EXCLUSIVE: Pixomondo, the VFX firm responsible for the dragons in Game of Thrones, has come on board the Roland Emmerich-produced feature film adaptation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
The company, which also won an Academy Award for its work on Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, is joining the project alongside German film fund Hessenfilm. Pixomondo will be responsible for the visual effects and character animations in this English-language adaptation of the famous opera, while Hessenfilm will be supporting the project with a subsidy of €350,000.
The story is set in today’s Europe; when 17-year old Tim Walker is sent from London to the Austrian alps, to start his singing scholarship at the legendary Mozart boarding school, he discovers a century old forgotten passageway into the fantastic world of The Magic Flute.
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The project is currently in pre-production with plans to begin shooting in late summer 2020.
Midway and Independence Day director Roland Emmerich produces through his Centropolis Entertainment shingle alongside Flute Film’s Christopher Zwickler and former Pantaflix exec Fabian Wolfart. Commercial director Florian Sigl, who has a background in classical music, is helming.
Emmerich previously worked with Pixomondo on war drama Midway as well as 2012 and Independence Day: Resurgence.
“I have had a strong relationship with Pixomondo for over a decade,” said Emmerich. “Now thanks to the support of Hessenfilm, the filmmakers on the movie can work together with one of the world’s leading VFX companies.”
“We are grateful and excited about the partnership around The Magic Flute,” added Pixomondo Executive Producer Lena Bahrs. “Our Frankfurt studio is known for its digital character design and therefore a perfect match for this truly magical story. The support of Hessenfilm helps nurture and grow our talent pool here in Frankfurt, and allows productions like ours to flourish.”
