Grant McCune Star Wars Visual Effects Genius Has Died

Grant McCune The Effects Genius That Brought us R2D2 in Star wars Has Died

It's a sad day for the Rebel Alliance and Star Wars fans everywhere.

Grant McCune, the visual effects artist who brought such iconic characters as R2-D2 to life for 1977's Star Wars movie franchise has died from pancreatic cancer. He was 67.

McCune, who also appeared in Star Wars A new Hope as a Death Star gunner, won an Oscar for his work as part of George Lucas' visual effects team, an acheivement that sparked a several decade long career as one of Hollywood's top visual effects designers.

He earned a second Academy Award nomination for his work on 1980's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and went on to handle the visuals for blockbusters like Speed, Batman Forever and Spider-Man.

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