimpse of the mystical sandworms from the aerial perspective of a roving ornithopter. Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) notices the steady advent of the creature beneath the sand, the disturbance caused by its hidden scale leading up to an awe-inspiring scene: a gigantic, bottomless mouth swallowing one of the spice harvesting machines. As the Atreides do not know much about the Fremen and their relationship with Shai Hulud at this point, this first introduction feels even more intriguing, with a decided air of danger encircling the mysterious worm-like creatures.

Denis Villeneuve maintains the mystique surrounding the sandworms in "Part One" with the aid of a simple, yet effective strategy, where small glimpses of the creatures are peppered throughout to build up to the stunning reveal when...

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two has garnered widespread acclaim for its seamless integration of narrative, stellar performances, and visually captivating imagery, all presented on a grand scale. The film follows Paul Atreides’ quest to wage war against House Harkonnen as he unites with the Fremen people of Arrakis, the planet at the center of the story.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Filmmaker Villeneuve ingeniously brought the desolate landscapes of Arrakis to life by filming in various locations, including the deserts of Jordan for both installments of the saga. And the filming location itself contributes to the awe-inspiring authenticity of the stunning solar eclipse featured in the opening sequence of the sequel, enhancing the impact of this cinematic masterpiece even more.

Dune: Part Two Cast And Crew Witnessed a Partial Solar Eclipse in Jordan

Dune: Part Two opens up with the Fremen along with Paul and Lady Jessica observing from a sandbank...

Fans who are eager to experience—or re-experience—Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Dune: Part Two in IMAX will have even further opportunities to view the film in theaters as the critically acclaimed blockbuster extends its run in the format’s top 20 markets across North America. Beginning Friday, April 19, fans will have two additional weeks to see the film in IMAX.

This includes 70Mm IMAX in two locales: Los Angeles’s Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk and New York City’s AMC Lincoln Square 13. The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures.

“The incredible response to this film has proven that Denis Villeneuve has crafted an unmissable cinematic experience for audiences, whether they are fans of the first film or discovering this world for the first time through ‘Dune: Part Two,'” said Goldstein.

“The fans have spoken, and we, along with...

The next chapter in the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), following the murder of his father Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) in “Dune,” is to join the Fremen tribe’s fight for survival on the remote desert planet Arrakis. In “Dune: Part Two,” Paul must learn the ways of the Fremen, who make their harsh windswept environment their home by using it as their camouflage, weapon, and, yes, transportation system.

For director Denis Villeneuve, growing up reading author Frank Herbert’s description of the Fremen riding sandworms was the coolest thing he could imagine, but when it came to adapting these scenes to the big screen, the director realized just how much of his imagination would be required to fill in the holes of Herbert’s description.

“I had to imagine how a human being could jump on a worm, because it’s very evasive in the book,” Villeneuve told IndieWire’s Toolkit podcast.

Dune: Part Two Pre-Sales To Start Soon; Here’s All You Need To Know About It (Photo Credit – IMDb)

Dune: Part Two makers shared yet another exclusive poster of the upcoming film ahead of the film’s release. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and adapted from Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel. After a long wait of about three years, Timothee Chalamet is returning as Paul Atreides, along with others.

The sci-fi film’s first installment was released in 2021 and made a whopping $402.02 million at the worldwide box office. Timothee, along with Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and others, make up the movie’s ensemble cast and will be back in the sequel. Scroll below to learn everything about the film.

On 24th January, IGN revealed the exclusive poster of Dune: Part Two featuring its entire star cast and an epic battle surrounded by a sand storm. The advance bookings...

Warner Bros Pictures’ new Dune: Part Two trailer begins with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) experiencing yet another terrifying nightmare. In this nightmare, Paul sees explosions and massive fights – but it’s all just fragments. The full story hasn’t been made clear to him yet.

