Cinesite 'Tomb' tied
F/x house takes lead role in 'Raider' sequel
Since the pic, featuring Angelina Jolie returning as gun-toting vidgame adventurer Lara Croft, has just begun shooting, final numbers are being worked out, but it's estimated that the action sequel will require 300 or more f/x shots. "Tomb Raider 2" will bow in summer 2003.
Cinesite's London-based European facility is handling the "Tomb Raider 2" work, which will consist primarily of 3-D animated sequences. It is working with the pic's visual f/x supervisor, Steve Begg, who also supervised Cinesite's work on the first film, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." The sequel is being helmed by Jan De Bont.
Cinesite's digital effects supervisor is Mike Talarico, whose credits include "Mission to Mars," "Inspector Gadget" and "Armageddon."
Since August, Cinesite's digital f/x team has been working alongside the pic's production team at Pinewood Studios outside of London, helping previsualize stunt sequences that later will later need to be animated.
London-based the Mill, which also worked on the first pic, is expected to return and supply several key f/x sequences for the pic.
Kodak-backed Cinesite is also busy finishing up hundreds of f/x shots for MGM's next installment of the James Bond franchise, "Die Another Day," and Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Company's Hollywood facility is readying to tackle the majority of f/x shots for Fox's "X-Men 2."
