The Mind-Blowing VFX Wizardry That Rescues Alan Moore's Disastrous Comic Book Movie!

In The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the use of practical effects has received praise from VFX artists, despite facing criticism from critics and the disapproval of comic creator Alan Moore. The film, loosely based on Moore's comic series, showcases famous 19th-century literary characters reimagined as Victorian-era superheroes. Sean Connery leads the cast as adventurer Allan Quartermain, and he later revealed that the troubled production and final quality of the film convinced him to retire from acting.

In a recent episode of Corridor Crew's "VFX Artists React" series, a trio of VFX artists discussed the techniques employed to create a particular sequence in the film. They initially speculated if CGI was used to depict the collapsing streets of Venice as Stuart Townsend's character, Dorian Gray, races through them. However, it was revealed that intricately detailed 1/5 scale miniatures were used to produce the effects. The artists applauded the realism achieved in the final composite and suggested that the practical nature of the effects would have been a fun experience for the crew. Their comments can be found starting at 11:09 in the video.

Will The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Reboot Fare Better Than The Original?

Despite facing tough competition from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen managed to achieve a global box office gross of $179 million in 2003. However, the film received heavy criticism for its poor execution and failure to meet the high standards set by Moore's original comics. One of the notable aspects of its legacy is the strained relationship between lead actor Connery and director Stephen Norrington.

Initially, there were plans to create a franchise with sequels, but those hopes were quickly crushed following the disappointing reception of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Nevertheless, in 2015, there were reports that 20th Century Fox was working on a reboot that would be led by a female character and stay true to the original comics' focus on Mina Murray, the Dracula character. Although these plans were later halted due to the Disney/Fox merger, the project resurfaced in May 2022 with Red Sparrow screenwriter Justin Haythe on board to develop the series for the Hulu streaming service.

Haythe's new script for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is rumored to closely align with Moore's original comics. However, it remains uncertain whether this upcoming adaptation will be successful in overcoming the negative reception of the 2003 version. As known, Moore has never hesitated to express his disappointment with Hollywood's adaptations of his works, so it is likely that he would approach this latest interpretation with a similar level of skepticism. Considering the challenges posed by its controversial history, the reboot of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen will undoubtedly face a difficult task in proving its worth upon its release.