Series synopsis
LIGHT & MAGIC is an American documentary television series that premiered on Disney+ on July 27, 2022. It ended on April 18, 2025. It stars George Lucas, Lorne Peterson and Dennis Muren.
When George Lucas set out to make Star Wars, little did he know he would end up revolutionizing an industry. This is the story of a team of creative geniuses who put the magic in the movies we love.
Premise
When George Lucas set out to make Star Wars, little did he know he would end up revolutionizing an industry. This is the story of a team of creative geniuses who put the magic in the movies we love.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- George Lucas as Self
- Lorne Peterson as Self
- Dennis Muren as Self
Guest cast
- John Dykstra as Self
- Ron Howard as Self
- Ken Ralston as Self
- Harrison Ellenshaw as Self
- Grant McCune as Self (archive footage)
- Phil Tippett as Self - Creatures and Stop Motion
- Paul Hirsch as Self
- Frank Marshall as Self - Producer
- Robert Zemeckis as Self - Director, Back to the Future
- Steven Spielberg as Self
- Mark A.Z. Dippé as Self - Computer Graphics
- Steve Williams as Self - Computer Graphics
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 9 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 6 | July 27, 2022 | July 27, 2022 |
| Season 2 | 3 | April 18, 2025 | April 18, 2025 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
"Gang of outsiders." The year is 1975, and George Lucas has a problem. There is no visual effects company in Hollywood capable of realizing the massive vision behind his new film “The Star Wars”. George and camera expert John Dykstra assemble an unlikely team of artists and dreamers for the job, but despite their best efforts and some remarkable new technology, the ILM team falls woefully behind. |
July 27, 2022 |
| 2 |
"On the bucking bronco." When a near fatal wreck thwarts his boyhood dream of racing cars, George Lucas finds success as a filmmaker. He spends his own money on the special effects of an ambitious new “space opera”, but progress is painfully slow. With the help of key new hires, ILM rallies to finish the film on time. Star Wars premieres to worldwide success, yet George remains curiously unsatisfied with the results. |
July 27, 2022 |
| 3 |
"Just think about it." After Star Wars, ILM moves north to a new facility—but not everyone is invited. As work begins on The Empire Strikes Back, the team faces unprecedented new challenges. Frustrated by the available tools, George creates a new division to help modernize filmmaking. Upon the release of Empire, ILM takes on outside work for the first time, setting the stage for a remarkable string of success. |
July 27, 2022 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Are We Ready for This? After a decade away from Star Wars, George Lucas returns to ILM with a new impossible task. |
April 18, 2025 |
| 2 |
There Must Be a Better Way As George Lucas tries to convince Hollywood to go digital, ILM takes on wind, water, and a CG Yoda. |
April 18, 2025 |
| 3 |
There's No Going Back ILM is no longer the only game in town. To stay on top, they'll have to change the game yet again. |
April 18, 2025 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Disney+ |
|---|---|
| First aired | July 27, 2022 |
| Last aired | April 18, 2025 |
| Status | ended |