It's hard to believe Star Wars took the world by storm over 40 years ago. The venerable space-fantasy franchise has more than withstood the test of time. This is, in part, due to the original three films being such strong offerings. They're well cast, tightly plotted, and, for their time, possess dazzling special effects, courtesy of George Lucas' in-house special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
When the original Star Wars movie was in development in the mid-1970s, much of the special effects technology that Lucas needed to realize his vision did not yet exist. Enter ILM. Starting out as a small group of engineers, students, and artists working on what would become Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, ILM grew into one of the most highly regarded FX houses in the industry. This is a reputation that it has held onto extending into the modern-day.
But how did it get from those early days to now? Disney+ looks to tell that particular story.
First Trailer for ILM Documentary Arrives
Disney+ officially released the first trailer for the six-part docuseries special Light & Magic. The trailer features film industry icons like George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, and Steven Spielberg, shedding light on what makes ILM such a powerhouse in the visual FX world.
The full trailer can be seen below:
An In-depth Look at Movie Magic
ILM has had a storied career working on massive blockbuster films. Not only has it been responsible for helping bring almost every installment of the Star Wars franchise to life, but it has also been there in movies like The Avengers, Transformers and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?.
The trailer for this docuseries puts forth a lighthearted and inspiring tone. The message seems to be one of "these people have been the visual masterminds behind over 300 motion pictures, but they're a fun, close-knit bunch as well."
The series looks to have no shortage of big names either, with Joe Johnston, Ron Howard, Kathleen Kennedy, and Avatar director James Cameron all appearing for interview segments.
Who knows, maybe the kids who tune into the documentary will be inspired by ILM's story and grow up to be the special effects geniuses of tomorrow?
Light & Magic will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on Wednesday, July 27.
