While playing the same character at different ages as his real-life son Wyatt Russell in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Kurt Russell admitted after watching Wyatt at work that he realized just how good of a performance his son was delivering, and he’d better bring his own A-game to match it.
Russell was joined on Deadline’s Contenders Television panel by VFX supervisor Sean Konrad and composer Leopold Ross to discuss the Apple TV+ and Legendary Television series – a prequel to the big-screen Monsterverse movies featuring Godzilla and King Kong. He said had the chance to take a good, long look at Wyatt’s acting chops while the two were shooting on parallel schedules.
“We were doing two different crews and I said, ‘I’m going to go check out and see Wyatt’s group was doing,’ ” Kurt recalled. “It was fascinating for me because for the first time, this...
Russell was joined on Deadline’s Contenders Television panel by VFX supervisor Sean Konrad and composer Leopold Ross to discuss the Apple TV+ and Legendary Television series – a prequel to the big-screen Monsterverse movies featuring Godzilla and King Kong. He said had the chance to take a good, long look at Wyatt’s acting chops while the two were shooting on parallel schedules.
“We were doing two different crews and I said, ‘I’m going to go check out and see Wyatt’s group was doing,’ ” Kurt recalled. “It was fascinating for me because for the first time, this...
- 4/13/2024
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
The Creator won big at the 22nd annual Visual Effects Society Awards Wednesday night.
The awards were handed out during a ceremony, hosted by actor-comedian Jay Pharoah, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
The Creator took home five awards in the feature competition, including outstanding visual effects in a photoreal feature. The Last of Us was also a top winner in the series categories, scoring four awards, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse led the animation competition with four wins.
Other winners of the night included Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Oppenheimer, Nyad, The Mandalorian and The Flash.
It was previously announced that producer Joyce Cox, who produced VFX on movies including Avatar and The Dark Knight, received the Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.
Actor-producer-director William Shatner was also previously revealed as the recipient of the award for Creative Excellence in “recognition of his valuable contributions...
The awards were handed out during a ceremony, hosted by actor-comedian Jay Pharoah, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
The Creator took home five awards in the feature competition, including outstanding visual effects in a photoreal feature. The Last of Us was also a top winner in the series categories, scoring four awards, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse led the animation competition with four wins.
Other winners of the night included Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Oppenheimer, Nyad, The Mandalorian and The Flash.
It was previously announced that producer Joyce Cox, who produced VFX on movies including Avatar and The Dark Knight, received the Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.
Actor-producer-director William Shatner was also previously revealed as the recipient of the award for Creative Excellence in “recognition of his valuable contributions...
- 2/22/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” was the big winner at the 22nd Visual Effects Society Awards (held February 21 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel). The AI-themed, sci-fi actioner earned five awards, including the top photoreal feature VFX prize. The other awards were for modeling (Nomad), created environment (Floating Village), effects simulations, and compositing & lighting (Bar).
“The Creator” utilized an innovative streamlining process in post, in which Ilm designed and placed the naturalistic VFX over the actors playing AI simulants and the photographic plates as set extensions. This made the $80 million indie look like a $200 million blockbuster, with director Edwards shooting the entire film guerilla-style in 80 locations throughout Southeast Asia as the primary camera operator with a small crew and natural light.
Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the animated feature Oscar favorite (snubbed by the Academy’s VFX branch), took home four awards, including the top animated VFX prize. Sony Pictures Imageworks innovated...
“The Creator” utilized an innovative streamlining process in post, in which Ilm designed and placed the naturalistic VFX over the actors playing AI simulants and the photographic plates as set extensions. This made the $80 million indie look like a $200 million blockbuster, with director Edwards shooting the entire film guerilla-style in 80 locations throughout Southeast Asia as the primary camera operator with a small crew and natural light.
Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the animated feature Oscar favorite (snubbed by the Academy’s VFX branch), took home four awards, including the top animated VFX prize. Sony Pictures Imageworks innovated...
- 2/22/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“Oppenheimer,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and “The Last of Us” are among the nominees for the Visual Effects Society (Ves) Awards.
Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” leads the feature film field with seven nominations. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the top animated contender with seven nominations and 24-time Emmy-nominated drama “The Last of Us” leads the episodic field with six nominations.
“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” Ves chair Kim Davidson said. “We are seeing best-in-class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation. The Ves Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of our nominees.”
The Ves is a global honorary society dedicated to “advancing the arts, sciences and applications of visual effects and to upholding...
Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” leads the feature film field with seven nominations. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the top animated contender with seven nominations and 24-time Emmy-nominated drama “The Last of Us” leads the episodic field with six nominations.
“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” Ves chair Kim Davidson said. “We are seeing best-in-class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation. The Ves Awards is the only venue that showcases and honors these outstanding artists across a wide range of disciplines, and we are extremely proud of our nominees.”
