Special Effects: According to Variety, Cinesite Europe has brokered deals with Warner Bros. and Paramount to create visual effects sequences for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Sahara and What's It All About, Alfie?.

London-based shop had previously landed Disney's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for which it will create 300 shots, and Fox's Alien vs. Predator. It is completing 500 shots for Disney's King Arthur, which Jerry Bruckheimer is producing.

It's unclear just how many f/xf/x shots Cinesite will create for the new slate of pics, but tentpoles "Chocolate Factory" and "Goblet of Fire," which are ramping up production, and "Sahara," which is already filming, are considered large, effects-heavy productions, with each requiring hundreds of shots. The remake of "Alfie" is a much smaller project effects-wise.

Pics will require Cinesite to create 3-D sequences and models.

Cinesite recently completed extensive compositing and animation work for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Phantom Of The Opera and Troy.
Company's physical effects subsid Effects Associates, based at Pinewood Studios, recently worked on Thunderbirds, Hellboy and Wimbledon.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released July 15th, 2005 and stars Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Pyle, James Fox, Deep Roy. The film is directed by Tim Burton.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released November 18th, 2005 and stars Eric Sykes, Timothy Spall, David Tennant, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Mark Williams, James Phelps. The film is directed by Mike Newell.

Sahara was released April 8th, 2005 and stars Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penélope Cruz, William H. Macy, Rainn Wilson, Delroy Lindo, Lambert Wilson, Lennie James. The film is directed by Breck Eisner.