Weta Workshop will create the physical effects and miniatures necessary to fully realise the Peter Jackson produced film "The Dam Busters".
The film is based on the book The Dam Busters by Paul Brickhill and the 1955 Associated British Picture Corporation motion picture and will be directed by Christian Rivers.
The Wingnut Films production will be produced by Jan Blenkin, Carolynne Cunningham and Peter Jackson, with Sir David Frost and Ken Kamins serving as Executive Producers. "This is one of the most remarkable true stories to come out of World War II", said Peter. "When Michael Anderson made his thrilling version of this story in 1955, many details of the dams raid were still a closely guarded secret. It has since been declassified by the British Government, making the dynamics of the story and the people involved even more intriguing."
"That, combined with our ability to harness state-of-the-art computer generated visual effects, will enable us to bring the events of these desperate days of 1943 to life in a very visceral way. This is an astonishing story that continues to be revered in British Commonwealth history, and our hope is to make their exploits known to more of the world and extend their legacy to a generation that might not otherwise recognise their inspiration and sacrifice."
The Dam Busters is an inspirational story of heroism and one of the most daring missions in aeronautic military history. "Peter Jackson is the ideal producer for a remake of The Dam Busters", said Sir David Frost. "Not only because of his film-making genius, but also because of his aeronautical expertise and his unique understanding of the human pressures wrought by war."
Academy Award® Winner Christian Rivers will direct the film. Rivers has worked with Jackson for over 17 years. First as a storyboard artist while still at school, then as an animator, pre-vis supervisor and second unit director, culminating in his work as animation director on Jackson's King Kong, which won him a 2006 Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects (an honor Rivers shared with Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul and Richard Taylor).
Rivers said the story had a special place during his childhood. "I grew up with The Dam Busters mythology as part of my heritage" he said. "I remember seeing it for the first time on television in England with my grandfather. I'll never forget marveling at the image of the bouncing bomb punching across the water. This is one of the most revered stories of British ingenuity and heroism. We intend to be true to the values of the era in which these events took place."
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