History Main / SpecialEffectsEvolution

[[caption-width-right:350:From StopMotion, to {{Cosplay}}, to [[ComputerGeneratedImages Zeroes and Ones]], he's come a long way.[[note]]Left: ''Film/KingKong1933''. Center: ''Film/KingKong1976''. Right: ''Film/KingKong2005'' [[/note]]]]

* In the Franchise/{{DCAU}} and [[WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies similar DC Comics adaptations]], the use of conspicuous CGI backgrounds and vehicles has continued, but is done much better nowadays. Compare the Batwing in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanAndMisterFreezeSubZero'' to the Batwing in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanUnderTheRedHood''.

* The effects of ''Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs'' and its sequels have gone through a spectacular evolution beginning from 1999 to 2005. While very good for their time, the effects in the original series have aged quite a bit, and the closeups of the CGI dinosaurs looked particularly odd, which is why the bulk of these closeup shots were realized using [[PracticalEffects animatronics]]. The computer graphics of the series had advanced so much by the time ''Series/WalkingWithMonsters'' was released, that even CGI closeups looked magnificently lifelike.

* ''Series/TheBalladOfBigAl'': When compared to [[Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs the original series]], the dinosaur models are more detailed, the puppets are more convincing, and most notably the shots are far more dynamic with a lot of camera movement, something the original series was keen to avoid. There's also a lot less use of composited bushes and shrubs to hide foot contacts.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels and the re-mastered originals in comparison to the films from TheSeventies and TheEighties. So... much SceneryPorn. (Though that is not always the case.)
** The lightsabers represent one ​change that occurred within the original trilogy. In ''Film/ANewHope'', the lightsaber effect was partially done ​practically. A spinning rod covered in reflective material served as the blade on set, with an animated blade painted on top of it in post-production. For ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', it was decided that the post-production animated blade was enough, and the complicated practical effect was dropped for the rest of the series.

The inevitable fact that, as franchises go on, they will be given a special effects (very often, CGI) upgrade to compete with the times. Justified in the fact that many of today's sequels are of series from the 1980s or 1990s, where then-new CGI was often ditched in favor of actual explosions and stunts, and CGI is much safer (and cheaper) than, say, blowing up an entire office building. Often results in TheyChangedItNowItSucks if the CGI is [[SpecialEffectsFailure poor or merely jarring]].

* When the Pillsbury Doughboy debuted in 1965, he was, of course, created with stop-motion animation. He's been CGI since 1992.

* ''Anime/TransformersEnergon'' had some well-modeled but pitifully primitively animated cel-shaded CGI. The "sorta sequel" ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' ditched the cel-shaded look, but the animation was a definite step-up, especially the great looking and dynamic StockFootage shots (in ''Energon'', when a scene had to look good, they'd at times switch back to hand-drawn animation). Although both of the shows suffered heavily from DullSurprise.

* The ''Film/JamesBond'' series makes pretty good viewing to see how far special effects have come since 1962. Although ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' actually cut ''back'' on CGI.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' is ''made'' of this trope. It ends up being something of a microcosm for the BBC as a whole, with its style slowly developing from 'televised theatre' to 'cinematic'.

* {{Tokusatsu}} is an obvious example, given that the genre as such (primarily ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' and the ''Franchise/KamenRider'' franchise) have been around since the 1970s. Of course, evolution can be found on the small scale too: compare the transformation effects in 2000's ''Series/KamenRiderKuuga'' to the giant monster versus CoolTrain battles in 2007's ''Series/KamenRiderDenO''.

** Speaking of new looks for the same tricks, there's a ''world'' of difference between mecha and vehicle action between now and the old days. Used to be, heroes' vehicles vs. enemy air/tank force would be the same three or four swooping movements on either side put together different ways. Villain air and tank forces then largely disappeared for ages. Then the moth-vehicles in ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'' arrived. Thanks to the wonders of modern CGI, they can do a lot more than such forces could ever do before. Of course, it happened a lot faster for American fans, where the special effects were a bit spiffier. The three-or-four-motion plane fights in ''Series/VRTroopers'' and ''Series/{{Beetleborgs}}'' give way to ''Franchise/StarWars'' class dogfighting in ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace''.

* ''Series/TheMandalorian'': Grogu/"The Child" is a bit of a subversion in that Creator/JonFavreau was tempted to use CGI instead of an animatronic puppet, but was eventually convinced to go with the puppet by Creator/WernerHerzog, of all people. The puppet itself is a pinnacle in its field, costing the hefty sum of $5 million to build, and it is way more advanced than similar creatures it's been compared to such as Gizmo from ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', itself a more advanced version than that of the [[Film/{{Gremlins}} first film]].

[[caption-width-right:350:From StopMotion, to {{Cosplay}}, to [[ComputersSpeakBinary Zeroes and Ones]], he's come a long way.[[note]]Left: ''Film/KingKong1933''. Center: ''Film/KingKong1976''. Right: ''Film/KingKong2005'' [[/note]]]]