The Ves is a global honorary society dedicated to “advancing the arts, sciences and applications of visual effects and to upholding...
- 1/16/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
The Visual Effects Society has composited the nominees for its 22nd annual Ves Awards, which will be handed out next month. Disney’s The Creator and Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse lead the field with seven noms apiece, and HBO’s The Last of Us tops TV with six. See the full list below.
The annual Ves Awards will be handed out during the group’s 22nd annual ceremony February 21 at the Beverly Hilton. They recognize outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in 25 categories spanning features, animation, television, commercials and video games and the VFX supervisors, VFX producers and hands-on artists who bring this work to life.
“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” said Kim Davidson, newly elected Ves Chair. “We are seeing best-in-class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation.
The annual Ves Awards will be handed out during the group’s 22nd annual ceremony February 21 at the Beverly Hilton. They recognize outstanding visual effects artistry and innovation in 25 categories spanning features, animation, television, commercials and video games and the VFX supervisors, VFX producers and hands-on artists who bring this work to life.
“The artistry, ingenuity and passion of visual effects practitioners around the world have come together to create remarkable imagery,” said Kim Davidson, newly elected Ves Chair. “We are seeing best-in-class work that elevates the art of storytelling and exemplifies the spirit of innovation.
- 1/16/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Spider-Society has webbed in a few honors. The Visual Effects Society has announced their nominations for the 22nd annual Ves Awards, with “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” leading the pack.
Held every winter, the Ves Awards honor the best achievements in visual effects artistry over the previous calendar year, with VFX professionals in film, television, video games, and commercials receiving recognition. Nominees in 25 categories are selected by Ves members through a process of 39 in-person and virtual nomination events, held worldwide and conducted during a 36-hour period. A minimum of three judging panels review each submission for the awards, looking at “Before and Afters” for each prospective nominee. Ves judging panels this year included members of the society from 25 different countries.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was the top animated film to receive nominations this year, gaining seven nominations including Outstanding Effects in an Animated Feature and specific nods for modeling, character animation,...
Held every winter, the Ves Awards honor the best achievements in visual effects artistry over the previous calendar year, with VFX professionals in film, television, video games, and commercials receiving recognition. Nominees in 25 categories are selected by Ves members through a process of 39 in-person and virtual nomination events, held worldwide and conducted during a 36-hour period. A minimum of three judging panels review each submission for the awards, looking at “Before and Afters” for each prospective nominee. Ves judging panels this year included members of the society from 25 different countries.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was the top animated film to receive nominations this year, gaining seven nominations including Outstanding Effects in an Animated Feature and specific nods for modeling, character animation,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
VFX supervisor Sean Konrad was tasked with bringing to life some iconic titans back for Apple TV+’s ten-part series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” Among them are “Kong: Skull Island’s” Mother Longlegs and Godzilla, as well as some new monsters, including a crab-inspired titan and star-mole beast.
Showrunner and co-creator Chris Black had always wanted to open the series on Skull Island to root the viewer in familiarity without having to rewatch past films. The opening episode sees Bill Randa (John Goodman) being chased through a bamboo forest that opens out onto a rock peninsula before Mother Longlegs emerges. Moments later, a giant rock crab creature known as Mantleclaw comes out of the ground, and a battle between the two monsters begins. For Black and Konrad, it was a way of paying homage to the MonsterVerse lore and allowed them to draw from the Hawaiian location.
As for design,...
Showrunner and co-creator Chris Black had always wanted to open the series on Skull Island to root the viewer in familiarity without having to rewatch past films. The opening episode sees Bill Randa (John Goodman) being chased through a bamboo forest that opens out onto a rock peninsula before Mother Longlegs emerges. Moments later, a giant rock crab creature known as Mantleclaw comes out of the ground, and a battle between the two monsters begins. For Black and Konrad, it was a way of paying homage to the MonsterVerse lore and allowed them to draw from the Hawaiian location.
As for design,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The following contains spoilers from Episode 3 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which got a pre-Thanksgiving release this week on Apple TV+.
Talk about a chilling development.
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Episode 3 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which has been streaming on Apple TV+ since Wednesday, saw Colonel Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell) of the 2015 timeline ultimately lead Cate,...
Talk about a chilling development.
More from TVLineWhat Could a Third Loki Season Look Like? EP Kevin Wright Has Some IdeasLessons In Chemistry Finale: Brie Larson Talks Major Book Change, #GirlDinner and More - WatchHannah Waddingham Breaks Down Her Christmas Special's Moving Mid-Show Tribute and That Surprise Ted Lasso Cameo - Watch Video
Episode 3 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which has been streaming on Apple TV+ since Wednesday, saw Colonel Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell) of the 2015 timeline ultimately lead Cate,...
