diff --git a/distro/superbuild/cmake/externals.cmake b/distro/superbuild/cmake/externals.cmake
index f45688007..b2bffb711 100644
--- a/distro/superbuild/cmake/externals.cmake
+++ b/distro/superbuild/cmake/externals.cmake
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ else()
 
   ExternalProject_Add(vtk
     GIT_REPOSITORY git://vtk.org/VTK.git
-    GIT_TAG v7.1.1
+    GIT_TAG v8.0.0
     CMAKE_CACHE_ARGS
       ${default_cmake_args}
       ${python_args}
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ else()
       -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS:BOOL=ON
       -DBUILD_TESTING:BOOL=OFF
       -DBUILD_EXAMPLES:BOOL=OFF
-      -DVTK_RENDERING_BACKEND:STRING=OpenGL
+      -DVTK_RENDERING_BACKEND:STRING=OpenGL2
       -DVTK_QT_VERSION:STRING=${DD_QT_VERSION}
       -DVTK_PYTHON_VERSION=2
       -DModule_vtkGUISupportQt:BOOL=ON
diff --git a/src/app/CMakeLists.txt b/src/app/CMakeLists.txt
index 62a831675..c535102a0 100644
--- a/src/app/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/app/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,8 +34,29 @@ include_directories(${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
 set(decorator_file ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ddPythonQtDecorators.h)
 
+# Configure whether to use the QVTKWidget or the QVTKOpenGLWidget
+set(USE_QVTKWIDGET TRUE)
+if((${Qt5Core_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER "5.4.0") AND
+   (NOT ${VTK_VERSION} VERSION_LESS "8.0.0") AND
+   (${VTK_RENDERING_BACKEND} STREQUAL "OpenGL2"))
+  set(USE_QVTKWIDGET FALSE)
+endif()
+configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h.in
+               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h)
+
+if(USE_QVTKWIDGET)
+  file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/wrapped_methods_qvtk.txt
+    "QVTKWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::vtkWidget() const;"
+    )
+else()
+  file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/wrapped_methods_qvtk.txt
+    "QVTKOpenGLWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::vtkWidget() const;"
+    )
+endif()
+
 set(wrap_files
   wrapped_methods.txt
+  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/wrapped_methods_qvtk.txt
   )
 
 qt_wrap_cpp(moc_srcs
@@ -74,8 +95,9 @@ set(srcs
   ${ui_srcs}
   ${resource_srcs}
 
-  ddLumberSelection.cpp
+  QVTKOpenGLInit.cpp
   ddGLWidgetView.cpp
+  ddLumberSelection.cpp
   ddMacrosManager.cpp
   ddMainWindow.cpp
   ddObjectTree.cpp
diff --git a/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.cpp b/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccea11ed1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#include "QVTKOpenGLInit.h"
+
+// Qt includes
+#include <QtGlobal>
+
+// VTK includes
+#include <vtkVersionMacros.h>
+#include <vtkRenderingOpenGLConfigure.h>
+
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 4, 0) && VTK_MAJOR_VERSION >= 8
+#  ifdef VTK_OPENGL2
+  #include <QSurfaceFormat>
+  #include <QVTKOpenGLWidget.h>
+#  endif
+#endif
+
+QVTKOpenGLInit::QVTKOpenGLInit()
+{
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 4, 0) && VTK_MAJOR_VERSION >= 8
+#  ifdef VTK_OPENGL2
+  // Set the default surface format for the OpenGL view
+  QSurfaceFormat::setDefaultFormat(QVTKOpenGLWidget::defaultFormat());
+#  endif
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.h b/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1ea30f090
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/QVTKOpenGLInit.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#ifndef __QVTKOpenGLInit_h
+#define __QVTKOpenGLInit_h
+
+/*
+ * Initialization class that creates a valid QSurfaceFormat i.e. OpenGL context
+ * with the expected parameters for the QVTKOpenGLWidget.
+ * Typical use case is to construct the class before constructing a
+ * QApplication object in the main function.
+ *
+ * Typical usage for QVTKOpenGLInit is as follows:
+ * @code{.cpp}
+ *
+ *   int main(int argc, char* argv[])
+ *   {
+ *     // Initialize before constructing the QApplication
+ *     QVTKOpenGLInit init;
+ *     // Construct the QApplication
+ *     QApplication app(argc, argv);
+ *     // Show the application (that uses QVTKOpenGLWidget)
+ *     app.exec();
+ *     return 0;
+ *   }
+ *
+ * @endcode
+ */
+
+#include "ddAppConfigure.h"
+
+class DD_APP_EXPORT QVTKOpenGLInit
+{
+public:
+  QVTKOpenGLInit();
+};
+
+#endif //__QVTKOpenGLInit_h
diff --git a/src/app/consoleApp.cpp b/src/app/consoleApp.cpp
index 030a4d475..c6e3f851c 100644
--- a/src/app/consoleApp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/consoleApp.cpp
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 #include <PythonQt.h>
 #include <QApplication>
 #include "ddPythonManager.h"
+#include "QVTKOpenGLInit.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+  QVTKOpenGLInit init;
   QApplication app(argc, argv);
   ddPythonManager* pythonManager = new ddPythonManager;
   PythonQt::self()->addVariable(PythonQt::self()->importModule("sys"), "executable", QCoreApplication::applicationFilePath());
diff --git a/src/app/ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h.in b/src/app/ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a49870c52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h.in
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#ifndef __ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure_h
+#define __ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure_h
+
+/*
+ * Including QVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h before using QVTKOpenGLWidget
+ * would automatically decide whether to use the old QVTKWidget or the
+ * QVTKOpenGLWidget based on the Qt and VTK versions used.
+ * It typedefs QVTKWidget as QVTKOpenGLWidget if the
+ * former is used so that the application code can keep using
+ * QVTKOpenGLWidget.
+ */
+
+#cmakedefine01 USE_QVTKWIDGET
+
+#if USE_QVTKWIDGET
+  #include <QVTKWidget.h>
+  using QVTKOpenGLWidget = QVTKWidget;
+#else
+  #include <QVTKOpenGLWidget.h>
+#endif
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.cpp b/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.cpp
index c1cc69225..2fbe41528 100644
--- a/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.cpp
+++ b/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.cpp
@@ -1,33 +1,33 @@
 #include "ddQVTKWidgetView.h"
 #include "ddFPSCounter.h"
 
