Which George Lucas story became a Disney 3D film starring Michael Jackson? Captain EO was the Disney 3D attraction-film built around a story involving George Lucas and starring Michael Jackson. Released in 1986, it played in Disney theme-park theaters with synchronized effects such as lasers, smoke, moving seats, and projected space imagery.
Francis Ford Coppola directed the approximately 17-minute film. Lucas, Coppola, and Rusty Lemorande received writing credits, while Lucas served as executive producer in the Disney collaboration. Jackson plays Captain EO, whose crew must deliver a gift to the villainous Supreme Leader; the musical adventure features “We Are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me.”
Captain EO is often confused with Moonwalker, Jackson’s 1988 anthology film, or with Disney attractions such as Star Tours and Muppet*Vision 3D. It was not a conventional theatrical feature, but an elaborate theme-park presentation often described as an early “4D” experience.