Fantasy movies are often only as good as the ability of their special effects to convince you that you’re watching another world. And even today, the most impressive special effects are often practical, like Rey’s rehydrating bread in The Force Awakens. CGI has its place, but a well-crafted animatronic can go a long way.
Netflix seems to agree, because ahead of its next big movie franchise launching next year, the streamer has sourced a practical effects icon to help create the many creatures involved. According to NarniaWeb, Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Chronicles of Narnia movie has recruited creature effects artist Neal Scanlan to help with “animatronics, puppetry, and prosthetics.” Scalan is a longtime SFX industry veteran, but he’s perhaps best known for his work within the Star Wars franchise. He served as the creature effects supervisor on The Force Awakens and Rogue One, and worked on The Rise of Skywalker’s droids. He also worked on Andor, where he was the mastermind behind stuttering droid B2EMO.
