Archives: News

A New Chapter: Prime Focus DI and Advertising Move Under ReDefine Asia

Prime Focus Group is entering the next chapter of its evolution with a stronger, clearer structure for our creative businesses across Asia.

We are pleased to announce that Prime Focus DI and Advertising are now part of ReDefine Asia.

This alignment brings our DI and Advertising capabilities alongside ReDefine’s growing creative services across Asia, offering a unified presence in the region for filmmakers, studios and brand storytellers.

We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to delivering even more powerful storytelling experiences together. Thank you to our talented teams and partners who continue to help us shape the future of storytelling.

Prime Focus Limited Expands Board and Appoints New CFO

Ms. Shalini Govil-Pai appointed as Independent Director

Mr. Nishant Fadia appointed as Non-Executive Director

Mr. Vikas Rathee appointed as Chief Financial Officer

Prime Focus Limited (BSE: 532748/ NSE: PFOCUS – ‘the Company’), the world’s largest independent integrated media services powerhouse, today announced the appointment of a new Independent Board Director, Non-Executive Director, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), to support the next phase of its growth.

As the entertainment industry enters a new era defined by technological disruption and fundamental changes to the ways in which content is created and consumed by global audiences, Prime Focus Limited continues to strengthen its leadership position by bolstering its world-class creative, production and technology capabilities, accelerating innovation across its content and technology workflows, deepening its global studio partnerships, and building out a future-ready technology infrastructure.

The Prime Focus Limited Board (‘the Board’) has approved the appointment of Ms. Shalini Govil-Pai as Independent Director, effective November 12, 2025. Ms. Govil-Pai has a BS and MS in Computer Science and is a conferred Distinguished Alumni from IIT-Mumbai and Distinguished Engineer from Penn State. Ms. Govil-Pai is a respected thought-leader specialising in the scaling of businesses using digital technologies and is presently Vice President and General Manager of TV Platforms at Google.

The Board has also approved the appointment of Mr. Nishant Fadia as Non-Executive Director. Mr. Fadia has stepped down from his position as CFO of the Company with effect from close of business hours on November 12, 2025, to join the Board as Non-Executive Director effective November 13, 2025. Mr. Fadia is a CA and CPA by qualification and has been with the Company for more than 25 years. During that time, he has held diverse and critical roles across finance, corporate strategy, investor relations, and business operations, including taking the Company public in 2006.

The Board has appointed Mr. Vikas Rathee to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective November 13, 2025. Mr. Rathee will also continue to serve as the CFO of DNEG, the principal operating subsidiary of the Company. Mr. Rathee is a distinguished alumnus of R.H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, and Delhi Institute of Technology, Delhi University. Mr. Rathee has also previously served as the CFO of the Company from August 1, 2014 until February 14, 2018 and has been associated with the Group for the past 12 years. Prior to that Mr. Rathee was Head, Global Corporate Finance and M&A for Suzlon Energy Limited.

As part of the above changes, Co-founder and Non-Executive Director Mr. Merzin Tavaria has tendered his resignation from the Board of the Company, effective November 12, 2025. Mr. Tavaria will continue to serve as President, Global Production and Operations of DNEG India Media Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Company. The Board expresses its deep gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Tavaria for his valued guidance and significant contributions during his tenure on the Board.

Prime Focus Limited Founder and Non-Executive Director, Namit Malhotra, said, “As we stand at the cusp of a technological revolution that is changing the way content is created and consumed, we continue to position our Company to be at the vanguard of this transformation. I’m pleased to welcome our new Board member, Ms. Shalini Govil-Pai, and to congratulate Mr. Nishant Fadia on his new Board position, and Mr. Vikas Rathee on his appointment as CFO. These appointments further strengthen the leadership and governance of our Company as we continue to empower our clients and partners with new ways to create and produce standout global content.”

CoComelon: The Movie Coming to Theatres in February 2027

Produced by Prime Focus Studios, Moonbug Entertainment, Flywheel Media, and DreamWorks Animation, with animation by the DNEG Group, CoComelon: The Movie brings one of the world’s most beloved children’s series to the big screen for the first time.

The CG animated adventure invites audiences to follow JJ and his friends on a brand-new musical journey full of heart, laughter, and discovery.

