The frenzied, pop-culture jamboree âSan Diego Comic Conâ in downtown San Diego has literally evolved over the years into a stupendous spectacle of comic books, film, television, video games, products and now virtual reality – but only this time taking you into the action-packed, epic-fantasy world of Azeroth.
At the preview night for Comic Con 2015, and Legendary Pictures virtual reality made a debut by announcing a virtual reality tryst with Google. People sweating in lines to see a couple of film clips and stars got a rare glimpse of DunCan Jonesâ upcoming Warcraft movie.
Dubbed Legendary VR â the initiative consists of an app available for free for Android and iOS, and an improved version of the new Google Cardboard.
Legendary and Google plan to distribute 50,000 units of the DIY VR kits over the four-day event.
The Legendary VR app, gives players a peek at whatâs in store for the upcoming year in Beware Crimson Peak, Warcraft: The Skies of Azeroth, and the company’s Pacific Rim-themed Jaeger Pilot. Users can weave across the kingdom of Stormwind in Azeroth through an enthralling virtual reality flight sitting atop a Gryphon. Beware Crimson Peak, leaves a scarier trail, putting the user inside the eponymous house from Guillermo del Toroâs upcoming gothic horror film Crimson Peak. Jaeger Pilot throws you into the cockpit of Gipsy Danger, right before the upcoming battle, but rather being tied to the Oculus Rift, is now able to run on Android and iOS devices.
âWarcraftâ Movie Premiers in Virtual Reality
These interactive scenes are viewable through Google Cardboard, a headset made out of a fold-out cardboard mount for VR applications.
Legendary Pictures, the film production company that will be managing Warcraft for distributor Universal Pictures, conjured the VR experience for Googleâs DIY headset by collaborating with Industrial Lights & Magic, an award winning motion picture visual effects company. Legendary Pictures also rolled out a special VR trailer for Crimson Peak, starring Marvelâs favorite villain Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain.
Barnaby Legg, vp of theatrical strategy at Legendary, called VR a gift to their fans, saying that virtual reality could be an amazing way of expanding the universe of their firms and really immerse their audience.
Virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular at events around the world. Once reserved for tech events and tradeshows, VR is now a buzzworthy feature at the Sundance Film Festival and Coachella, where retailers are using technology to bring in new customers. To give people the invitation-only backstage experience, luxury fashion house Dior, created its own virtual reality headset. VR googles, can be strapped on or held against oneâs eyes have already made a debut in the market, however more advanced models like Facebookâs Oculus Rift headset is set to arrive in early 2016.
Virtual realityâs appearance at this yearâs Comic Con is apt for movies based on a fantasy role-playing series thatâs widely popular in the gaming industry. World of Warcraft, happens to be the highest-grossing game of all time, thanks to Warcraft fanatics, who are able to live a VR life through customizable avatars paying $15 a month to do so.
In March 2015, the total number of subscribers for Warcraft reached 7.1 million.
Itâs not the first time that virtual reality has made an appearance at Comic Con. In 2014, Legendary collaborated with del Toro to create a 3-minute VR experience that puts wearers of Oculus Rift headset into the helmet of a massive manned robot. The stint was a promotion for del Toroâs movie âPacific Rimâ that came out in July 2014. For Legendary, using cutting-edge technologies such as Virtual Reality have become an inexorable element of filmmaking . The studio that recently turned 10 years old, was founded by Thomas Tull, who personally invested in Oculus Rift and Florida-based startup Magic Leap. Legendary is best known for the Batman Trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, 300 and the recently released Jurassic Park.
There are no words to describe how bodauiocs this is.