In addition to Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Dune: Part Two stars Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, Oscar winner Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Dave Bautista as “Beast” Rabban Harkonnen, Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat. Joining the cast are Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis) as the notorious Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Christopher Walken (Severence) as the Emperor. Florence Pugh is Princess Irulan, Léa Seydoux is Lady Margot Fenring, and Souheila Yacoub plays Shishakli.

TIMOTHÉE Chalamet as...

The hotly anticipated sequel Dune: Part Two is coming to theaters on March 1, 2024, and Warner Bros. has unleashed Official Trailer 3 this afternoon. Check it out below.

Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin will return for Dune: Part Two, which is once again directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune).

Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Walken also star in Dune: Part Two, making for one hell of an ensemble cast.

Released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in 2021, Dune opened to $41 million domestically, ending its run with $108 million domestically and $400 million worldwide.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent...

The hotly anticipated sequel Dune: Part Two had been scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 3, 2023, but Warner Bros. has announced that the date has changed.

Amid much speculation about whether or not Dune: Part Two would remain in 2023, we’ve learned this week that the sequel will now arrive in theaters on March 15, 2024.

Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin will return for Dune: Part Two, which is once again directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune).

Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Walken also star in Dune: Part Two, making for one hell of an ensemble cast.

Released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in 2021, Dune opened to $41 million domestically, ending its run with $108 million domestically and $400 million worldwide.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding,...

“I am Paul Muad’dib Atreides! Duke Of Arrakis! Long Live The Fighters!”

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a thrilling new trailer for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.

“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

The film is slated for a November 3, 2023 worldwide release from Warner Bros. Pictures.

The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on Dune: Part Two, the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.

Long live the fighters. The hotly anticipated sequel Dune: Part Two will arrive in theaters on November 3, 2023, and the second official trailer has been released this afternoon.

Ride a sandworm and taste the spice by watching the Dune: Part Two trailer below.

Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin will return for Dune: Part Two, which is once again directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune).

Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Walken also star in Dune: Part Two, making for one hell of an ensemble cast.

Released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in 2021, Dune opened to $41 million domestically, ending its run with $108 million domestically and $400 million worldwide.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous...

The first trailer for Dune: Part Two has landed.

The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast.

The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.” The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, Oscar nominee Austin Butler, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Oscar winner Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), with Stellan Skarsgård, with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem.

“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani...

Wow, what an incredible trailer and well worth the wait. Warner Bros Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ official trailer for Dune: Part Two is an intense two-minute peek into what’s in store for Paul Atreides and the Fremen. The trailer even offers our first look at Paul (Timothée Chalamet) riding a sandworm!

In addition to Chalamet, Dune: Part 2 stars Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, Oscar winner Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Oscar nominee Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Dave Bautista as “Beast” Rabban Harkonnen, Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat. Joining the cast are Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis) as the notorious Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Christopher Walken (Severence) as the Emperor.

Florence Pugh (Black Widow) is Princess Irulan, Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future) is Lady Margot Fenring, and Souheila Yacoub (No Man’s Land series) plays Shishakli.

Long live the fighters. The hotly anticipated sequel Dune: Part Two will arrive in theaters on November 3, 2023, and the official trailer has arrived this afternoon.

Ride a sandworm and taste the spice by watching the Dune: Part Two trailer below.

Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin will return for Dune: Part Two, which is once again directed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune).

Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, Tim Blake Nelson and Christopher Walken also star in Dune: Part Two, making for one hell of an ensemble cast.

Released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in 2021, Dune opened to $41 million domestically, ending its run with $108 million domestically and $400 million worldwide.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in...

Dune: Part Two is coming into focus, with filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya showing off a new trailer for the Warner Bros. and Legendary sequel at CinemaCon Tuesday.

“Part One is more of a contemplative movie. Part Two is an action-packed, epic, war movie. It is much more dense. We went to all new locations,” said Villeneuve. “I didn’t want a feeling of repititon. It’s all new sets. Everyting is new.”

He also said that while 40 percent of the first film was shot in Imax, 100 percent of this film was shot in Imax.