CoComelon has become a global phenomenon, inspiring millions of families around the world through its fun, music-filled storytelling.

Prime Focus Group is proud to help bring this heartwarming story to life for families everywhere. CoComelon: The Movie will be released globally on February 26, 2027.

Read more about it in Variety.

The Angry Birds Soar Back to the Big Screen in December 2026

MrBeast, Salish Matter, and Smosh join the cast as the Angry Birds return to the big screen.

Paramount Pictures has announced that The Angry Birds Movie 3 will now be landing in theatres worldwide on December 23, 2026, moving up from its previous release date.

Prime Focus Studios is producing alongside Rovio, SEGA, Flywheel Media, One Cool Group, and dentsu, and our DNEG Animation team is onboard as the animation partner for this exciting third film in the franchise, which sees our teams handling storyboards, art development, and animation for Red and Chuck’s return to the big screen.

This milestone project underlines the Prime Focus Group’s expanding role in global entertainment content creation, combining world-class production expertise with cutting-edge animation.

Joining the adventure are new voice cast members MrBeast and Salish Matter, along with Smosh’s Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, who return to reprise their fan-favourite roles. They join an already star-studded lineup that includes Jason Sudeikis as Red, Josh Gad as Chuck, Rachel Bloom as Silver, Danny McBride as Bomb, and many more.

With new voices, fresh energy, and a festive release date, this third instalment promises to be bigger, bolder, and funnier than ever.

We can’t wait for audiences to join Red, Chuck, Bomb, and friends when the birds take flight this holiday season!

Read more about the news here – and watch the announcement teaser below:

 

Prime Focus’ ReDefine Wins First Emmy for The Penguin

Prime Focus is proud to celebrate a milestone achievement for ReDefine, one of its creative divisions. HBO’s The Penguin was honoured with the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Single Episode, marking ReDefine’s first Emmy win.

ReDefine’s global teams, led by its Barcelona-based supervisory team, delivered 277 shots across 58 sequences for 6 of the 8 episodes of the acclaimed series, which stars Colin Farrell in the title role. The work included complex 3D simulations, including a dramatic car bomb explosion that created a massive sinkhole with detailed fire, smoke, and debris, bringing Gotham City’s dark and gritty world vividly to life.

Adrien Saint Girons, VFX Supervisor at ReDefine, accepted the award at the ceremony, alongside his fellow nominees. Congratulations also to VFX Supervisor Carlos Miras Sepulveda, VFX Producer Julie Kubbillun, and the global ReDefine teams whose creativity and dedication made this recognition possible.

As part of the Prime Focus Group, ReDefine continues to unleash the potential in every story, pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling and transforming imaginative ideas into unforgettable experiences.

Want to see how ReDefine brought Gotham to life?

Watch the VFX Breakdown here.

 

Namit Malhotra Discusses ‘Ramayana’ With LA Times

Prime Focus Founder Namit Malhotra recently spoke with the LA Times to give an exclusive interview about his vision for upcoming production Ramayana.

Discussing the scale and ambition of this historic production, Namit shared insights on how he is reimagining the timeless story of Rama and Ravana as a bold new cinematic universe for a global audience.

To hear more from Namit, director Nitesh Tiwari, and IMAX Chief Executive Richard Gelfond, read the full interview here.

See the first look at Ramayana below!

 

The Prime Focus Group unveils the first chapter of Namit Malhotra’s cinematic vision for Ramayana

The timeless story of Rama and Ravana has inspired generations across the world. Now, that story is being reimagined as a bold, cinematic universe for a global audience.

Ramayana: The Introduction marks the first glimpse of Namit Malhotra’s ambitious two-part live-action epic, produced by Prime Focus Studios in collaboration with Yash’s Monster Mind Creations. Filmed for IMAX and crafted for a worldwide audience, Ramayana will unfold across two chapters, with Part 1 slated for release in 2026 and Part 2 to follow in 2027.

Helmed by filmmaker and producer Namit Malhotra, the two-part series is directed by National Award-winning Nitesh Tiwari, and the stellar cast includes Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Sita, Sunny Deol as Hanuman, and Ravie Dubey as Lakshman. Supporting the performances is an extraordinary crew. For the first time ever, Hans Zimmer and A. R. Rahman have joined forces to create a powerful original score. Action choreography is led by Terry Notary and Guy Norris, and the world of ancient India is being brought to life through stunning production design by Ravi Bansal and Ramsey Avery.

