Video: See how VFX studio Image Engine animated Drogon in Game of Thrones season 7

Game of Thrones is the most special effects-heavy TV show ever created, and it’s only gotten more complicated as time has gone on. Several special studios worked on different parts of season 7. Now, one of those studios — Image Engine — has released a new reel showing off its work bringing Drogon the dragon to life. Check it out:

Image Engine includes a lot of interesting supplementary material there. Beyond what we usually get in these reels — before-and-after side-by-sides of the special effects shots, wireframe versions of Drogon flying through the sky — they give us some of the references they used when envisioning the dragon, including an eagle and a bat. We also get glimpses of the concept art in the loot train attack, with full-color images of Drogon roasting the Lannister soldiers to a crisp.

Some of those images would be great as prints. Just saying, HBO.

Game of Thrones season 8 won’t be out for over a year. Although the dragons have nearly doubled in size every season, we wouldn’t expect a repeat of that in season 8, since seasons 7 and 8 are basically parts 1 and 2 of a massive, two-part season. But however big they are, HBO will need all hands on deck to animate them, which means Image Engine could conceivably be working on new dragon shots right now.

I mean, can you imagine how much it would cost to animate Drogon and Zombie Viserion going at each other? Good thing HBO is so flush.

Next: Emilia Clarke: “Multiple endings” have been written for Game of Thrones season 8

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