Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

The fourth, Star Wars film was the first to use 3D wireframe graphics (Futureworld was first for 3D graphics). The graphics were used to create the Death Star attack briefing, as well as the targeting of the Millennium Falcon's guns. The film is also known for the birth of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the special effects juggernaut. Which led to the CGI-heavy Attack of the Clones, but every rose must have its thorn.

1979

The Black Hole

Used raster wire-frame model rendering for the open credits depicting a 3D wireframe of a black hole.

Alien

Used raster wire-frame model rendering for navigation monitors in the landing sequence. Added to the United States National Film Registry in 2002.

Tron

First extensive use (15 minutes fully computer generated) of 3D CGI including the Light Cycle sequence. Also includes very early facial animation (for the Master Control Program).

1983

Golgo 13

First animated film to incorporate CGI sequences. Entirely digital models of revolvers, skeletons, helicopters, and skyscrapers (created by Toyo Links Corporation and Osaka University's CG division) are used in the film's title sequence and part of the climax; the remainder of the film is traditionally animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.

Dream Flight

First 3D generated film telling a story, shown in Electronic Theater in SIGGRAPH ‘83

Rock & Rule

First Western animated film to use computer graphics.

1984

The Last Starfighter

First use of "integrated CGI" where the effects are supposed to represent real world objects. Uses CGI for all spaceship shots, replacing traditional models. 

Lensman: Secret of The Lens

Uses CGI for spaceships and other scenes.

The Adventures of André and Wally B.

First CGI animation with motion blur effects and squash and stretch motion. Lucasfilm's computer animation division creates an all-CGI-animated short. 

2010: The Year We Make Contact

Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere is CGI-rendered, mostly during the black spot shots.

1985

Tony de Peltrie

First CGI-animated human character to express emotion through his face and body language.

Young Sherlock Holmes

First photorealistic CGI character, "stained glass knight" with 10 seconds of screentime, Lucasfilm.

"Money for Nothing"

First computer-generated music video. The animators would go on to found Mainframe Entertainment.

1986

Flight of the Navigator

First use of reflection mapping in a feature film, used for the flying alien spacecraft.

Labyrinth

First realistic CGI animal.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

First use of the Cyberware 3D scanner, first 3D morphing.

Luxo Jr.

First use of shadows in CGI, made with the specially developed software Photorealistic Renderman. First Pixar film, and first CGI film to be nominated for an Academy Award. Added to the United States National Film Registry in 2014.

The Golden Child

First use of primitive photorealistic morphing.

1987

Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future

FirstTV series to include characters modeled entirely with computers.

Knightmare

First game show with interaction between humans and computer-generated surroundings.

Rendez-vous in Montreal

First 3D generated film involving virtual actors Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart

1988

Willow

First extensive photorealistic use of morphing effect in a feature film.

Akira

First CGI is used to animate the pattern indicator, and to plot the paths of falling objects, model parallax effects on backgrounds, and tweak lighting and lens flares.

Tin Toy

First computer-animated short film to win an Oscar. Added to the United States National Film Registry in 2003.

1989

The Abyss

First digital 3D water effect.

The Jim Henson Hour

First TV series with real-time and rendered CGI featuring digitally puppeteered CG character "Waldo."

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

First all-digital composite.

Les fables geometriques 

First CGI TV broadcast series of animated CGI shorts.

The Little Mermaid

First 2D animated film to use the CAPS digital ink & paint software — in the penultimate shot of the film, when the ship sails away under a rainbow.

1993

Jurassic Park

First photorealistic CG creatures. Added to the United States National Film Registry in 2018.

The Incredible Crash Dummies

First fully CG animated TV special.

Live & Kicking

First TV program to feature a live computer-generated character as part of its cast.

VeggieTales

First completely computer animated direct-to-video release.

Babylon 5

First television series to use CGI as the primary method for its visual effects. First TV use of virtual sets.

Insektors

First fully computer animated TV series. First use of character animation in a computer animated television series.

1994

Radioland Murders

First use of virtual CGI sets with live actors.

ReBoot

First half-hour computer animated TV series.

The Flintstones

First CGI-rendered fur.

The Crow

First deceased actor (Brandon Lee) to be re-created through CGI.

1995

Waterworld

First realistic CG water.

Casper

First CGI lead character in a feature-length live-action film, and first CGI characters to interact realistically with live actors.

