VFX Spectacle ‘Ramayana’ Adaptation with $500 Million Production Budget to Be Released by Sony

If Christopher Nolan can adapt an ancient Greek epic poem in “The Odyssey” and make it a hit, then surely there’s a massive audience for an adaptation of the Hindu epic poem the Ramayana. And let’s hope so, because Namit Malhotra’s “Ramayana” may be one of the most expensive movies ever made, with the visual effects spectacle carrying a $500 million production budget. The Indian-based Prime Focus Studios, which was founded by the CEO of the VFX giant DNEG, showed off some of the footage from “Ramayana” at San Diego Comic Con on Thursday, and it was revealed that Sony Pictures will distribute the film worldwide outside of India. “Ramayana” is a fantasy action-adventure saga directed by Nitesh Tiwari, it stars South Asian megastars Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, and Sai Pallavi. The film is based on the Sanskrit verse by the sage Valmiki, and it’s the traditional fable of how the hero and heir to the throne Rama is banished to the forest and then must rescue his wife Sita from the demon Ravana. Even beyond something like “The Odyssey,” it’s a widely held story in Hindu tradition and the subject of major Indian festivals. We first saw footage from it in 3-D at CinemaCon back in April. The film is made to be a special effects explosion of color and otherworldly spectacle all presented on a massive scale. Malhotra’s DNEG has won eight Oscars for VFX work on films like the “Dune” franchise, “Interstellar,” “First Man,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Ex Machina,” and it also worked on “The Odyssey,” so the pedigree for something spectacular is there. At the time of its CinemaCon presentation, the film was meant to be presented in two parts, but no plans about Part 2 have been announced. Official release date plans have not been set but the first film is being timed to be released around Diwali 2026. ‘Ramayana’Prime Focus Studios The film has been conceived to be released internationally in multiple languages and will include a premium English-language version. “Ramayana” also has action choreography by Terry Notary and Guy Norris and production design by Ramsey Avery and Ravi Bansal, and music by legends Hans Zimmer and A.R. Rahman. “Ramayana” is produced by Malhotra through Prime Focus Studios. “For generations, the Ramayana has inspired people through its timeless humanity and enduring values. Our ambition has always been to honor that legacy while creating a cinematic experience worthy of audiences everywhere,” Malhotra said in a statement. “Through DNEG, we have spent decades helping filmmakers realize some of the world’s most ambitious cinematic visions. With Prime Focus Studios, we are now bringing that same commitment to storytelling to one of the world’s greatest epics. Collaborating with Sony Pictures gives ‘Ramayana’ an extraordinary opportunity to connect with international audiences and introduce this timeless story to moviegoers around the world.” Sony of course just made massive LA news with this week’s announcement that it would lead the charge to reopen the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, and though that won’t be ready to reopen until 2028, we wouldn’t be surprised if something on this scale could be right at home on that screen.