Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi
Reigniting Childhood Memories and Introducing the Next Generation
Project Overview
Built in the middle of the island of Abu Dhabi, WB World is an indoor theme park that provides entertainment to all ages through rides and attractions inspired by characters from Hanna Barbera, DC Comics, and Looney Tunes.
When Warner Brothers Studios needed to reignite childhood memories and introduce the next generation in the United Arab Emirates to beloved characters, LF Studios answered the call to bring to life over 100 animatronics in the new park.
Design Approach
Many of the beloved cartoon characters were being realized three-dimensionally for the first time. To successfully translate the figures from screen to animatronic, we established and maintained the varied styles inherent in each IP. Different sculpt and surface finishing techniques were developed for each IP to assure that their styles maintained their signature appearance from the different eras of animation.
What We Built
The cast of animatronic figures reflecting the styles of Hanna Barbera, DC Comics and Looney Tunes figures were fabricated to bring smiles to even the most nostalgic visitor. We created a process to coordinate two types of design buyoffs, including creative approvals for performance and aesthetics (such as the sculpt and finish) and comprehension of the technical aspects of integrating into the existing setwork.
Because WB World was located in another part of the world, LF Studios diligently considered the set’s scale, utilities, and future installation logistics through every step of the build to ensure successful assembly and maintenance. Digital models, texture samples, paint samples, movement profiles and a variety of other design details were shared between vendors on the project to assure that each figure perfectly dropped into place and looked “at home.”
Our Breakthrough
LF Studios used an extensive digital pre-visualization process to explore and communicate different ways to preserve the expected performance of the screen characters while hiding the seams in their surfaces necessary in their animatronic forms. This pre-visualization enabled the designers, IP owners, stakeholders, and other vendors on the project to align technical and creative details prior to beginning fabrication.
Results
Warner Brothers Abu Dhabi has reminded millions of visitors of some of their favorite childhood memories while expanding the brands to a new generation of audiences.
