VIFX will do effects for 'End of Days'

Effects-heavy actioner stars Schwarzenegger

By MARC GRASER

Just a day after announcing its merger with computer animation house Rhythm & Hues, VIFX has been tapped lead f/x house to create visuals for Beacon Communications' upcoming Arnold Schwarzenegger supernatural actioner "End of Days," which Universal is distributing.

Marina Del Rey-based f/x shop, which will fall under the R&H banner later this month, was initially asked to create 60 shots, including digital effects and character animation, compositing and environment enhancement work on the $100 million-plus, effects-heavy pic, but the number is expected to grow considerably.

Stan Winston ("Terminator 2," "Jurassic Park") is creating creature effects for pic. John "DJ" DesJardin ("The Relic," "Firestorm") will serve as visual effects supervisor for VIFX.

Principal photography began in October, with a release expected at Thanksgiving. Thriller, about a New York security guard (Schwarzenegger) who battles Satan (Gabriel Byrne) is being helmed by Peter Hyams from a script by Andrew W. Marlowe, who also serves as co-producer.

Kevin Pollak, Robin Tunney and Rod Steiger also star. Thomas Bliss is exec producing; Armyan Bernstein and Bill Borden are producing for Beacon.

"We are thrilled to be working on this project for Bill Borden, and again creating visual effects for Peter Hyams in conjunction with Stan Winston," said Blue Sky/VIFX prexy Richard Hollander. VIFX is also creating effects for Mike Newell's "Pushing Tin" and Raja Gosnell's "Never Been Kissed," both for Fox 2000, as well as for Disney's "Fantasia 2000."