2010-2015[]
Nickname: The Front of the Sun
Logo: We start with a bright orange flash on one side of a giant letter. The camera zooms out to reveal the Sun and other letters floating in space, supported by metallic constructions. Then we move right and only to corona of the Sun remains in background. All letters leave their supports and form "SKYDANCE" word, with "PRODUCTIONS" underneath already formed.
Variants:
- On the trailer for True Grit (the first film itself to use the first normal logo), part of the sun blur is seen and there is only the stars in the sky.
- On Terminator Genisys and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (the latter is the last movie to use that logo), the logo is enhanced to have the word "PRODUCTIONS" deleted and the sun's glowing is absent. "SKYDANCE" shines as the logo is formed.
FX/SFX: The animation of the letters. Superb CGI from Picture Mill.
Music/Sounds: A majestic orchestral fanfare composed by Pinar Toprak. Sometimes, it is silent or has the opening theme of the movie.
Availability: First seen on True Grit, and also appears on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, among others. The version with music can be found on Picture Mill's website. The last movie to use that logo was Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, released on July 31, 2015. It made its last appearances on most trailers for Star Trek Beyond, as well as Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.
Scare Factor: Low, unless the big sun scares you.
March-15-2016-present[]
Nicknames: The Front of the Sun 2, The New Front of the Sun
Logo: We fade into a sun (presumably our Sun) that is spinning. We zoom out as it gives off some form of solar flare. The zoom reveals coronal rain all over the sun, as a big serif "S" flies in from the left. A "K" then flies in, and so on, until we see the finished product. While all this is happening, we are still zooming out. We stop to reveal our finished product, the word "SKYDANCE" in a slightly-spaced out serif font. It shines and zooms in, set on a space background.
FX/SFX: The sun giving out a solar flare and coronal rain, the text flying in, and it shining while zooming in. Very nice CGI from Imaginary Forces.
Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo, but extended. Like the last logo, it's either silent or uses the opening theme of the film.
Availability: First seen on Star Trek Beyond and is expected to be on every movie since.
Scare Factor: None, unless you're expecting the old one or don't like big suns.