Star Wars: A New Hope Enters Virtual Reality
The difference from a new edition of the film is substantial
The Mos Eisley cantina scene could soon have something that was simply impossible in 1977: space beyond the edges of the screen. This is the direction chosen by Industrial Light & Magic for Star Wars: A New Hope, set to become Disney Immersive Cinema's first project.
The difference from a new edition of the film is substantial. The film will remain the original and will continue to be the center of the experience, while some elements of the sequences will be extended into the virtual environment around the viewer.
ILM Tries to Change How We Watch a Classic
Step into a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: A New Hope in Disney Immersive Cinema by @ILMVFX, in development for Meta VR Glasses. Built as a hub for VR enhanced versions of feature films, the experience combines traditional cinematic storytelling with immersive environmental… pic.twitter.com/L1mDZLdSXI
— Star Wars (@starwars) September 24, 2026
This is not about literally entering the film or turning it into a video game. The goal is to add depth and presence through virtual reality, leaving the editing and story unchanged. The choice to start with the first Star Wars is no coincidence: ILM was born working on George Lucas's film and now returns to use it as a testbed for a completely different technology.
Disney Immersive Cinema will not be limited to the saga, however. Avengers: Infinity War is already planned for the platform's first phase, along with National Geographic: Beyond. The projects are in development for Meta VR Glasses, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 3S, but do not yet have an announced release date or price.