The Marvels: when swapping places is a matter of visual effects
Marvel Studios once again trusted the Germans at Trixter to bring The Marvels to life, the sequel where Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan discover that their powers are synchronized… and that this means a headache for the VFX artists. 💥
It wasn't just about making the actresses swap places, but making each transition a coherent visual spectacle with the Marvel universe.
From Houdini to Nuke: the choreography of cosmic energy
To achieve those moments when the heroines "teleport" in the middle of battle, the team used:
- Houdini to simulate luminous energy effects
- Nuke to integrate multiple layers of live-action and CGI
- Motion capture to maintain the naturalness of the performances
The result is so fluid that even the actresses wondered "What planet am I on now?" 🌌
Goose, the most problematic (and adorable) Flerken
The real challenge came from the alien pet:
- Digital tentacles with realistic physics
- Deformation simulations for its "devourings"
- Integration with practical scenes to maintain its expressiveness
Because, let's be honest, nothing says "cosmic power" like a cat that spits tentacles. 🐱👤
A visually cohesive universe
From matte paintings of distant planets to ships in combat, Trixter maintained the Marvel aesthetic with:
- Digitally generated space backgrounds
- Simulations of explosions and astronomical phenomena
- Light effects to emphasize the connection between the heroines
So now you know: if you ever swap places with someone, make sure you have a VFX team behind you… or at least a backup Flerken. 😼