-#include "vtkTDxInteractorStyleCallback.h"
 #include "vtkSimpleActorInteractor.h"
+#include "vtkTDxInteractorStyleCallback.h"
 
+#include <vtkActor.h>
+#include <vtkAxesActor.h>
 #include <vtkBoundingBox.h>
-#include <vtkSmartPointer.h>
-#include <vtkRenderer.h>
-#include <vtkRenderWindow.h>
+#include <vtkCaptionActor2D.h>
+#include <vtkConeSource.h>
+#include <vtkEventQtSlotConnect.h>
+#include <vtkGenericOpenGLRenderWindow.h>
 #include <vtkInteractorStyle.h>
+#include <vtkInteractorStyleRubberBand3D.h>
+#include <vtkInteractorStyleTrackballCamera.h>
 #include <vtkLight.h>
-#include <vtkLightKit.h>
 #include <vtkLightCollection.h>
+#include <vtkLightKit.h>
 #include <vtkObjectFactory.h>
-#include <vtkActor.h>
-#include <vtkPolyDataMapper.h>
-#include <vtkConeSource.h>
 #include <vtkOrientationMarkerWidget.h>
-#include <vtkInteractorStyleTrackballCamera.h>
-#include <vtkInteractorStyleRubberBand3D.h>
+#include <vtkPolyDataMapper.h>
+#include <vtkRenderWindow.h>
 #include <vtkRenderWindowInteractor.h>
-#include <vtkAxesActor.h>
-#include <vtkEventQtSlotConnect.h>
-#include <vtkCaptionActor2D.h>
+#include <vtkRenderer.h>
+#include <vtkSmartPointer.h>
 #include <vtkTextProperty.h>
 
-#include <QVTKWidget.h>
-#include <QVBoxLayout>
 #include <QTimer>
+#include <QVBoxLayout>
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 class vtkCustomRubberBandStyle : public vtkInteractorStyleRubberBand3D
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class vtkCustomRubberBandStyle : public vtkInteractorStyleRubberBand3D
       {
       this->Interaction = ZOOMING;
       this->FindPokedRenderer(
-        this->Interactor->GetEventPosition()[0], 
+        this->Interactor->GetEventPosition()[0],
         this->Interactor->GetEventPosition()[1]);
       this->InvokeEvent(vtkCommand::StartInteractionEvent);
       }
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class ddQVTKWidgetView::ddInternal
     this->RenderTimer.setInterval(1000/timerFramesPerSeconds);
   }
 
-  QVTKWidget* VTKWidget;
+  QVTKOpenGLWidget* VTKWidget;
 
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkRenderer> Renderer;
   vtkSmartPointer<vtkRenderer> RendererBase;
@@ -98,25 +98,32 @@ ddQVTKWidgetView::ddQVTKWidgetView(QWidget* parent) : ddViewBase(parent)
 
   QVBoxLayout* layout = new QVBoxLayout(this);
   layout->setMargin(0);
-  this->Internal->VTKWidget = new QVTKWidget;
+  this->Internal->VTKWidget = new QVTKOpenGLWidget;
   layout->addWidget(this->Internal->VTKWidget);
 