Watch the first glimpse here:

 

At the heart of this cinematic undertaking is the combined strength of the Prime Focus Group. Prime Focus Studios leads as producer, building the foundations of the universe. DNEG and ReDefine bring their visual storytelling expertise to the screen as VFX partners and Brahma AI supports the production through real-time virtual workflows and cutting-edge AI research. Together, these creative and technological forces are shaping a film that honours the legacy of Ramayana while setting new benchmarks in cinematic storytelling.

Producer Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus and CEO of DNEG, shared:

“This is a cultural movement for every Indian around the world. With Ramayana, we’re not just retelling history; we’re introducing our legacy to the world. Bringing together the finest global talent allows us to tell this story with authenticity, emotion, and state-of-the-art cinematic innovation. We’ve seen Ramayana portrayed before — but this version reimagines its landscapes, creatures, and battles with the scale and splendour they deserve. As Indians, this is our truth. Now, it will be our gift to the world.“

Rooted in mythology and driven by collaboration, Ramayana signals the beginning of a new creative era for Indian cinema – one that is built to resonate across borders, generations, and screens worldwide.

Prime Focus Group and the Government of Maharashtra strike deal to develop a new global entertainment destination in Mumbai.

Prime Focus Group, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, announced today that it intends to develop a new global entertainment destination at the heart of India’s filmmaking industry in Mumbai.

The announcement outlines an investment of 3000crs (approximately $400m USD) in the development of a new entertainment ecosystem, creating a unique destination for content creators, tourists, and fans of entertainment from all over the world, and creating thousands of highly skilled jobs in the region.

The facilities proposed for the new site include:

• world-class production studios to facilitate high-end content creation, supported by a state-of-the-art digital infrastructure
• creation of a worldwide entertainment destination, with live entertainment facilities, theme parks, and experience centres
• and lifestyle experiences, including shopping and dining destinations, top-flight hotels, housing, and more.

The Prime Focus Group already owns and operates one of Asia’s largest production facilities in Mumbai, including eight Hollywood-designed soundstages in a 200,000 square foot studio complex. The Group’s post-production facilities, including its DNEG Mumbai studio, are located nearby.

The Honourable Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra said:

“Growth, infrastructure development, and a sustainable future are all vital to the development of Maharashtra. As we continue to lead the way in massive infrastructure projects – including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, the coastal road, and the Vadhvan Port – I am glad to add the creation of this next-generation entertainment hub to the list of projects that are transforming our state, keeping us at the forefront of India’s growth and development. I look forward to working with Prime Focus and DNEG to create a world-class production and tourism destination, securing Mumbai’s position as a filmmaking and entertainment centre of excellence.”

Prime Focus Group Founder Namit Malhotra said:

“My vision for this development, which is shared by the Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, is to honour the 100+ year legacy of our world-renowned movie industry by bringing together the combined might of the Prime Focus Group companies – including DNEG’s Oscar-winning creativity, Brahma’s AI technology, and Prime Focus Studios financing and production capabilities – to build the world’s most advanced and innovative centre of excellence for the creation of content, right at the heart of our filmmaking heritage, here in Mumbai.”

“Leveraging our country’s history of skilled craftsmanship and innovation, we are not just developing the world’s foremost content creation centre; we are also creating a destination that presents India’s culture, our history, and our capabilities to the world, with entertainment and lifestyle experiences that are second-to-none. This new site will be a best practice example of what India can deliver in technology, creativity, and entertainment, and will become a worldwide leisure destination, right at the heart of one of the world’s oldest filmmaking industries. We are bringing India to the world by bringing the world to India.”

Find out more in Variety.

‘Dune: Part Two’ wins the Oscar® for Visual Effects!

We’re thrilled to share that ‘Dune: Part Two’ has been honoured with the ‘Visual Effects’ Oscar^® at tonight’s 97th Academy Awards^® ceremony!

A massive congratulations to DNEG VFX Supervisors Stephen James and Rhys Salcombe – who accepted the award at the 97th Academy Award ceremony this evening alongside Paul Lambert (Production VFX Supervisor) and Gerd Nefzer (SFX Supervisor) – and to our incredibly talented team across the globe!

