Magic: The Gathering Documentary in the Works From The Toys That Made Us Team

Magic: The Gathering is set to become a multimedia franchise with the upcoming Netflix anime series from the Russo brothers and the impending launch of Magic: The Gathering Arena on mobile devices. It was also inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2019. That makes now seem like the perfect time to look back on the history of the game. The Nacelle Company, the studio behind The Toys That Made Us and The Movies That Made Us, is going to do exactly that in a new documentary. Rather than dedicate a single episode of The Toys That Made Us to Magic: The Gathering, the studio will team with Cavegirl Productions and X-Ray Films to create a standalone documentary titled Igniting the Spark, The Story of Magic: The Gathering.

“We’re honored to be producing this documentary, which is sure to introduce the iconic game to a new audience while at the same time preserving its rich history,” said Brian Volk-Weiss, CEO of The Nacelle Company, in a statement.

“Magic: The Gathering is a classic success story, a homegrown game that came from nowhere and achieved world-wide success. It’s brought joy to millions of people and along the way completely transformed the game industry. We can’t wait to tell this story,” said co-directors Brian Stillman and Kelley Slagle.

“I’ve played Magic: The Gathering since 1994. Now, 25 years later, I’m beyond thrilled to be able to give something back to the game and the community that has given me so much joy over the years,” said co-producer Seth Polansky.

Magic: The Gathering is the world’s most popular strategy card game. The game was created by mathematician Richard Garfield in 1993 and is published by Wizards of the Coast, which is now a subsidiary of Hasbro. The game defined the collectible card game model of gaming and left an indelible mark on the hobby gaming industry.

Magic: The Gathering has more than 38 million fans in over 70 countries. It’s grown from a niche card game into a global franchise with international tournaments, regularly released expansion sets, and enthusiastic fans and collectors. In recent years, its become a force in the esports landscape thanks to the release of Magic: The Gathering Arena.

Igniting The Spark will be co-directed by Brian Stillman (Plastic Galaxy: The Story of The Star Wars Toys, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons, The Toys That Made Us) and Kelley Slagle (Of Dice and Men, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons). It will be produced by Slagle, Stillman, and Seth Polansky (Of Dice and Men, Eye Of The Beholder: The Art Of Dungeons and Dragons), and Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us, The Movies That Made Us, Behind The Attraction) and Cisco Henson for The Nacelle Company.