“In the first movie, Paul is a student,” said Chalamet of his character, Paul Atreides. “We really see Paul Atrides become a leader … become a redeemer of the Fremen people in a sense.”

The epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune, with returning stars like Chalamet (Paul...

It turns out Otto Desć wasn’t a Hollywood legend after all.

After a pair of pseudo-documentary spots featuring actor and director Elizabeth Banks, actor Ron Perlman, Vfk supervisor Paul Lambert and cinematographer Mandy Walker aired earlier in the evening during the 2023 Oscars, the program finally revealed that all was not as it seemed.

Otto Desć was, in fact, Autodesk, the software firm that powers the tech behind many of your favorite movies and TV shows.

And the mastermind behind the campaign? Ryan Reynolds, of course. Reynolds produced the spots through his Maximum Effort advertising banner, alongside Jimmy Kimmel‘s Kimmelot.

A source familiar with the commercial’s development says the spots were filmed in late February, and only delivered last week, a quick turnaround for such a high-profile campaign.

“Maximum Effort loves playing with the cultural landscape, and the Oscars are a major cultural event,” Reynolds said. “Autodesk has...

Tonight’s Oscar telecast featured a sincere (at least at first) black-and-white tribute to a film industry luminary named Otto Desć.

Despite the praise heaped on Desć by actor-director Elizabeth Banks, actor Ron Perelman, cinematographer Mandy Walker and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert, it turns out that he doesn’t actually exist. Instead, the spoof commercial is for Autodesk (get it?), a technology vendor with increasing ambitions in Hollywood. (Watch the full video above.)

The commercial was produced by Maximum Effort, Ryan Reynolds’ creative agency and Kimmelot, with the latter’s Dan Sanborn. The spoof gave Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel a voice even during the night’s ad breaks. Two teasers for the full mini-doc aired earlier in the show, laying it on thick about Desć before the final segment revealed the ruse, with the on-screen talent discovering it along with viewers.

“Maximum Effort loves playing with the cultural landscape,...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Last Updated: Feb. 9, 2023

2023 Oscars Predictions: Best Visual Effects Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise, 2020. © Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Category Commentary: James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” has led the box office for seven weeks in the U.K. and Ireland and has amassed over 2 billion globally. Does that make the movie too difficult to ignore for visual effects?

There’s still a...

Tim Blake Nelson has joined the cast of “Dune: Part Two,” the follow-up to 2021’s Oscar-winning sci-fi epic, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

Details about Nelson’s role are being kept under wraps.

Denis Villeneuve will return to adapt the second half of Frank Herbert’s novel for the Legendary and Warner Bros. film, with Jon Spaihts returning to co-write the screenplay.

Also Read:

Everything We Know About ‘Dune: Part Two’ So Far

Other newcomers to the cast include Florence Pugh, who will play the Emperor’s daughter Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as House Harkonnen member Feyd-Rautha, Christopher Walken as the devious Emperor Shaddam IV, and Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot.

“Dune” won six Oscars during the 2022 ceremony, and brought Best Picture, Directing and Adapted Screenplay nominations for Villeneuve. With a global box office total of 400 million, it is also Villeneuve’s highest grossing film.

“Dune: Part Two...

After a sequel to “Dune” was greenlit in Oct. 2021, sci-fi fans will be pleased to know that production has officially begun this month. “Dune 2,” which follows Paul as he continues his training under the guidance of the Fremen, has teased a larger role for Zendaya and several new cast members.

Here’s everything we know so far about the sequel to the sci-fi epic:

Paul’s romance with Chani will be a larger part of the film

According to the film’s logline, Paul will deepen his relationship with Chani (Zendaya) and face challenges that force him to reassess his priorities.

“This follow-up film explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family,” the logline reads, “Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe,...

Denis Villeneuve is back on Arrakis as filming is finally underway on “Dune: Part Two.” The film is already slated for a November 2023 worldwide theatrical release from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment. Villeneuve is filming the sequel on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan and Italy.

