Industrial Light And Magic Launches TV Division For ‘The Mandalorian’

Industrial Light and Magic has launched a TV division called ILM TV and their first project will be the first live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian.

The company that has continually offered the best of the best when it comes to visual effects and animation will be offering its skills to the small screen. The streaming and episodic television market will be now have access to the magic that comes from the iconic company. The ILM TV team will be led by Visual Effects Supervisors Hayden Jones and Jonathan Privett as well as Executive Producers Louise Hussey and Stefan Drury. This same team previously worked on Netflix’s Black Mirror, resulting in a BAFTA win in the VFX category. So it seems the right people are running the show as far as ILM’s jump dive into TV is concerned. This expansion is very exciting and according to Executive Creative Director and head of ILM Rob Bredow, it is a great way to offer ILM’s game-changing services to the Golden Age of Television.

“It’s not often you get to create a new division at Industrial Light & Magic. We are seeing a real convergence in our creative approach used on films and in our immersive entertainment division ILMxLAB, and now we’re proud to be able to offer these ILM innovations in a way that’s suitable for streaming and television work to creatives around the world.”

The division’s first gig into television will be the first ever live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian. The series is being helmed by Iron Man director Jon Favreau and will see several big-name directors taking over episodes of its first season. This list includes Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Waititi. Considering ILM’s history with Star Wars and their success with the franchise, this seems like a fitting start to this new journey. VFX Supervisor Hayden Jones, who will be working on The Mandalorian series, expressed his excitement that ILM was getting back in the TV game.

“We are extremely excited to be re-igniting ILM’s involvement in this market and to showcase the team’s expertise, unrivaled technology and production management globally. The television and streaming segments have grown exponentially in recent years and we are seeing substantial demand for high calibre visual effects that can be delivered on schedule and within budget, all of which lie at the core of our teams expertise and proven track record.”

The Mandalorian isn’t the only series being helmed by ILM TV. They will also be taking Syfy’s Superman prequel series Krypton to the next level with their signature style for success when it comes to VFX for the show’s second season. Between this and The Mandalorian, ILM TV looks like it will be just as big a powerhouse as Industrial Light and Magic was before this.

Are you excited to see The Mandalorian? What are your thoughts on Industrial Light and Magic starting a TV division? What other titles in Star Wars should they explore? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

The new series has been written by Jon Favreau who also serves as executive producer along with Star Wars Rebels creator Dave Filoni, Colin Wilson, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Karen Gilchrist will co-executive produce. In addition to executive producing, Filoni has also been confirmed to direct the first episode with additional episodes helmed by Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard (Solemates), and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok).

Here’s the official synopsis for The Mandalorian:

After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

The Mandalorian will debut exclusively on Disney’s upcoming direct to consumer streaming service, which is expected to launch by the end of 2019.

Source: ILM.com