Namit Malhotra, Founder of Prime Focus, CEO of DNEG, and producer of the upcoming film Ramayana, has won the Visual Effects Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards.
DNEG, a world-leading visual effects (VFX), animation, and creative technologies company for the creation of film, TV, and immersive content, was honoured with the Visual Effects Oscar for its work on Dune: Part Two at the 97th Academy Awards, which took place last night in Los Angeles.
DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe accepted the prestigious award alongside Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and Special Effects Supervisor Gerd Nefzer.
The Academy Awards® win is DNEG’s eighth Oscar® win since 2011. Prior to tonight’s win, DNEG has also been honoured with the Visual Effects Oscar® for its work on Dune: Part One (2022), Tenet (2021), First Man (2019), Blade Runner 2049 (2018), Ex Machina (2016), Interstellar (2015) and Inception (2011).
Namit Malhotra, DNEG Group Founder and CEO, said: “For our team to be honoured with this year’s Oscar® for Visual Effects for Dune: Part Two is an incredible achievement and another milestone in our journey. This recognition by the Academy - our eighth VFX Oscar® since 2011 - is another endorsement of the creative and technical leadership of our teams here at DNEG. My heartfelt thanks to Denis Villeneuve for his vision and leadership, and to Paul Lambert, Greig Fraser and other key members of the filmmaking team. Special thanks also to Mary Parent and the team at Legendary, and to everyone at Warner Bros. for once again giving us the opportunity to be a part of bringing this incredible story to the big screen. And huge congratulations and thanks to the thousands of DNEG artists, technicians and support staff around the world, who all share this honour.”
The Oscars win follows DNEG’s success at the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards, where its work on Dune: Part Two was honoured with the award for Special Visual Effects.
DNEG’s VFX work on Dune: Part Two was also honoured with four awards across multiple categories at the 23rd Annual Visual Effects Society Awards last month. Other recognition includes this year’s Critics Choice Award for Best Visual Effects, as well as awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Film Visual/Special Effects at the Hollywood Creative Alliance Astra Awards and the Saturn Awards respectively. The studio’s work was also honoured in the Visual Effects category at this year’s American Cinematheque ‘Tribute to the Crafts’.
This Oscar win, and the wide recognition of DNEG’s work on Dune: Part Two across the entire 2025 awards season, further cements the studio’s position as the go-to visual effects and animation partner for filmmakers worldwide.
Rhys Salcombe, VFX Supervisor for DNEG on Dune: Part Two, said: “I'm thrilled the team was able to take home the Oscar® for Visual Effects this year. It's a direct result of the passion and effort that went into the project and speaks to the skill and craft of the hundreds of artists and technicians around the world that contributed. This year's competition was particularly strong and I congratulate the other nominees for their outstanding work - it was an honour to be in your company.”
DNEG VFX Supervisor for Dune: Part Two, Stephen James, added: "I’d like to thank everyone that played a part in making this incredible film. Together, we were able to create visuals that not only pushed boundaries, but also profoundly connected with audiences. It has been the highlight of my career to work with such a talented and passionate team on Dune: Part Two, and to have those efforts recognised by the Academy is an incredible honour."
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