Toy Story

First CGI feature-length animation. Added to the United States National Film Registry in 2005.

1996

Cassiopeia

First CGI feature-length animation that did not use scanned models for heads.

A Brazilian CGI animated feature film produced and released by NDR Filmes in Brazil on April 1, 1996. 

The Island of Dr. Moreau

First film to use motion capture CGI to portray a character.

DragonHeart

First 2D all-CGI backgrounds with live actors. First film to use ILM's Caricature software (created during the film's production).

Beast Wars: Transformers

First CGI Transformers animated series produced by Mainframe Entertainment. Sequel to the original Transformers.

1997

Star Wars (Episodes IV, V and VI Special Editions)

First re-release of a film to incorporate CGI characters and elements.

Marvin the Martian in 3D

First CG film created for viewing with 3D glasses.

Titanic

First wide-release feature film with major elements rendered under the open-source Linux operating system. Also included a number of advances, specifically in the rendering of flowing water.

1998

A Bug's Life

First CG anamorphic widescreen film. First all-digital transfer to DVD. First film to be reframed for home video releases.

Invasion: Earth

First major use of digital effects in a British TV series

What Dreams May Come

First use of 3D CGI in combination with 3D location scanning (Lidar) and motion-analysis based 3D camera tracking in a feature film.

2001

Fight Club

First photogrammetry based virtual cinematography scenes, including the first bullet time sex scene with fully naked body renderings of famous actors in leading roles (Helena Bonham Carter, Brad Pitt); renderings of different settings with both extreme close-ups and wide shots; and the first very photorealistic close-up rendering of a human face - which also belongs to a famous actor in a leading role (Edward Norton) - with detailed facial deformation and extreme close-ups (starting at the cell-level of the brain, flying through the different layers of tissues, a follicle and the skin with sweat droplets).

The Matrix

First use of CG interpolation with bullet time effects. Added to the National Film Registry in 2012.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

First film to use CG extensively for thousands of shots, including backgrounds, environmental effects, vehicles, and crowds. Several CG characters stood alongside real actors in dozens of shots, making them the first CG "supporting" cast members.

2000s

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

2001

First feature-length digital film to be made based on photorealism and live action principles. The first theatrically released feature film to utilize performance capture (motion capture) for all of its characters actions.

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

First CGI feature-length movie made using off-the-shelf hardware and software.

Shrek

First CGI animated movie to receive Academy Award for the Best Animated Feature Film.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

First use of AI for digital actors (using Massive software developed by Weta Digital).

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002

First virtual actor to win an award (Critics' Choice Movie Awards by Andy Serkis playing Gollum), in the newly created category Best Digital Acting Performance

Spider-Man

First digitally rendered photorealistic costume.

Ice Age

First full-length feature animated film exclusively rendered with a ray tracer (CGI Studio).

The Matrix Reloaded

2003

The Burly Brawl 

First use of "universal capture", the combination of dense (rather than point-based) motion capture, per-frame texture capture and optical flow of pixels over the data from 7 camera setup bought into a shared UV space by projection onto a neutral expression geometry leading to the introduction of realistic digital look-alikes

2004

Able Edwards

First movie shot completely on a green screen using digitally scanned images as backgrounds.

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

First movie with all-CGI backgrounds and live actors.

The Polar Express

First computer-animated film to be created with motion capture.

2005

Chicken Little

First feature-length computer-animated film released in limited 3D releases.

2006

Elephants Dream

First CGI short movie released as completely open source. Made with open-source software, theatrical and DVD release under Creative Commons License. Unique that all 3D models, animatics and software are included on the DVD free for any use.

2007

Flatland

First CGI feature film to be animated by one person. Made with Lightwave 3D and Adobe After Effects.

2008

Plumíferos

First CGI feature-length movie made using Open Source/Free Software for all 3D models, animation, lighting and render process, under Linux operating system.

Avatar

First full-length movie made using performance capture to create photorealistic 3D characters and to feature a fully CG 3D photorealistic world. The first virtual art department and complete virtual production pipeline was developed by director James Cameron and team to create the film in real-time.

Up

First computer-animated feature to be nominated for Academy Award for Best Picture.

2010s

2018

Zafari

First television series produced entirely using a game engine (specifically Unreal Engine 4).

2019

The Mandalorian

First usage of a 360-degree LED screen to combine virtual sets with live action actors.