Disney+ has unveiled the first trailer and poster for Lucasfilm and Imagine Documentaries’ “Light & Magic,” a new docuseries that chronicles the untold history of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the special visual effects, animation and virtual production division of Lucasfilm.
“Star Wars” creator George Lucas founded the company in 1975. It has gone on to earn 16 Academy Awards while spearheading groundbreaking developments in the realm of special effects. “Light & Magic” the docuseries will peel back the curtain on the company through its historic journey of pioneering modern filmmaking.
“Visual effects create the magic that makes people want to go to the movies,” Lucas says in the trailer. “Movies are special effects.”
The series will feature exclusive interviews with renowned filmmakers such as Lucas, Ron Howard, Barry Jenkins, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Jon Favreau and many others. “Light & Magic” will also include exclusive footage dating back to the early days of ILM as Lucas and his team look to create the special effects necessary to make the “Star Wars” movies. From there, the company became a driving force in major blockbusters such as the “Indiana Jones” franchise, “Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” and Michael Bay’s “Transformers” films.
The company also founded Pixar in 1979 as part of Lucasfilm’s computer division prior to its spin-off as an independent company in 1986. In short, its fingerprints are all over the Hollywood landscape of the last 50 years.
“Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” writer and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan directs the series, which is produced by Howard, Brian Grazer, Justin Wilkes, Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan and Kasden.
All six episodes of “Light & Magic” will debut on Disney+ July 27.