It is undeniable that Peter Jackson is an absolute master of bringing fantasy to the big screen. Particularly his epic trilogy, “The Lord of the Rings,” which was predominately filmed in New Zealand. With sweeping vistas and amazing shots of the landscape, you would think that is all you need.
But oh no, Jackson went even further and brought the creepy elements to life with the green screen. One of our favorite moments was in the film “The Two Towers” where King Theoden, who was under Saruman’s spell, is magically restored to his regular youthful appearance. The end result was pretty crazy!
A Wrinkle in Time
This spacey spectacular film packs a powerful punch. Not only does it have an A-list cast, including Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling but its visual effects are ...a vision! Ava DuVernay stayed as true to the novel as possible when bringing this wonderful world to life.
Since the story follows two siblings trying to find their father in intergalactic space, it's no wonder that a ton of green/blue screen was needed to bring the quest to life. The film is certainly a feast for the eyes! However, the movie didn't do so well, either critically or commercially. It has its fans. It's just not universally beloved.
The Maze Runner
This is one of the most impressive blue screen illusions on our list. What looks like a deserted parking lot in the middle of nowhere, turns into a futuristic empire, in the science-fiction, dystopian film, "The Maze Runner." Did you spot the huge, dead beast in the second photo?! Yes, calm down, it's also a blue-screen effect.
An American trilogy based on the novels by James Dashner, "The Maze Runner" follows the story of Thomas, a boy that is put in an all-boys community after having his memory erased. Unfortunately, Thomas soon discovers that they are all trapped in an actual real-life maze, and the only way out is to work together. And it seems like moviegoers loved the effects too.
The Witcher
Okay, before you can’t focus on us anymore due to your drooling over the hunky Henry Cavill, we'd just like to point out that the green screen made his ethereal beauty possible! Cavill has been in plenty of movies and TV shows alike that have been full of CGI and green screen. And this Netflix show is one of the latest examples of that.
Well, maybe the beauty wasn't always on full display, but Cavill’s character certainly allows his ‘other side’ to take over, and you see his eyes turn jet black. For that type of spine-tingling effect, it’s none other than a bit of CGI!
The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King
Alright, we’re not going to just write about "The Lord of the Rings," but boy, there are a ton of special effects used throughout the trilogy, and one of the major characters in the films is wholly shot using green screen technology. LOTR fans will know that we’re talking about Gollum, the once hobbit that turned into a…scaly-looking, permanently anxious creature.
Andy Serkis donned the green/blue suit many times to bring his character to life. And of course, Serkis is considered the master of motion capture, having played multiple characters this way, including Caesar from "The Planet of the Apes" trilogy, and Snoke from the "Star Wars" sequels.