In a surprise announcement made at the Facebook F8 Developer Conference, Universal Pictures and Felix & Paul Studios have unveiled Jurassic World: Blue – a new VR experience that is now available!
Jurassic World: Blue (episode 1) takes place 4 years after the events of the 2015 film, which is the same time frame Fallen Kingdom takes place in, and follows Blue as she tries to survive on a now volcanic and unstable Isla Nublar. The live action environment footage was shot on location in Hawaii, with CG dinosaurs and effects done by Industrial Light and Magic creating a realistic and authentic Jurassic adventure, filled with the thrills you expect!
The first episode of Jurassic World: Blue is now available for Oculus Go and Oculus Rift – check out the full press release below, and the gallery of impressive screenshots!
Facebook F8 Developer Conference – Felix & Paul Studios, the EMMY® Award-winning creator of cinematic virtual reality experiences, and Universal Pictures today launched Jurassic World: Blue—in conjunction with the launch of the new Oculus Go standalone VR headset.
The two-part cinematic virtual reality experience was created by Felix & Paul Studios, Universal Pictures and Facebook’s Oculus—with visual effects and animation by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and sound by Headspace Studio. Directed by Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, each chapter of Jurassic World: Blue delivers a single, continuous take, combining live-action and CG in 360° 3D—resulting in some of the longest visual-effects shots ever created.
Jurassic World: Blue is now available for Oculus Go and Oculus Rift. Episode one is launching today, and episode two is coming soon. Each of the two four-minute virtual-reality experiences was captured and produced using Felix & Paul Studios’ full-spectrum VR platform, including the studio’s proprietary, state-of the art cameras and pre- and post-production software suite.
“We’re thrilled to bring the magic of this iconic series to VR with Oculus Go. The fluid camera moves, as well as the phenomenal animation and rendering, create a sense of presence and immersion that makes Jurassic World: Blue a new high watermark in cinematic VR,” said Colum Slevin, Head of Experiences, Oculus.
Set on Isla Nublar, Jurassic World: Blue occurs four years after the catastrophic events in which Jurassic World has been abandoned and dinosaurs have overtaken the island. Amid the threat of volcanic eruption, we encounter the highly intelligent velociraptor Blue on her quest for survival. Viewers follow Blue as she hunts for food, searches for signs of fellow life, and battles some of the island’s most threatening predators…amid the imminent destruction of the island.
“Universal is excited to partner once again with Felix & Paul Studios and release our new virtual reality companion experience to the Jurassic World series,” said Austin Barker, EVP, Universal Pictures Creative Content. “Felix & Paul Studios has created a stunning experience, one that represents spectacular advancements in cinematic, narrative storytelling in VR. It’s thrilling to bring Jurassic World to life in this way.”
Jurassic World: Blue is a follow-up to 2015’s highly acclaimed VR experience Jurassic World: Apatosaurus, co-produced by Felix & Paul Studios, Universal and Oculus.
“Jurassic World: Blue invites viewers to immerse themselves in what it would feel like to be in close proximity with those stunning creatures—with the mixture of striking beauty and fear that accompanies this unique VR experience,” said Félix Lajeunesse, creative director and co-founder of Felix & Paul Studios.
Intriguingly, these screenshots answer some burning questions about the Jurassic World dinosaur lore – we can see a fresh egg filled nest, as well as a baby Triceratops, confirming that not all Jurassic World dinosaurs are female, and they are breeding in the wild. Further, there appears to be a dead Parasaurolophus in the one image near the nest, providing some hope that the species will indeed appear in Fallen Kingdom, in spite of prior evidence otherwise.
You can download Jurassic World: Blue for free from the Oculus Go store here, and from the Oculus Rift store here! If you don’t have a VR headset, fret not, as BestinSlot on YouTube recorded his experience with the VR film:
Do you have a VR headset, and if so, what do you want Jurassic World: Blue to offer? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned for everything Jurassic!