The official “Dune: Part 2” synopsis from Warner Bros. and Legendary reads: “This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”

Warner Bros. and Legendary have also confirmed the returning cast, headlined by Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides. The Oscar nominee will once again be joined by Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin,...

Against all odds and projected failures, "Dune" made a huge splash in 2021, partially due to how gorgeous its scenery was. Thanks to folks like production designer Patrice Vermette and special effects supervisor Paul Lambert, the dreary and sand-filled worlds of Arrakis were brought to life in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation. Believe us: it's an overwhelming experience.

Cinematographer Greig Fraser was another important figure that helped bring "Dune" to life, securing his first Oscar for Best Cinematography in 2022 for the film. Using real locations for the movie's shooting, he was tasked to find the perfect balance between making Arrakis and Caladan feel...

The post Dune: Part 2's Production Could Look A Lot More Like The Mandalorian appeared first on /Film.

It's no secret that "Blade Runner 2049" is a VFX masterclass. Denis Villeneuve's long-awaited sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic "Blade Runner" showcases exactly what can be accomplished by filmmakers with a keen eye and a good visual effects team. The film's VFX even won big at the Academy Awards.

As well as picking up Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins, the film also won Best Visual Effects for the work of John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert, and Richard R. Hoover. It's no surprise, of course, "Blade Runner 2049" includes some of the most visually striking effects work in modern cinema, especially those beautiful scenes of...

The post Even Blade Runner 2049's Simplest Scenes Required Some VFX Wizardry appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: UTA has signed almost a dozen senior production figures to its Production Arts division in the wake of the Oscar telecast snub to several major categories, including those who’ve worked on Dune, You and Bombshell.

The likes of Oscar-winning Dune VFX supervisor duo Brian Conner and Tristan Myles have been snapped up in the past few weeks alongside Bombshell hair designer Anne Morgan, Kings Man producer David Reid and Pennyworth/You exec producer Matthew Patnick.

UTA clients won four Oscars this year including The Eyes of Tammy Faye’s Justin Raleigh for Makeup and Hairstyling, Dune’s Greig Fraser for Best Cinematography and the same film’s Patrice Vermette for Achievement in Production Design. Many were influenced by UTA-repped Paul Lambert, the Oscar-winning Dune visual effects supervisor, to join UTA, according to the agency.

Speaking exclusively to Deadline, UTA Head of Production Pete Franciosa, who oversees the L.

Coda won Best Picture tonight at the 94th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood, becoming the first film from a streamer to win the marquee prize at the Academy Awards.

‘Coda’s Troy Kotsur An Inspiration To Deaf Stars Of Oscar-Nominated Doc ‘Audible’

The Apple Original Films drama about the hearing daughter of deaf adults who pursues a singing career also won Adapted Screenplay for Siân Heder, and its Troy Kotsur took Best Supporting Actor. It’s also the first Sundance-debuting pic to win Best Picture; Apple acquired it for a record $25 million at the festival.

Jessica Chastain took Best Actress for the title role in MGM/Uar’s The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and an emotional Will Smith won Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams in Warner Bros’ King Richard. His win came after he slapped presenter Chris Rock onstage over a remark about Jada Pinkett Smith.

Will...

The science fiction blockbuster ‘Dune’ won its sixth Academy Award at the 94th Oscars as it clinched the title for Best Visual Effects. The other nominees in the Visual Effects category included Ryan Reynold’s ‘Free Guy’, ‘No Time To Die’, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies ‘Shang-Chi’, and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Paul Lambert, Tristan […]...

After already taking home 6 Oscars, Denis Villeneuve’s epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune continued its below the line domination at Sunday’s Academy Awards as it took home the Best Visual Effects Oscar. The film looked to be the favorite in the category after taking home the top honor at this year’s Ves gala.

Accepting the award from presenters Rachel Zegler and Jacob Elordi was Dune‘s VFX team which included Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer. This marked the 6th Oscar for the film having already taken home best Sound, Score, Editing and Production Design for the film which was a favorite to dominate the below-the-line categories going into the ceremony. Lambert and Nefzer had previously won Oscars while working on a Villeneuve film in 2018 for Blade Runner: 2049.