- 11/23/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
More than just a series set in the Monsterverse, focused on Titan creatures such as Godzilla and other MUTOs, Apple TV+’s new series “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters” focuses on the more human/familial aspects of the universe that spans over many decades.
The main thread of the series is the story of two siblings learning about their father’s secret life and his ties to a mysterious organization called Monarch. They end up discovering much more than they anticipated in regard to their father’s research, new Titans, and their tie to the origins of Monarch.
Photo courtesy: Apple
We recently sat down for an exclusive interview with “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” producer Tory Tunnell to talk about her word on the series. Tunnell’s husband Joby Harold is also an executive producer on the series. Together both Tunnell and Harold run the production company Safehouse Pictures.
Founded by...
The main thread of the series is the story of two siblings learning about their father’s secret life and his ties to a mysterious organization called Monarch. They end up discovering much more than they anticipated in regard to their father’s research, new Titans, and their tie to the origins of Monarch.
Photo courtesy: Apple
We recently sat down for an exclusive interview with “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” producer Tory Tunnell to talk about her word on the series. Tunnell’s husband Joby Harold is also an executive producer on the series. Together both Tunnell and Harold run the production company Safehouse Pictures.
Founded by...
- 11/19/2023
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
Since the beginning of the Monsterverse films with Gareth Edward’s 2014 “Godzilla” film, visual effects supervisor Sean Korad has always played an integral role in bringing the Titan’s to life on screen. Konrad went on to work on 2019’s “Godzilla: King Of The Monsters” and has now taken on the role of visual effects supervisor for the new Apple TV+ series “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters”.
The new series follows a family story that spans across continents over a 65 year time period. It picks up right after the events of 2014’s “Godzilla” film where the city of San Francisco is destroyed after Godzilla’s epic battle with the Muto’s.
We caught up with “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters” VFX supervisor, Sean Konrad to discuss the making of the new series, the creation of new Titans and more.
How happy are you with the feedback the series has been receiving? It...
The new series follows a family story that spans across continents over a 65 year time period. It picks up right after the events of 2014’s “Godzilla” film where the city of San Francisco is destroyed after Godzilla’s epic battle with the Muto’s.
We caught up with “Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters” VFX supervisor, Sean Konrad to discuss the making of the new series, the creation of new Titans and more.
How happy are you with the feedback the series has been receiving? It...
- 11/19/2023
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
If there's any one rule that good monster movies (or shows) need, it's this: They need to effectively convey a sense of scale. Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim," as silly as it became at times, was pretty effective at capturing the full weight and sheer size of the combatants during the film's many knock-down, drag-out tussles. And in a similar (though much more grounded) way, Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" accomplished much the same thing -- just with a far grander and more mythic tonal approach. The new Apple TV+ spin-off series "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" is very much taking its cues from that 2014 movie.
Although the show hails from the main creative trio of Chris Black, Matt Fraction, and Matt Shakman, the production also counts a few holdovers from "Godzilla" among its crew, as well. One of them is VFX supervisor Sean Konrad, whom /Film's Ryan Scott recently interviewed. Of...
Although the show hails from the main creative trio of Chris Black, Matt Fraction, and Matt Shakman, the production also counts a few holdovers from "Godzilla" among its crew, as well. One of them is VFX supervisor Sean Konrad, whom /Film's Ryan Scott recently interviewed. Of...
- 11/18/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters VFX Supervisor On Making Every Godzilla Shot Count [Exclusive Interview]
Monster movies have been a staple of cinema for most of the medium's lifespan as a form of entertainment for the masses. The king of the genre is, unquestionably, Godzilla, and he pretty much has been ever since he first stomped onto the scene in 1954. Now, Apple TV+ is bringing the King of the Monsters to audiences in a new show, "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters." The series takes place in the MonsterVerse, which kicked off in 2014 with director Gareth Edwards' "Godzilla" and is still going strong, with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" coming out next year.
The series takes place across two timelines -- in the immediate aftermath of the 2014 film, and five decades prior. It tracks two siblings following in their father's footsteps to uncover their family's connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. There's also Army officer Lee Shaw, played in the two timelines by Kurt Russell...
The series takes place across two timelines -- in the immediate aftermath of the 2014 film, and five decades prior. It tracks two siblings following in their father's footsteps to uncover their family's connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. There's also Army officer Lee Shaw, played in the two timelines by Kurt Russell...
- 11/17/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
After two Godzilla films, a Kong solo outing, and a crossover smackdown, Legendary is expanding its Monsterverse franchise. While a Skull Island animated series aired on Netflix, the live-action Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an ambitious live-action series on AppleTV+ that explores the mysterious organization that has had a presence in each Monsterverse project to date. The first season of Monarch debuted today on AppleTV+ with two episodes and there will be surprises in store for weeks to come.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the story “following the epic battle between Godzilla and the MUTOs that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, two siblings, following in their father’s footsteps, uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw, taking place in the...
