DNEG Adds Former Legendary Entertainment Exec Josh Jaggars as Group President, VFX and Stereo

LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DNEG, a leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studio for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content, announced Josh Jaggars as its new Group President, VFX and Stereo. Based out of DNEG’s Los Angeles studio, Jaggars will lead the global VFX and Stereo Conversion teams for the DNEG Group, comprising DNEG and its ReDefine division. He will report directly to DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra.

Jaggars brings more than 25 years of industry experience and expertise to the role. As part of DNEG’s senior executive team, he will oversee the company’s client relationships and its industry-leading team of VFX and Stereo supervisors, leveraging the company’s production and creative strengths to drive new business and further inspire dynamic new VFX approaches that elevate DNEG in the competitive marketplace.

The addition of Jaggars also bolsters DNEG’s leadership position as a modern-day content production powerhouse that is capitalizing on the surge in demand for high-quality VFX and content creation across streaming, feature film, and gaming content. As part of his remit, Jaggars will partner with filmmakers and content creators worldwide, forming and managing content creation partnerships and co-productions.

Jaggars joins DNEG from Legendary Entertainment, where he served as Senior Vice President, Visual Effects and Stereo Production since 2017. In this role, Jaggars’ credits include Dune, Godzilla vs. Kong, Enola Holmes, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Pokémon Detective Pikachu. Prior to that, Jaggars was VFX Producer at Warner Bros. with acclaimed work on Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League and Man of Steel. Additional VFX producer credits include Hancock, 2012 and Fast Five.

DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra said, “I am delighted to welcome Josh to our senior leadership team; his appointment is further evidence of the culture of excellence that we are building here at DNEG. I have had the pleasure of working with Josh for many years, including most recently on Dune, for which DNEG was the lead VFX partner. By bringing his experience and expertise to the leadership of DNEG’s world-class VFX and Stereo teams, Josh will further enhance our ability to bring together innovative technology and industry-leading creative talent to create award-winning work.”

“Furthermore, as we expand our horizons beyond VFX and animation to become a content creation partner to the industry, I am excited that Josh will be onboard to lead our creative engagement and provide new production solutions,” continued Malhotra. “His experience will be invaluable as DNEG continues to establish itself as a collaborator and co-producer with our partners.”

Jaggars said, “After many years as a freelance producer, and more recently as a studio executive, I am thrilled to be returning to my roots to take on this new challenge with Namit and the DNEG team. This is an incredibly exciting time for our industry with many new opportunities for ambitious and visionary companies such as DNEG, which is forging a path that elevates it beyond the traditional facility / vendor relationship.”

Talking about his new role, Jaggars continued: “DNEG presents an opportunity for me to remain at the forefront of VFX, technology, and creative endeavors, where I can help to build an amazing portfolio across multiple platforms. Namit’s vision, and the expansion of DNEG’s global footprint, exemplify how this company is transforming beyond a pure-play VFX offering to become a ‘next-level’ partner with content producers. DNEG has an incredible foundation with award-winning artists and visionaries. I look forward to expanding, innovating and furthering DNEG’s creative culture and commitment to our industry’s future.”

DNEG Industry Awards

DNEG’s VFX work has won:

• 6 Academy Awards^® (9 Nominations)
  • Best Visual Effects
  • Winners:
    • Tenet (2021)
    • First Man (2019)
    • Blade Runner 2049 (2018)
    • Ex Machina (2016)
    • Interstellar (2015)
    • Inception (2011)
• 6 BAFTA Awards (10 Nominations)
• 11 Visual Effects Society (VES) Awards (28 Nominations)
• 3 Primetime Emmy^® Awards (6 Nominations) 

DNEG announced in August that Novator Capital Advisers, LLP (Novator) has invested $250 million in subsidiaries of Prime Focus Limited, the parent company of DNEG. The Novator investment has allowed Prime Focus Founder Namit Malhotra to streamline the Group’s ownership structure, consolidate minority investments and position DNEG for future growth.

About DNEG

DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studios for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content. DNEG employs over 7,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver), Europe (London) and Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company six Academy Awards^® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime Emmy^® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Ghostbusters: Afterlife (November), The Matrix Resurrections (December), Uncharted (February 2022), Death on the Nile (February 2022), Moonfall (February 2022), Borderlands (2022), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2022), The Last of Us (2022), The Flash (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).

Contacts

Eric Becker

ICR for DNEG

(303) 638-3469

eric.becker@icrinc.com

Tony Bradley

DNEG

+44 207 268 5000

pr@dneg.com