Lambert started it off by thanking several people including the director, who wasn’t nominated for best director,...

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.”

“Denis Villeneuve, sir, Master Denis,” Fraser continued, praising the film’s director. “He’s brought a whole group of unknown actors together to make an amazing movie, along with our lovely producers.”

The Dp then went on to thank his collaborators and fellow nominees, including production designer Patrice Vermette, VFX supervisor Paul Lambert, makeup and hair designer Donald Mowat and costume designer Jacqueline West, before paying tribute to his crew, and then his wife and kids.

“Allowing a middle-aged man to go out and play with his friends in the sand dunes for six months is pretty amazing, so thank you,” he said in closing. “I’ll be home in time for dinner.

The films in the running for the 2022 Best Visual Effects Oscar are “Dune,” “Free Guy,” “No Time to Die,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Our odds currently indicate that “Dune” (31/10) is the frontrunner, followed in order by “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (4/1), “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (4/1), “No Time to Die” (9/2), and “Free Guy” (9/2).

Included among the 19 individuals are 12 past nominees, four of whom have triumphed at least once. The seven first-timers are Brian Connor (“Dune”), Nikos Kalaitzidis (“Free Guy”), Sean Noel Walker (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), and pairs Joel Green and Charlie Noble (“No Time to Die”) and Scott Edelstein and Chris Waegner (“Spider-Man: No Way Home”).

Connor’s three fellow “Dune” nominees – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, and Gerd Nefzer – have each won this award at least once before. Lambert and Nefzer prevailed in 2018 for “Blade Runner 2049,...

The most shocking snub of this year’s Oscar nominations was Denis Villeneuve’s omission from the best directing category for his science-fiction epic “Dune.” “It’s better to be in that position than the opposite,” Villeneuve tells Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast. “I prefer people say you should have been there instead of ‘what the hell are you doing there?’ I’m not making movies to get awards recognition. If you do that, you’re not walking the right path. I make cinema because I love the art form of cinema. I love making movies. If you had told me a year ago that we would get 10 nominations, including best picture, I would have laughed and said, ” You are out of your mind.”

On this episode of the award-winning “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” double Oscar-nominee Villeneuve discusses his passion for creating the world of “Dune” and that best director snub.

Denis Villenuve’s “Dune” is a visceral epic, propelled by practical and visual effects that shape the destiny of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) following a vengeful plot that kills his father, Leto (Oscar Isaac), on the spice-producing planet Arrakis.

The approach for visual-effects supervisor Paul Lambert was to avoid “fixing something in post” but to find ways on set that provided the “best base” to create any necessary elements. One such moment is a stirring scene in which Paul and Leto visit a spice harvester only to be attacked by a terrifying sandworm.

The sequence was a massive collaboration among the behind-the-scenes artisans and starts with the characters flying an ornithopter, a dragonfly-like helicopter, which was practically built from blueprints by production designer Patrice Vermette.

To film moments inside the aircraft it was placed on a hilltop outside Budapest where cinematographer Greig Fraser embraced the glimmering, natural sunlight. A sand-colored...

“The worm was a challenge. But it wasn’t just the worm, it was the worm and the sand,” reveals “Dune” visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert. He recently scored an Oscar nomination for bringing the harsh, sand-covered world of Arrakis to life in Denis Villenueve’s sci-fi epic. The key to delivering photoreal digital effects in the film was to find the right real world references to make this far away world believable. Watch the exclusive video interview above.

See Mark Mangini and Theo Green interview: ‘Dune’ sound design

Lambert didn’t have difficulty in creating the awe-inspiring giant sandworm that lurks below the surface of Arrakis, but his team was stumped when they had to put the beast in motion. “We had the design for the worm,” says Lambert, “but then we had to try and make it move.” The effects artist holds firm that a digital effect works...