As lead VFX partner on Dune: Part Two, we were proud to deliver close to 1,000 VFX shots across the film. Building on the success of our Academy Award-winning work on Dune: Part One, our global teams meticulously crafted FX sequences with complex sand and pyro sims, large-scale CG environments, massive crowds, and detailed creature animation – from giant Sandworms down to tiny desert mice!

Namit Malhotra, Founder and CEO of the DNEG Group, 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.”

DNEG VFX Supervisor for Dune: Part Two Rhys Salcombe added:

“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.”

And Stephen James, DNEG VFX Supervisor for Dune: Part Two, said:

“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.”

This marks the eighth time DNEG has been honoured with the Academy Award^® for Best VFX since 2011, and our third win for a Denis Villeneuve film, following previous wins for Dune: Part One (2022) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). Other DNEG Academy Award^® wins include: Tenet (2021), First Man (2019), Ex Machina (2016), Interstellar (2015) and Inception (2011).

The Oscar^® win follows DNEG’s success at the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards, where our 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’.

Huge congratulations to our global, award-winning ‘Dune: Part Two’ crew!

Brahma, a global AI and content technology company created by the DNEG Group, announced today the acquisition of Metaphysic, a leading developer of AI content creation technologies.

The acquisition will accelerate the development of Brahma’s AI-powered products for enterprise, IP rights-holders, and content creators across industries, empowering them to create the highest quality content at scale.

Brahma will develop foundational AI, data, and content workflow & management technologies as part of a comprehensive suite of AI-native products designed to create user-customized content across video, image, and audio.

Post transaction, Brahma’s global team will include more than 800 engineers and creative technologists, bringing together the award-winning innovation of the DNEG Group’s creative technology portfolio, including Ziva’s technology for the creation of digital human and character simulations (recently recognised with a 2025 SciTech Award by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences), with Metaphysic’s groundbreaking AI technology (recently honoured with a VES Award for Emerging Technology). This is combined with market-leading CLEAR^®’s purpose-built AI platform with its global client base, built over 8 years of research and development in content discovery, content creation, and content management.

Brahma’s executive management team comprises strong and experienced technology leaders headed by Executive Chairman Prabhu Narasimhan; Founder and CEO of the DNEG Group Namit Malhotra, who continues as interim CEO of Brahma; and Metaphysic CEO Thomas Graham, who also serves as President of Brahma. Upon integration of Metaphysic with Brahma’s technology and team, Thomas Graham will transition to become CEO of Brahma.

Other members of the Brahma executive leadership team include: Prime Focus Technologies CEO & Cofounder Ramki Sankaranarayanan, who will also serve as the President of CLEAR^®; DNEG Group CTO Paul Salvini, who will also serve as CTO of Brahma; and Ziva Director of Character Tools and Workflows Crawford Doran, who becomes Vice President of Ziva.

Prabhu Narasimhan, Executive Chairman, Brahma said: “With Brahma, we are taking DNEG’s multiple Academy Award^®-winning visual effects and animation toolsets and marrying them with the incredible power of generative AI to create a suite of AI content products, including what we believe will be the industry’s leading photorealistic AI video creator. I am excited to take Brahma from a niche user base focused on high-end movie and TV production to enterprise and content creators across every industry. If you have the imagination and a story to tell, we have the tools to bring your story to life faster, cheaper, and better.”

Thomas Graham, CEO of Metaphysic and President of Brahma added: “Brahma offers every business a strategy for generative AI content creation, from owning their data to delivering amazing, user-customized AI content across video, image, and audio. By bringing together the incredible teams at Brahma and Metaphysic, we can deliver an operating system for generative AI content that starts with securing your IP and ends with new revenue streams built on a suite of products that deliver Hollywood-quality content and experiences at unprecedented scale.”

Namit Malhotra, Founder and CEO of the DNEG Group and interim CEO of Brahma concluded: “Brahma’s acquisition of Metaphysic turbocharges the development of a truly game-changing suite of content creation and management products, fueled by the limitless potential of AI. IP rights holders and content creators across every sector—from media and entertainment, to retail, to healthcare, to education and beyond—will be empowered to create incredible content at a scale and fidelity that is currently reserved only for those with the highest budgets. Brahma will redefine how stories are told, through a platform that is purpose-built for the future of content creation.”