Mention the letters ILM and you will undoubtedly see sci-fi film buffs’ eyes light up with admiration and respect. Disney+ also knows how prestigious this company is. To honor this incredible legacy, a new docuseries titled Light & Magic will air on the streamer on July 27. This 6-part event chronicles the untold history of ILM (Industrial Light & Magic). Now, Disney+ has released a trailer and some key art in anticipation of its release.
George Lucas founded the company in a warehouse in Van Nuys, California, in 1975 as a means to create the effects he needed for his space opera Star Wars: Episode 4: A New Hope. With Lawrence Kasdan as your host, Light & Magic takes viewers on the journey of how ILM was born, grew, and took over the field of visual special effects.
As the trailer says, “George wanted a bunch of guys who didn’t know what was impossible.” And this is clearly seen as the original team takes us back in time where it all began. They admittedly confess they had no idea what they were doing, but they were having fun with one goal in mind: “nothing is impossible.” (Have to admit, using Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” in the trailer may seem trite, but it was effective.) The series will also feature exclusive interviews with not only Lucas, but also renowned filmmakers such as Ron Howard, Barry Jenkins, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Jon Favreau, and many others.
“Visual effects create the magic that makes people want to go to the movies,” Lucas says in the trailer. “Movies are special effects.”
Check out more in the trailer below:
Along with the trailer, Disney+ also released a few images from the series:
After watching the trailer, one thing is clear: Without these artists who refused to believe in limitations, our favorite movies would be visually lacking. It is about time the artists whose names we see at the end credits of many of our favorite films finally get their time to shine in front of the cameras.
All six episodes of Light & Magic will premiere on July 27 on Disney+.