Updated with winners list: Netflix’s The Power of the Dog was named the Best Film on Sunday at the Ee British Academy Film Awards. The victory in BAFTA’s marquee category, along with a win by Jane Campion as Best Director, helped cement the Western as a front-runner in the race for the Oscar.

The in-person ceremony at Royal Albert Hall in London and hosted by Rebel Wilson saw Warner Bros’ Dune dominated in the crafts categories, finishing with a leading five trophies: for Production Design, Special Visual Effects, Cinematography, Sound and Original Score. No other film had more that two wins.

Dune, thought, lost out to Dog in the Best Film race that also included Focus Features’ Belfast, which won the Outstanding British Film award tonight; Licorice Pizza, which took the Original Screenplay prize for Paul Thomas Anderson; and Netflix’s satire Don’t Look Up.

“Everyone has the right to be seen,...

The hustle and bustle of awards season is nearing an end, with Oscar voting getting underway on March 17. So naturally, every contender is looking to gain an advantage, and the BAFTA and Critics Choice ceremonies, which take place March 13, provide that opportunity.

At Cca, Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” lead the tally with 11 nominations apiece, including best picture. Still, with a group of more than 500 North America-based broadcast journalists and writers doing the voting, we shouldn’t expect either to triumph unequivocally.

Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Predictions Hub

At BAFTA, “Belfast’s” six-nom tally isn’t as robust as Focus Features would have liked, but prospects look strong for the film to pick up wins for original screenplay, outstanding British film and possibly supporting actor Ciarán Hinds, who is a legend across the pond. However, the momentum for “Coda” has been palpable...

Updated March 9: In winning the photoreal feature VFX prize at the 20th Ves Awards on March 8 (at the Beverly Hilton), “Dune” is now a step closer to winning the VFX Oscar. It also collected three other awards for model (Royal Ornithopter), effects simulations (Dunes of Arrakis), and compositing & lighting (Attack on Arrakeen).

Updated February 9: Denis Villeneuve’s sweeping “Dune” (Warner Bros.) leads the way as the frontrunner in the VFX race. The other nominees include “No Time to Die” (MGM/UA), “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Marvel/Disney), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Marvel/Disney), and the surprising “Free Guy” (20th Century/Disney).

Dneg created imaginative VFX for the otherworldly “Dune” (overseen by two-time Oscar-winning production VFX supervisor Paul Lambert and Oscar-winning SFX supervisor Gerd Nefzer). Shot in Budapest, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Norway, the work is both epic and intimate, from the wind blown sand,...

Denis Villeneuve’s sweeping sci-fi “Dune” (Warner Bros.) and Disney’s animated musical, “Encanto,” each led the 20th Ves Awards Tuesday night at the Beverly Hilton with four prizes, including photoreal feature VFX and animated feature VFX, respectively. “Last Night in Soho” (Focus Features) took supporting visual effects, and Apple TV+’s “Foundation” (“The Emperor’s Peace”) was named best photoreal episode.

“Dune” additionally won Ves awards for model (Royal Ornithopter), effects simulations (Dunes of Arrakis), and compositing & lighting (Attack on Arrakeen).

“Encanto,” which bolstered its claim as the Oscar frontrunner for Best Animated Feature, also won prizes honoring its magical realism for animated character (Mirabel Madrigal), environment (Antonio’s Room), and virtual cinematography (“We Don’t Talk about Bruno”).

Now “Dune” is poised to win the VFX Oscar for Dneg (overseen by two-time Oscar-winning production VFX supervisor Paul Lambert and Oscar-winning SFX supervisor Gerd Nefzer). The work is both epic and intimate,...

“Dune” has taken top honors at the Ves Awards garnering four awards including Photoreal feature winner. Disney’s “Encanto” was named top animated film, also winning four awards.

The Visual Effects Society (Ves), the industry’s global professional honorary society, held the 20th Annual Ves Awards, the prestigious yearly celebration that recognizes outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in film, animation, television, commercials, video games and special venues.

