1,000 Wētā FX crew contributed to the film.

1,521 shots crafted, with only 38 devoid of visual effects.

Thirty-three minutes of the film are entirely digital.

Nearly one billion thread hours dedicated to rendering the film.

  • Noa (voiced by Owen Teague) in 20th Century Studios' KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
  • Raka (voiced by Peter Macon) in 20th Century Studios' KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
  • A scene still from 20th Century Studios' KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
  • (L-R): Soona (played by Lydia Peckham), Noa (played by Owen Teague) and Anaya (played by Travis Jeffery) in 20th Century Studios' KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
There are 4 images in this gallery. View all images

Wētā FX has once again pushed the boundaries of visual effects in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to craft a gripping cinematic experience. As the sole creators of the film's visual effects, Wētā FX brings to life a world overgrown and teeming with life, several generations after Caesar's reign.
 

Under the guidance of VFX supervisor Erik Winquist, Wētā FX embarked on a monumental journey to translate director Wes Ball's vision into reality. Dividing their skilled crew into four teams, each led by seasoned VFX sequence supervisors, the studio undertook the challenge of seamlessly blending live-action elements with entirely CG characters and environments.

In this instalment, audiences encounter a fresh array of characters, each with a greater capacity for speech compared to their predecessors. Wētā FX meticulously crafted 11 new high-resolution digital characters, along with secondary characters, bringing them to life with depth and emotion. From the youthful curiosity of Noa to the enigmatic leadership of Proximus Caesar, every character is imbued with unique traits and motivations.

Building upon years of innovation, Wētā FX leveraged cutting-edge technology to elevate the film's visual fidelity. Dual-camera facial rigs captured performances with unparalleled detail, while depth data from on-set locations informed seamless integration of digital characters into live-action scenes. The studio's relentless pursuit of realism led to advancements in muscle simulation, facial animation, grooming, and water simulations, resulting in breathtaking visual effects that blur the line between fantasy and reality.

Bringing the apes to life presented its own set of creative challenges. From conveying speech through ape anatomy to depicting cultural identity through costume and face paint, Wētā FX's animators deftly navigated the complexities of character development. Through performance capture and innovative facial solving techniques, the nuances of the actors' performances were faithfully translated onto their digital counterparts, immersing audiences in a world where apes and humans coexist in a delicate balance of power.

In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Wētā FX invites audiences on a journey unlike any other, where the boundaries between imagination and reality blur, and the legacy of Caesar lives on in every frame.

For information on the PDV Rebate click here