Casey Pyke, the visualization supervisor on Kingdom of The Planet of the Apes, was at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) to discuss his role in creating the film’s opening sequence and other scenes.

Director Wes Ball takes the “Planet of the Apes” franchise to thrilling new heights with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” an action-adventure spectacle. Generations have passed since Caesar’s reign, and apes now thrive in a harmonious society, leaving humans in the shadows. But the rise of a tyrannical ape leader sets a young ape on a perilous journey, forcing him to confront his beliefs and make decisions that will shape the destiny of both apes and humans.

The cast and crew, including actor Pyke, recently electrified fans at San Diego Comic-Con, where they offered an exciting glimpse into the world of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” through a talent panel, artist signings, and an immersive fan experience.

Don’t miss the summer epic, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” available now on digital and streaming on Hulu starting August 2!

Casey Pyke on his role as visualization supervisor and the creative challenges involved:

Casey Pyke spoke with us at SDCC and described the collaborative process with the art department and the constant need for creative problem-solving. Especially when the design of the building changed, impacting the animation of scenes. Pyke also shared his pride in animating a specific scene where a character looks through a telescope, showcasing his contribution to the film amidst his supervisory role.

Nick, Temple of Geek: Can you tell us what your role as visualization supervisor entails?

Casey Pike: Yeah. So, at the beginning of the production, Wes Ball came to us because we’d worked together in the past and wanted us to make  the opening sequence of the movie. Which kind of went from the Caesar’s funeral scene. With a time cut into many generations in the future. And like the eagle swiping down and grabbing the fish and then the apes climbing up. And so we started off with that. And there was all sorts of kind of exploration when it comes to that. What does the building look like? What is the, you know, the backgrounds look like? And a lot of that stuff came from the art department. But because it was kind of really early days. We just made up a bunch of stuff where it was probably not going to be the thing that was actually in the movie, but it kind of told the story. And so, in that sequence, you know, we animated all the scenes of them looking at the nest and, you know, choosing out the egg and Noah kind of going up to the other nest. And there were probably like 3 or 4 versions, completely different versions of how the nest falls or how he falls off the nest. So like, grab his egg at the end. And that one was it was a challenge because every time the design of the building changed, it was like, oh, well, that doesn’t make sense anymore. So now we have to do a little bit different, you know, get them down in different ways. And so, so constant kind of creative challenge that was really fulfilling.

Nick, Temple of Geek: An artist, is there something in the movie that you were particularly proud of that, that that came through that, that you look at it and you’re like, wow, I did that. That’s awesome?

Casey Pyke: Yeah. Well, as a supervisor, sometimes I’m like, actually on the box animating, but on a bigger movie with a bigger team, usually I kind of take a step back and tell other people how to do like the shots, but somewhere in there we were just doing so many scenes and there was a scene where Noah goes in and looks at a telescope. That’s all run down and kind of looks through the eyepiece. And that scene, it was one where I was like, well, I got to do something on this movie. and so I was like, you know what? I’m going to just take my slow time and do every shot in that scene and let my team work on all the big action and stuff. So, when that scene came up in the theater, I was like, oh, that’s my scene.

20th Century Studios’ ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Dominates SDCC

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” didn’t just attend San Diego Comic-Con International—it conquered it. Providing fans with a multi-faceted celebration of this cinematic masterpiece.

The excitement reached a crescendo on Thursday with the “Unveiling the VFX magic: 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” panel. The film’s stars and VFX talent captivated the 1,000-person audience with behind-the-scenes content that unveiled movie magic secrets. Fans witnessed the spectacular creation of the fantastical apes and battles.

Planet of the Apes Fan Experience at SDCC

The immersive “Enter the Forbidden Zone! The Planet of the Apes Experience” transported over 5,255 fans over four days into the rich history of this iconic franchise. Guests marveled at the costumes, comics, props, and photography celebrating the 10 films in the Planet of the Apes legacy.

Furthermore, fans were invited to dive deeper into the “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” through immersive stations. They learned to move like an ape with the film’s movement coordinator, Alain Gauthier. They explored the role of birds of prey in the movie alongside a live Harris hawk named Lola.

Additionally, fans were treated to two opportunities to meet SteelBook artist Dylan Cole, who enthusiastically signed exclusive artwork from the “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” 4K UHD Blu-ray. Dylan’s presence drew cheers at both the Hulu and Disney+ booth and the Planet of the Apes Fan Experience. There he signed hundreds of special art posters for eager fans.

Clearly, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is more than just a film. It’s a visual masterpiece that has garnered critical acclaim and captivated audiences worldwide. The film is currently available on Digital retailers (Prime Video, AppleTV, and Fandango at Home). Additionally, it will be available for streaming on Hulu on August 2nd. If you prefer physical media it will be on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and DVD on August 27th.

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