Los Angeles (July 25, 2006) – Kelly Ripa (ABC’s “Live with Regis and Kelly”) joins an all-star cast for “Fly Me To The Moon,” the first-ever feature length computer generated animated film, conceived and created entirely in 3-D. The film is produced by Illuminata Pictures and nWave Pictures, the production entity responsible for nearly one quarter of all 3-D IMAX films. “Moon” is directed by nWave co-founder Ben Stassen who has created, directed and produced a bevy of world-famous ride and attraction films, including “Wild Safari” (nWave Pictures Distribution, 2005), “Haunted Castle” (nWave, 2001) and “Alien Adventure” (nWave, 1999). The announcement was made today by Illuminata Pictures co-founder and “Moon” writer / executive producer Domonic Paris.
Also starring are Buzz Aldrin (real Apollo 11 astronaut, as himself), Adrienne Barbeau (HBO’s “Carnivale,” “The Drew Carey Show”), Ed Begley Jr. (“Six Feet Under,” Nu Image/Millennium Films’ “Relative Strangers”), Tim Curry (“Jumanji,” “Scary Movie 2”), Trevor Gagnon (“Big Fish,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ son on CBS’ “The New Adventures of Old Christine”), Christopher Lloyd (“Back to the Future,” “Taxi”), Robert Patrick (“Walk the Line,” “Spy Kids”) and Nicollette Sheridan (“Desperate Housewives”).
Stassen comments, “Recent advances in computer technology make it possible to convert 2-D films to 3-D. However, we're not converting a 2-D film to 3-D. Instead, with ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ we are producing every frame in 3-D for the maximum 3-D effect. This is much more involved than applying a software to add depth and perspective to a 2-D image.”
Set in 1969, when the NASA space program was in full swing, “Fly Me To The Moon” combines the Apollo 11 mission with the adventures of three young stowaway flies. From a “fly on the wall” perspective, the film introduces new generations to space exploration and the historic moment of the first moon landing.
Because 3-D technology is used from the first to last frame, viewers experience every moment as if they are in the middle of the action, from blasting off and speeding towards space to weightlessness and stepping on the moon.
Paris says, “With more 3-D films entering the market, such as Robert Zemeckis’ ‘Monster House’ and Disney’s ‘Meet the Robinsons,’ more theaters are adopting 3-D capabilities. By the time we release ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ in 2007, we anticipate that there will be approximately 700 specialized digital theaters, while in 2005, there were only 300 3-D theaters available.”
Stassen adds, “As the first true 3-D release, ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ has the incredible benefit that it cannot be pirated. It also gives the movie a larger and longer shelf-life.”
The film is an nWave Pictures production in collaboration with Illuminata Pictures, and it is slated to open in specialized 3-D theaters worldwide in Spring 2007.
