Tarik Afifi

Tarik Afifi’s name might not ring out like the leading stars, but if you’re even remotely into modern sci-fi blockbusters, you’ve seen his fingerprints all over the place. Let’s be real—having Dune (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024), and Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) on your resume? That’s the kind of stuff that makes nerds and cinephiles do a double take. If you caught the sweeping desert landscapes of Dune or got lost in the galaxy far, far away, chances are Afifi had a hand in pulling you in. He’s one of those behind-the-scenes wizards—think visual effects, production know-how, all the gritty technical magic that makes these epics actually, well, epic. Not some flashy red carpet regular, but the sort who makes the fantasy worlds feel like they could actually exist. Dune’s worm-ridden wastelands? That uneasy, futuristic mood? Yeah, that’s where his expertise shines. And don’t even get started on Star Wars: Episode IX—whether you loved it, hated it, or just enjoyed the ride, it’s a visual feast and Afifi definitely helped cook it up. Honestly, it’s wild how films like these get made. We’re talking thousands of moving parts, armies of artists and techies, so having someone like Afifi, who’s got experience wrangling such chaos, is pretty crucial. He’s not the headline, but he’s absolutely essential to the magic—kind of like the bass player in a band: you might not notice him right away, but take him out and everything falls flat.