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 4, 0)
+  this->Internal->RenderWindow =
+    vtkSmartPointer<vtkGenericOpenGLRenderWindow>::New();
+#else
   this->Internal->VTKWidget->SetUseTDx(true);
-
   this->Internal->RenderWindow = vtkSmartPointer<vtkRenderWindow>::New();
+  this->Internal->VTKWidget->SetRenderWindow(this->Internal->RenderWindow);
+#endif
+  this->Internal->VTKWidget->SetRenderWindow(this->Internal->RenderWindow);
   this->Internal->RenderWindow->SetMultiSamples(8);
   this->Internal->RenderWindow->StereoCapableWindowOn();
   this->Internal->RenderWindow->SetStereoTypeToRedBlue();
   this->Internal->RenderWindow->StereoRenderOff();
   this->Internal->RenderWindow->StereoUpdate();
-  this->Internal->VTKWidget->SetRenderWindow(this->Internal->RenderWindow);
 
   this->Internal->LightKit = vtkSmartPointer<vtkLightKit>::New();
   this->Internal->LightKit->SetKeyLightWarmth(0.5);
   this->Internal->LightKit->SetFillLightWarmth(0.5);
 
-  this->Internal->TDxInteractor = vtkSmartPointer<vtkTDxInteractorStyleCallback>::New();
-  vtkInteractorStyle::SafeDownCast(this->Internal->RenderWindow->GetInteractor()->GetInteractorStyle())->SetTDxStyle(this->Internal->TDxInteractor);
+  this->Internal->TDxInteractor =
+    vtkSmartPointer<vtkTDxInteractorStyleCallback>::New();
+  vtkInteractorStyle::SafeDownCast(this->Internal->RenderWindow->GetInteractor(
+    )->GetInteractorStyle())->SetTDxStyle(this->Internal->TDxInteractor);
 
   //this->Internal->RenderWindow->SetNumberOfLayers(2);
 
@@ -192,7 +199,7 @@ vtkLightKit* ddQVTKWidgetView::lightKit() const
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-QVTKWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::vtkWidget() const
+QVTKOpenGLWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::vtkWidget() const
 {
   return this->Internal->VTKWidget;
 }
diff --git a/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.h b/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.h
index d3da6642c..c5d18264e 100644
--- a/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.h
+++ b/src/app/ddQVTKWidgetView.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "ddViewBase.h"
 #include "ddAppConfigure.h"
+#include "ddQVTKOpenGLWidgetConfigure.h"
 
 
 class vtkCamera;
@@ -10,7 +11,6 @@ class vtkOrientationMarkerWidget;
 class vtkRenderer;
 class vtkRenderWindow;
 class vtkLightKit;
-class QVTKWidget;
 
 class DD_APP_EXPORT ddQVTKWidgetView : public ddViewBase
 {
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class DD_APP_EXPORT ddQVTKWidgetView : public ddViewBase
 
   QList<double> lastTDxMotion() const;
 
-  QVTKWidget* vtkWidget() const;
+  QVTKOpenGLWidget* vtkWidget() const;
   vtkOrientationMarkerWidget* orientationMarkerWidget() const;
 
   void installImageInteractor();
diff --git a/src/app/drakeVisualizerApp.cpp b/src/app/drakeVisualizerApp.cpp
index ede7d8074..c3a2f4475 100644
--- a/src/app/drakeVisualizerApp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/drakeVisualizerApp.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
-#include <PythonQt.h>
+// Qt includes
 #include <QApplication>
+
+// director includes
+#include <PythonQt.h>
 #include "ddPythonManager.h"
+#include "QVTKOpenGLInit.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+  QVTKOpenGLInit init;
   QApplication app(argc, argv);
   ddPythonManager* pythonManager = new ddPythonManager;
   pythonManager->setSysArgv(QApplication::instance()->arguments());
diff --git a/src/app/main.cpp b/src/app/main.cpp
index 6226f12b7..c32a49ee4 100644
--- a/src/app/main.cpp
+++ b/src/app/main.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include "ddMainWindow.h"
 #include "ddPythonManager.h"
+#include "QVTKOpenGLInit.h"
 
 #define USE_TDX 0
 #if USE_TDX
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+  QVTKOpenGLInit init;
 #if USE_TDX
   QVTKApplication app(argc, argv);
 #else
diff --git a/src/app/wrapped_methods.txt b/src/app/wrapped_methods.txt
index 5a12057bd..925ce4bfd 100644
--- a/src/app/wrapped_methods.txt
+++ b/src/app/wrapped_methods.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ vtkRenderWindow* ddQVTKWidgetView::renderWindow() const;
 vtkRenderer* ddQVTKWidgetView::renderer() const;
 vtkRenderer* ddQVTKWidgetView::backgroundRenderer() const;
 vtkLightKit* ddQVTKWidgetView::lightKit() const;
-QVTKWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::vtkWidget() const;
 vtkOrientationMarkerWidget* ddQVTKWidgetView::orientationMarkerWidget() const;
 QList<double> ddQVTKWidgetView::lastTDxMotion() const;
 void ddQVTKWidgetView::installImageInteractor();