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the story “following the epic battle between Godzilla and the MUTOs that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, two siblings, following in their father’s footsteps, uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw, taking place in the...
- 11/17/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
“I’m so excited about the show,” says Ronna Kress, the casting director of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” on Apple TV+. “We worked so hard and did such a huge, worldwide search for almost five months.” She spoke with Gold Derby’s Latasha Ford backstage during the launch event at the DGA Theater in Hollywood this month. Watch the full video interview above.
Kress explains the unlikely casting of Ren Watabe as Kentaro, stating, “We needed an actor who we really wanted to follow through the series. Someone who was believable in the Japanese world, but also could speak English for the English-speaking world as well. He really came out of nowhere. In his audition, the first time that we saw him, our casting director in Tokyo introduced us to him. He said, ‘I’m really tired, I’m sorry.’ We said, ‘What were you working on last night?’ And he’s a line cook.
Kress explains the unlikely casting of Ren Watabe as Kentaro, stating, “We needed an actor who we really wanted to follow through the series. Someone who was believable in the Japanese world, but also could speak English for the English-speaking world as well. He really came out of nowhere. In his audition, the first time that we saw him, our casting director in Tokyo introduced us to him. He said, ‘I’m really tired, I’m sorry.’ We said, ‘What were you working on last night?’ And he’s a line cook.
- 11/15/2023
- by Denton Davidson and Latasha Ford
- Gold Derby
“We’ve been working on this project for a long time,” reveals Chris Black, the showrunner/executive producer of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” on Apple TV+. This highly anticipated television series in the MonsterVerse franchise has been “a lot of effort,” he tells us, with “a lot of people pouring their talent and passion into something, and now we’re getting it out here for people to see, so we’re really excited.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
Other than his past collaboration with composer Leopold Ross, most of the behind-the-scenes talents on “Monarch” are new to Black’s world. “Part of the fun of a project like this is being introduced to new talented people that you haven’t worked with before,” he begins, “and having our team at the studio, at Legendary, at Apple bringing people into my circle.”
Black adds, “We just had an amazing team.
Other than his past collaboration with composer Leopold Ross, most of the behind-the-scenes talents on “Monarch” are new to Black’s world. “Part of the fun of a project like this is being introduced to new talented people that you haven’t worked with before,” he begins, “and having our team at the studio, at Legendary, at Apple bringing people into my circle.”
Black adds, “We just had an amazing team.
- 11/9/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon and Latasha Ford
- Gold Derby
Monday night at the DGA Theatre in Hollywood, Apple TV+ unveiled its long-gestating MonsterVerse project, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” to a packed crowd of excited guild voters. Following a screening of the first episode, which will debut on the streaming service on November 17, Gold Derby’s Chris Beachum moderated a panel with showrunner/executive producer Chris Black, casting director Ronna Kress, visual effects supervisor Sean Konrad, sound designer Ben Cook and composer Leopold Ross.
The “Monarch” production team discusses what it was like waiting for the fans to finally see the series, their biggest challenges with the project, and what it was like working with A-list stars like Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell and John Goodman (who reprises his role from 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”). Read excepts below from the “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” roundtable panel.
See‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ trailer: Apple’s Godzilla series with Kurt Russell debuts this fall [Watch]
Black recalls,...
The “Monarch” production team discusses what it was like waiting for the fans to finally see the series, their biggest challenges with the project, and what it was like working with A-list stars like Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell and John Goodman (who reprises his role from 2017’s “Kong: Skull Island”). Read excepts below from the “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” roundtable panel.
See‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ trailer: Apple’s Godzilla series with Kurt Russell debuts this fall [Watch]
Black recalls,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
On Friday at New York Comic Con, Apple TV+ and the creative team behind “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” unveiled the trailer for the highly anticipated series, and shared a preview of the expansive new series, based on Legendary’s Monsterverse. Starring Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” premieres globally with the first two episodes on Friday, November 17 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode every Friday through January 12.
“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” executive producers Chris Black and Matt Fraction, executive producer Tory Tunnell, executive producer and director Andy Goddard, casting director Ronna Kress and VFX supervisor Sean Konrad came together for the special conversation and screening at New York Comic Con, moderated by entertainment journalist Scott Mantz.
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco, and the shocking revelation that monsters are real,...
“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” executive producers Chris Black and Matt Fraction, executive producer Tory Tunnell, executive producer and director Andy Goddard, casting director Ronna Kress and VFX supervisor Sean Konrad came together for the special conversation and screening at New York Comic Con, moderated by entertainment journalist Scott Mantz.
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco, and the shocking revelation that monsters are real,...
- 10/14/2023
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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