Here is a holy crap moment, and yet another reminder, why I need to spend every minute of my day glued to the Intardwebz instead of attending meetings for my RWJ. The Walt Disney Company has purchased Lucasfilm.
No, really.
According to the terms of the deal, George Lucas sold the company, lock, stock and barrel for $4.05 BILLION in stock and cash, gives Disney control of the Star Wars franchise, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and Lucasfilm Ltd. It also gives Disney the right to move ahead with a new Star Wars movie, which the company said they will release in 2015.
That’s right kids – Justice League, Avengers 2, and Star Wars VII are all hitting theaters in 2015. That should really shake things up in the box office, and based on what The Hobbit does this holiday season with 48fps and 3D, there could be a big shakeup in how these movies are shot. Obviously Disney wouldn’t put Avengers 2 and Star Wars against each other, which means the studio will be jockeying for early positions in the summer release schedule, which kind of leaves Warner Bros. with their wangs dangling in deciding how to compete with the House of Mouse of Ideas In a Galaxy Far, Far, Away…
UPDATE 4:23 PM: The deal also includes the Indiana Jones franchise.
Everyone thought Disney was insane to pay $4 BILLION for Marvel a few years ago, but Disney turned the comic book company into a movie money making powerhouse with Avengers, and if Disney can keep themselves from going too over the top and handling the Star Wars property in a heavy handed way, the next Star Wars movie might be really good…
Before everyone gets all up in arms over the announcement and finds themselves on the losing end of an argument on how Disney is going to ruin Star Wars or how Lucasfilm is going to ruin Disney, keep in mind people lost their poop when Disney bought Marvel, and yet the Avengers turned out to be a pretty darn good movie. Also, Disney and Lucasfilm have been working together for decades thanks to Star Tours, The Indiana Jones Experience and other attractions. For now, keep everything in perspective when it comes to good idea/bad idea. For the conspiracy people out there, keep reading…
One of the interesting things about this purchase is Pixar and Lucasfilm are together again, as the company was founded by Lucasfilm in 1979 before being sold to Steve Jobs (and then to Apple, and then finally to Disney). At the moment Disney owns ABC, Miramax Films, ESPN, Marvel, Pixar, has a high stake in all things Apple due to deals and agreements regarding content on the iTunes store, The Muppets, theme parks, cruise lines, and UTV Software Communications. Net revenue for the company is around $36 BILLION a year. So pealing off $4 large for Lucasfilm doesn’t seem like that big of a deal.
For the conspiracy nuts out there – Cartoon Network, which is owned by Turner Broadcasting, has a high stake in seeing the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series continuing on their channel, and considering the “surprise” yank of the DC Nation block from programming, those that wear the tinfoil hats can see that there may have been some back room shenanigans to cock block Warner Bros again. And if that is the case, Warner Bros. doesn’t have it’s own cable channel to show its wares.
This deal is far from over, as anti-trust verifications have to occur, but you can bet with this much money on the line, and George Lucas looking to retire for good, that this is going to be approved pretty darn quickly.
There’s a comment section below, and you know you want to use it. Keep it civil!
23 Comments
Crazy….
But what does this mean for Guybrush Threepwood?
Lucas said in a statement, “It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers.”
I’m biting my tongue right now.
F… it! Greedo SHOT FIRST!!!
He said that, but they’re keeping him on as a creative consultant. Hopefully the producer will have full veto power over him.
It makes good money sense, it makes good mo ie sense.
Movie sense, that is.
Haven’t some people been wishing someone could veto Lucas every so often?
Awesome. All my Marvel “Star Wars” comics are canon again now, right?
Some of them already are. A lot of characters and races introduced in Marvel Star Wars comics officially existed in the Expanded Universe for quite some time.
I think this could be a really positive thing.
NIce!! :)
In another surprise announcement today, I have dropped my opposition to future Star Wars movies.
I have decidedly mixed feelings about this.
I’d love to see them develop something completely new (outside of the already established canon, hell, I’d even say leave the old familiar characters out of it) but I have a hard time thinking they’re going to be willing to take a risk like that. Regardless, the 2015 movie season is going to be quite interesting.
I’ve been wishing that for years. One of the reasons I love the Expanded Universe novels, comics, games and such is because we get to see a lot of stories in the setting without being forced to deal with the main movie characters. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the stuff with the characters we know, I just enjoy seeing the other aspects of the setting as well.
Looking forward to it!
Also, Lucas actually with Kennedy discussing the deal: http://youtu.be/YyqlTi7lkhY
Seems like a new film every 2-3 years…Episode 7 (2015), 8 (2017/2018), 9 (2019/2020/2021).
I’ve never had anything against Lucas but I do find it interesting that he has been quoted as saying that he sold to Disney because he was sick of people shouting that he had ruined it. Now he’ll let Disney make them.
A while back, before Lucas produced The Prequel Trilogy That Shall Not Be Named, my older brother and I went to the theater to see some movie which I don’t even recall, and there was a trailer for the then forthcoming theatrical re-release of Star Wars (A New Hope) – and the trailer announced “It’s been twenty years since you saw it in the theater” and my brother announced loudly “Thanks so much for reminding me it’s been that long!” Although I will be the first to admit that Star Wars is Lucas’s brainchild and he’s certainly able to muck about with the movies if he wants, you can’t change something that has people have loved for thirty plus years and not expect there to be howls of outrage. I saw Star Wars in the theater in 1977. And in that continuity, Han shot first. If that offends you, Sir Lucas, that I prefer the original to the updated version, well, take a Tums, George, and get over it.
When they were filming Indiana Jones IV, Lucas wore a “Han shot First” T-Shirt. It’s said he had to change it because the ratings board wouldn’t allow the hero to shoot first.
I just realised Toy Story 4 can have Star Wars characters.
SYNERGY!
That’s pretty cool.
Still can’t believe it..