This marks the Society’s 20th Ves Awards program, and is being celebrated during the organization’s milestone 25th Anniversary.

Industry guests gathered at the Beverly Hilton to celebrate VFX talent in 25 awards categories. “Foundation” The Emperor’s Peace was named best photoreal episode.

Jim Morris, Ves, President of Pixar Animation and founding Ves Chair, presented the Ves Lifetime Achievement award to EVP/General Manager of Lucasfilm, Lynwen Brennan. Academy Award-winning VFX pioneer Phil Tippett, Ves presented the Ves Award for Creative...

“Dune” and “Encanto” were the big winners at the Visual Effects Society’s 2022 Ves Awards, which were handed out on Tuesday evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Both films won four awards, with “Dune” taking Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature, the Ves category that most closely corresponds to the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Winners in the category have gone on to win the Oscar 10 times in the past 19 years, but the last film to do so was “The Jungle Book” in 2017.

“Dune” is nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar along with “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which won a Ves Award for its mirror-dimension environment, and “Free Guy” “No Time to Die” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which did not win anything.

“Encanto” won Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature and three other awards, sweeping all the animation categories except one,...

Warner Bros’ Dune and Disney’s Encanto scored a leading four wins each at the 20th annual Ves Awards, which were handed out tonight at the Beverly Hilton.

Denis Villeneuve’s epic starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya won the marquee Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature prize — presented by Villeneuve himself. Dune also took trophies for Model, Effects Simulations and Compositing & Lighting. Even though the film opened day-and-date on HBO Max, it still was able to thrive in theaters with a $41 million opening weekend that exceeded expectations and led to a quick greenlight for a sequel weeks later.

Encanto, from directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, danced away with the top toon honor — Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature — and also won for Animated Character, Created Environment and Virtual Cinematography.

Dune and Encanto came into the ceremony tied with six nominations to lead the field. The other winning...

The best picture Oscar race is in a dead heat, with any number of paths to victory. But there’s another fierce competition, years in the making, to be the first streaming giant to win the Academy Awards’ most coveted honor.

On the television side, Netflix and Amazon each made a play to become the first streamer to win the Emmy Award for either of the top series categories, but Hulu shattered the glass ceiling with “The Handmaid’s Tale” in 2017. On the film side, could Apple Original Films be the surprise streaming giant to take home the Oscar statuette for best picture with the delightful family drama “Coda”?

Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Predictions Hub

Directed and written by Oscar nominee Siân Heder, “Coda” has captured the hearts of many industry voters. Starting its journey at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, where it was purchased for a record-setting $25 million,...

The View Conference, in partnership with Ogr, presents a full slate of free virtual PreVIEW panels in March featuring an array of Oscar nominees.

First, on Friday, March 4, at 10 a.m. Pt, will be a talk with the filmmakers behind the five nominees for animated feature. Speakers are Byron Howard, Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith of Disney’s “Encanto”; Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Charlotte De La Gournerie of the animated documentary “Flee”; Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren of Pixar’s “Luca”; Mike Rianda, Phil Lord and Chris Miller of Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix’s “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”; and Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada of Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

“This year’s list of Oscar contenders is truly breathtaking,” says conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. “I have been blown away by the depth of creative thinking that has gone into their production, and...

The Hollywood Critics Association held its fifth annual awards on Monday in person at the Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, Calif.

Siân Heder’s “Coda,” which won for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the SAG Awards Sunday, took the top award for best picture, with Heder winning for adapted screenplay and Troy Kotsur winning for supporting actor. The Hca also honored the cast of the film with a spotlight award, while the best cast ensemble award went to the cast of Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast.”

“Dune” led the evening with four awards, including the best director tie between Denis Villeneuve and “Power of the Dog” helmer Jane Campion. Additional “Dune” awards included best score for Hans Zimmer, best cinematography for Greig Fraser and best visual effects for Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Tristan Myles.

Other notable winners included Ariana DeBose for “West Side Story,...