A breakdown of the digi-double visual effects used inDavid Fincher’sThe Killerhas been released. Posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) byWylie Co. VFX, the short clip reveals how Fincher managed to use reference photos andphotogrammetryto achieve an otherwise impossible-to-film scene. The clip is just one of several break-downs expected to be released in the coming weeks.
In the clip, which clocks in at just under a minute-and-a-half,Wylie Co. VFX CEO Jacob Maymudesexplains why digital effects were necessary in the film. “The original plan to shoot these shots on a virtual stage didn’t live up to what Fincher had envisioned,” Maymudes, whose company is known for their work on films and series such asDune: Part 1and2,The Marvels,The Last of Us, andExtraction 2, says. Approached by creatorsEric Barba,Peter Mavromates, and Fincher, the company was to “createclose-up, photoreal digi-double shotsofMichael Fassbenderriding a scooter.” These shots would need to “seamlessly cut back-to-back between live-actionshots of The Killer on set.” To add extra complexity to the already difficult task, very few reference photos were available, andno HDRIs(High Dynamic Range Image) or “usable array footage” existed.
Maymudes explained that although complex, his team were able to achieve a realistic scene focusing onone detail at a time. To begin with, the team focused on theKiller character himself(Fassbender), creating the fine facial detail beneath his helmet before moving on to cloth simulations. In the clip, it is shown howeach layerwas created this way, focusing at first on the basic face shape before adding finer details such as pupils and eyelashes, then skin tone. Creating the lighting andchecking theLook Devwas also completed once the facial details were finalised.
How Was Photogrammatery Used in The Killer?
Photogrammetrywas revealed to be a key component of achieving “theultimate goal of nobody noticing.” Once the character and scooter were created, the team used the process ofcreating 3D digital models from overlapping photographsof an object or structure to ensure the digital Fassbender was travelling at the correct speed to match the cascading streetlights he was travelling past. This is most evident in the clip with the close-ups of thelights reflected on his helmet, as well as the wheels and front handlebars of the scooter. It is also clear to see in the way the scooter’s headlamps meet the pavement and hit the buildings and other vehicles, particularly as Fassbender rounds corners. Byusing photogrammetry, the team were able tosuccessfully cut the “nearly full” high-resolution CG shots into the live-action sequence.
Originally released at theVenice International Film Festivalin September before moving toNetflix on August 17, 2025,The Killeris anaction-thrillerbased onAlexis ‘Matz’ Nolent’s graphic novels of the same name. The film focuses on an assassin (Fassbender) who must evade authorities after mistakenly taking out the wrong target. Directed by Fincher, the film stars Fassbender,Arliss Howard,Tilda Swinton,Charles Parnell,Sophie Charlotte,Kerry O’Malley, andSala Baker.
The Killeris currently streaming on Netflix. You can check out the official trailer below:
The Killer
A professional hitman’s world spirals out of control after a mission fails, thrusting him into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Forced to confront his own vulnerabilities, he navigates a maze of betrayal and danger to stay alive.
Watch on Netflix
