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Disney buys LucasFilm for $4 billion, promises Star Wars Episode 7 in 2015

Arthur

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Arthur

Arthur

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Blimey! :eek:

 

Source: Ars Technica

 

On Tuesday afternoon, the Walt Disney Company announced in a press release shortly before its investor call that it would acquire 100 percent of LucasFilm LTD for $4.05 billion, in cash and stock. In the press release, Disney also said it would invest in a new film, Star Wars Episode 7, which would be released in 2015, "with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future."

 

Disney will surely find many other ways to cash in on the beloved trilogy (and the less-beloved but still respected trilogy of prequels). "We also expect to utilize Star Wars in other businesses including Parks & Resorts, in games and in our television business. These initiatives were also considered in our valuation," Disney's press release said.

 

Disney's acquisition includes all the ventures of LucasFilm LTD, including the special effects powerhouse Industrial Light and Magic, as well as LucasArts and Skywalker Sound. "The present intent is for LucasFilm employees to remain in their current locations."

 

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," George Lucas was quoted in Disney's press release. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime."

 

During the Walt Disney conference call about the acquisition, the company said, "we plan to release one film every two to three years," after the seventh episode in 2015. It also said that while the Star Wars franchise is currently skewed toward "toys and North America," Disney plans to increase the "breadth and depth" of that appeal.

 

When asked during the conference call about how realistic the next Star Wars movies are, Robert Iger, Chairman and CEO of Disney said, "What we're buying along with the overall company... is a pretty expensive treatment for the first three movies," which would be considered episodes 7-9 of the franchise. "We're in the early stages of creating the first movie."

 

One reporter asked about the many games created by LucasArts, specifically social gaming, but Disney was vague about that answer: "We're likely to focus on social and mobile more than console. We'll look at console opportunistically."

 

"We didn't ascribe any value to the Indiana Jones franchise as part of this acquisition," Iger said later on in the call, suggesting no further installments of that franchise is on the horizon.

Edited by Arthur
synaesthesia

synaesthesia

Posted
Posted

Hohum.

 

Although this was Lucas' mistake in the first place, this means there will not be as many amusing ripoffs (good buy any incarnations of Family Guy and Robot Chicken of the future) and merchandise.

 

I'm worried.

Disney have a reputation of the worst DVDs known to man.

They also have some of the worst straight-to-DVD sequels of "huge" kids movies (Aladdin 2 is a good example. 102 Dalmations maybe. Fair few more...)

Arthur

Arthur

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A Pixar animated Star Wars film could be cool too. The obvious advantage being that George can revise things much more easily. :)

 

Disney have a reputation of the worst DVDs known to man.

Yeah. In addition to the rubbish sequels you also get tons of unskippable adverts and annoying copy protections too!

hardtailstar

hardtailstar

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With the amount of money Disney has and outlets to promote films and merch it can sell I think this is a good thing,

 

Obviously some die hard fans wont be happy but a mickey mouse and friends spin off?

penfold_99

penfold_99

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A good bet will be Disney put out a Star Wars the musical animated by Pixar and sold on iTunes ( as Steve Jobs is/was one of Disneys biggest share holders)
mthomas08

mthomas08

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I did see this and thought oh well Disney buy star wars - means we get to see more toons/shows etc so okay.

Then I saw they were going to do movies and thought- Cinema release only please!

 

At the end of the day Disney can do a great job (only have to see their previous great movies) but they can do a lucas and ruin a trilogy (only have to again see Pirates sequels)...

 

Anyway - we get more star wars for sure so why not, Jury is out and cant wait!

Gibbo

Gibbo

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As long as Jar Jar is out as well I will be happy.

 

Here's a sneak preview of episode 7:

 

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/dam/assets/121030084034-star-wars-disney-story-top.jpg

121030084034-star-wars-disney-story-top.jpg

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AMLinington

AMLinington

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I can't work out if this is a good or bad thing. I think there is still plenty of milage in the Star Wars 'universe' and it's an immersive world and culture that I'd love to see explored more fully. I'm not sure Disney is the right one to do it, but I'd rather see the franchise in the hands of a powerhouse like Disney, than fizzle into nothing or be mired in mediocrity (lets be fair, Episodes 1 thru 3 were a bit trite). Episode 6 pretty much tied up the loose ends of the Galactic Empire - Both Vader and Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine are now dead, and the impression at the end of Episode 6 is that the control of Galactic Empire has crumbled and oppressed systems are rejoycing in rediscovered freedom (Storm Trooper helmet drums anyone?). Anyone familiar with the Star Wars universe will know there have been extensive post-episode-6 books written - will Ep7 render these 'non-canon' or will it be sympathetic to the plotlines here? Luke, Leia and Han play a huge part in the post-emperor Star Wars world, but Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher are certainly all too old to reprise an 'immediately post-revolution' role so perhaps we are looking at a 'next generation' storyline following some crisis or plot involving decendants (you never know, you might see Mark Hamil and Harrison Ford in it again) - similar to the time gap between Ep3 and Ep4 which allowed for the characters at the end of 3 to age enough that the different actors weren't a problem.

 

Either way, fans have a choice to ignore the new trilogy and revere the original - it's not like they are re-making the originals.... yet....

Edited by AMLinington
apeo

apeo

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Kinda think they can't do much worse then Eps 1 - 3 but it does seem with a release date of 2015, they are just pumping it out.
localzuk

localzuk

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As its own movie, I liked Episode 1. The other 2 were pretty poor, even if you consider them as individual movies.

 

So, I don't have high hopes of these 3 new ones.

AMLinington

AMLinington

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Bad thing - there solved it for you ;)

 

Is it though? I'd love to see more of the Star Wars world and Disney certainly has the clout to make that happen. There are some excellent Disney movies. You just have to block out 'Hannah Montana' and the Straight-to-video sequels and prequels they churn out to keep the kiddies happy.

familiarrealms

familiarrealms

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Episode 7 apparently (BBC news this morning) so set after return of the Jedi. Vader is dead, the emperor is dead, the empire fell to pieces. Who or what is going the be the bad guys? I hope it is the Tusken Raiders, those noises still freak me out.
AMLinington

AMLinington

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Episode 7 apparently (BBC news this morning) so set after return of the Jedi. Vader is dead, the emperor is dead, the empire fell to pieces. Who or what is going the be the bad guys? I hope it is the Tusken Raiders, those noises still freak me out.

 

Perhaps what is left of the Trade Federation?

sparkeh

sparkeh

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Perhaps what is left of the Trade Federation?

Ooh more trade disputes ZZzzzzzz...

 

I can understand that people want to explore the Star Wars universe, I really do I am a big fan, but are more cynical money squeezing movies the way to go.

The prequels made me sad and with Disney at the helm are we ever going to get anywhere close to the originals again?

DMcGuigan

DMcGuigan

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There are a lot of Extended Universe books set after the fall of Vader and the Emperor, I'm sure they'll find something they can focus on with Lucas and maybe some of the extended universe writers. I wouldn't put it past them going down the path of the re-establishing of the Jedi Order, ie Grand Master Skywalker, and introducing Mara Skywalker.

 

There's a lot they can do if they use the books as a starting point. Quite interested to see what happens.

Edited by DMcGuigan
Bromcom_John

Bromcom_John

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A Star Wars trilogy with the storytelling chops that the Pixar guys have would be good.

They even have a good track record for making emotion filled robot characters...

We could get a fight between R2D2 and Wall-E for most cutest film robot evah!!

Not to mention the much awaited Darth Vader vs. Emperor Zerg battle royale!

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