How the Film Industry Uses 3D Printing Technology – 10 Movies That Used 3D Printing

We all see characters, objects, costumes, etc. in our favorite films. complexes that have the role of amplifying the scene, bringing it ever closer to reality, but also arousing the interest of the public.

Have you ever wondered how Hollywood studios and creative studios make props for movies? How do you build those realistic gadgets and hand swords? What is the most innovative technology around for creating complex and amazing designs quickly and cost-effectively?

We have the answer right in front of us, 3D printing technology has an ever-increasing contribution to the development of Hollywood films, which is why we thought we would introduce you to some of the films that have successfully used 3D printing technology.

If you’ve landed on our website, you probably already have an idea of ​​what 3D printing entails. But if you don’t know, we’ll give you a short introduction.

A 3D model can either be digitally designed on a computer or scanned from a physical object, which is then brought to life through the fascinating world of 3D printing. In recent years, this technology has grown in leaps and bounds. The advancements have not only made 3D printers more innovative but have also expanded the range of materials and finishes available. This progress has opened doors to creating larger and more intricate designs that were once unimaginable. Today, let’s take a closer look at some groundbreaking cinematic projects made possible by 3D printing technology. These are creations you’ve likely marveled at on screen but might not have realized had their roots in this cutting-edge craft. How were these mesmerizing visual elements brought to life, and what made them a reality? Let’s dive in and uncover the magic behind the process.

1. Ocean’s 8

The film Ocean’s 8 is perhaps the most representative of the 3D printing process, following the exact steps to reproduce the Cartier necklace, scan it and then 3D print it.

One of the latest films in the Hollywood Heist series, which recently made its UK debut with a 3D printer in the starring role.

According to the plan, one MakerBot Replicator Z18 perfectly creates a Cartier diamond necklace that convinces Anne Hathaway (Daphne Kluger in the film) that it is real.

If you haven’t seen the film yet, don’t forget to do so, until then you have a trailer below!

2. Black Panther

Marvel’s latest superhero film, Black Panther, amazes us with the complexity of the scenes and the outline of the characters with the help of a significant support of African tradition.

Ruth E. Carter’s costumes took center stage.

To bring to life his costumes that combined traditional African designs with the futuristic elements of Wakandan civilization, Carter turned to Julia Koerner to collaborate on the cutting-edge costumes for Queen Ramonda. Julia Koerner is an interdisciplinary designer with experience in architecture, industrial design and fashion and specializes in 3D printed media.

Together they managed to create true masterpieces based on 3D printing.

“I am inspired by nature, its patterns and structures. The processes of organic growth and synthetic manufacturing have an incredible commitment to contrast, which I find attractive. Additive manufacturing is certainly the only technique for making the designs I develop on the computer emerge in their organic form, patterns and intricate geometries often test both the computational capacity of my tools and the manufacturing companies I work with. I always push the envelope and see what hasn’t been done yet and am eager to create something new”, explains Julia Koerner.

3. Iron Man 2

If you’ve seen «Iron Man 2,» you’ve seen 3D printing in action at a very high level.

When directors Jon Favreau and Paramount Pictures made the film in 2010, they had to figure out the best way to put together a physical Iron Man suit for certain scenes in the film that they could not be computer generated.

Instead of building models by hand, as has long been practiced in Hollywood, producers turned to 3D printing, one of the hottest technologies around.

Although not a widely discussed technique outside the industry, 3D printing is increasingly being adopted as a way to make films more efficiently and faster than ever beforeaccording to Jason Lopes, systems engineer at Legacy Effects, an Oscar-nominated effects studio.

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Hela, the Asgardian goddess of death, has perhaps the most striking costume in the film.

A spiky hairstyle that exudes darkness, the studio responsible for its creation – Ironhead Studios – showed off the piece being 3D printed at DesignerCon in Pasadena, California.

The complete piece, once assembled, weighs just 1.8 kilograms, which is much lighter than it appears in the film and even in real life.

5. Ghost in the shell

Wanting to specialize as a texture painter and also passionate about 3D modeling, the interesting materials and intricate shapes of the beautiful geishas in Weta Digital’s Ghost in the Shell proved to be a perfect challenge for Rafael. To duplicate them as much as possible, he referenced concept art and Youtube videos of the real geisha head built by Weta. To personalize them, he added intricate Yakuza-style tattoos.

Geishas were actually very detailed masks built to fit the faces of real life actors. Weta also created several animatronic versions of the geisha’s heads and bodies, with functioning internal gears and functioning cybernetic organs.

The animatronics and masks were crafted using a mix of 3D printing, CNC machining, and traditional vintage modeling techniques. Each mask was custom–designed to perfectly fit the actor’s head through precise 3D facial scans. To ensure comfort, hidden vents were seamlessly integrated into the geisha’s hair and eyes, allowing for discreet airflow. Major’s «Thermoptical» suit was also created utilizing advanced 3D printing methods, which were based on a detailed 3D scan of Scarlett Johansson, the film’s lead actress. This intricate construction involved assembling between 300 and 400 individual components, each meticulously finished. Various 3D printing technologies and materials were employed, including clear satin and black resin printed with a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer. Nylon was used to 3D print the lungs through a selective laser sintering (SLS) process, while steel was chosen to fabricate the joints and reinforcements, providing the skeleton with added strength and stability.

6. Mad Max: Road Fury

Mad Max: Road Fury appeared in 2015 successfully continued the Mad Max film series, this time with Tom Hardy.

Despite coming out decades after Miller concluded the first Mad Max trilogy with “Beyond Thunderdome,” Fury Road proved that the director could still make an action film like no other.

Fury Road earned 10 Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture and one for Best Costume Design.

The costumes perfectly outline the characters and transport you to that world, where only the fight for survival is everyone’s goal.

One of the most impactful costumes in this film is that of Joe, the relentless and nightmarish ruler of the Wasteland. He has carefully cultivated an image that portrays him as a god to the people who depend on him for survival, and he uses this image to surround himself with devoted followers so desperate that they are virtually powerless against him. Joe’s tooth-decorated breathing mask, which looks so terrifying it’s inhuman, was designed using 3D laser printing (SLS), capable of a higher level of detail than FDM 3D printers or SLAs that could ever be achieved.

Using an SLS 3D printer, the final parts have no visible crush marks and require very little post-processing work; however, the lack of defects in the final model is obviously due to excellent 3D modeling skills and a lot of hard work

7. Star Wars

3D printing clearly played a huge role in the production of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, being used to create special effects, costumes, props and even sets. At this point, 3D technology is just one of the many tools Hollywood uses to create its magic, and in the case of Force Awakens it was used to recreate the magic of a different cinematic era.

8. Chappie

Foffers of science many incredibly detailed robot fight scenes. How did they manage to create such detailed robots and film the destruction of these machines? 3D Printing! So, despite the fact that 3D printing was little discussed in the film, it played an incredibly important role in the entire film. 

Weta Workshop, a company based in Miramar, New Zealand and renowned for its work in trilogies “The Lord of the Rings” AND “Hobbits”worked directly with Image Engine in Vancouver to not only prototype these extremely large props, but also to 3D print the actual robots used in the film. Unlike many films produced today, which rely solely on sophisticated computer graphics, Weta Workshop and Image Engine wanted Chappie and Moose (another robot in the film) to be 100% real.