Disney to buy Lucasfilm, make more Star Wars movies

Disney to buy Lucasfilm, make more Star Wars movies 30 Oct, 2012 / 32 comments

In breaking news, Disney has acquired Lucasfilm for just over $4 billion. Star Wars Ep VII slated for 2015 release, apparently.

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

What the Duck?

JP Update:

Source: Coming Soon

32 Comments

Sven_Q45 on 03 Nov, 2012, 20:55…
Probaby No Indy movie. Ah! But historical news.

GF movie would be great.
Rum Rogers on 03 Nov, 2012, 14:41…
A GF movie by Pixar scares the hell out of me too... but on the other hand, Pixar never fails to be brilliant, so it could even be a wonderful thing for GF, provided that it would take a director with guts and balls.
clone2727 on 03 Nov, 2012, 13:30…

Tal
It is my pleasure to reiterate this juicy detail provided earlier in the year (yanked from Wikipedia):

"In April 2012, Pixar announced their intention to create a film centered on the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos and to be directed by Lee Unkrich."

Pixar. Grim Fandango. Unlikely as it may be, it would be a match made in heaven, especially if they had the balls to step up to PG-13.
I actually joked that Pixar was making the Grim Fandango movie last week with someone. Now I'm scared.
MKZY on 02 Nov, 2012, 09:05…
This is the biggest shocker since MI5... Damnit, I leave the internets for just a few days and what happens!
Rum Rogers on 31 Oct, 2012, 10:44…
Brilliant interpretation of the new situation by Tim:
Tomb Schafer ‏@TimOfLegend
Actual photo of Disney happily welcoming the classic LucasArts adventure properties into their family! http://bit.ly/W47GlE
jp-30 on 31 Oct, 2012, 04:19…

daltysmilth
I wonder if the so-called Episode VII is anything concrete at this point, or if whoever wrote the press release just asked someone at Lucasfilm or Disney if this meant there would be another movie, and they said "Yeah, sure, we'd love to do another one at some point."

Watch the youtube clip above...
daltysmilth on 31 Oct, 2012, 04:09…
I wonder if the so-called Episode VII is anything concrete at this point, or if whoever wrote the press release just asked someone at Lucasfilm or Disney if this meant there would be another movie, and they said "Yeah, sure, we'd love to do another one at some point."
Kroms on 31 Oct, 2012, 04:04…
If they got Henry Selick to do it and it was stop-motion animation, maybe.
Tal on 31 Oct, 2012, 01:42…
It is my pleasure to reiterate this juicy detail provided earlier in the year (yanked from Wikipedia):

"In April 2012, Pixar announced their intention to create a film centered on the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos and to be directed by Lee Unkrich."

Pixar. Grim Fandango. Unlikely as it may be, it would be a match made in heaven, especially if they had the balls to step up to PG-13.
Melancholick on 31 Oct, 2012, 01:24…

Jason
I couldn't care less about Star Wars, but it will be cool to see if Disney sees the same potential I do in an Indiana Jones animated series that covers the 40s. Surely Indy was having WWII and noir-flavored adventures prior to the events of Crystal Skull.

If this--or something like it--happened, it would not be the worst thing ever.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/gorgeous-artwork-imagines-indiana-jones-as-an-animated-series/
Kroms on 31 Oct, 2012, 01:06…

Threepwood4life
Guybrush has an insult swordfight with Jack Sparrow, the possibilities are there

I groaned. Imagine Monkey Island: the animated series or whatever.
MeddlingMonk on 31 Oct, 2012, 00:24…
George is probably just building a nest egg for his retirement. Those plaid shirts aren't cheap, you know.
jp-30 on 31 Oct, 2012, 00:22…

fco

yep, disney interactive studios, but it's pretty much today's lucasarts in terms of creativity.

So they just churn out licenced IP games from the Disney stable? I did enjoy the Rocketeer game on my 386 back in the day.

And they made my favourite game/simulator/sandbox thing ever, Stunt Island. But that was a long long time ago.
fco on 30 Oct, 2012, 23:32…

jp-30

Does Disney even have a gaming division these days?

yep, disney interactive studios, but it's pretty much today's lucasarts in terms of creativity.

jp-30
They might fold LucasArts or sell them off...

... to Double Fine! (dreaming is free, isn't it?)
jp-30 on 30 Oct, 2012, 23:15…
Disney has done great things with Pixar. Their Muppet movie was excellent, and fans of the Avengers seem happy with the latest movie.

I'm sure any new Star Wars movies have a very good chance of being better than the prequels.

It's the non-Star Wars IPs I'm kind of worried about, but at the same time, somewhat hopeful.

Does Disney even have a gaming division these days? They might fold LucasArts or sell them off...
Jason on 30 Oct, 2012, 23:13…
I couldn't care less about Star Wars, but it will be cool to see if Disney sees the same potential I do in an Indiana Jones animated series that covers the 40s. Surely Indy was having WWII and noir-flavored adventures prior to the events of Crystal Skull.
fco on 30 Oct, 2012, 23:09…

jp-30
Pixar - Lucas - Disney... SAM & MAX MOVIE!

Is Purcell still in Pixar? Hopefully having one of the old lucasartsters on the inside will help in not letting those IPs disappear in the sea of licences that Disney+Lucasfilm will become.
Anyway, I kind of shrug at the idea of a Disney-filtered Sam and Max.
pheeph on 30 Oct, 2012, 23:00…
I heard the news... I'm personally mixed on this... on one hand it might jump start the star wars series... but I'm also afraid they might mess it up...
jannar85 on 30 Oct, 2012, 22:56…
Well, I hope for a reboot of the monkey island movie at some point... :)
Jason on 30 Oct, 2012, 22:49…
The implications are staggering. I'm sure whatever effect this will have on LucasArts' original IP will be anticlimactic, though.
BillieJoe86 on 30 Oct, 2012, 22:37…
What made our LucasArts so great was the fact that Lucas didn't get involved in the games, and that geniuses like Barwood, Gilbert, et al., were free to experiment and achieve greatness. Now, they will be an even smaller branch in a waaaay larger conglomerate. This MIGHT (if we are lucky) mean more Monkey Island (maybe, hopefully), and Lucas' companies getting access to more and maybe better employees. But this is it: independence is gone for LucasFilm and LucasArts. It's just an idea, I know, and we might not be too happy with some of LucasArts' latest productions to begin with. But Lucas' empire is no longer independent. In other words, I rather have Lucas' empire be a mess because Lucas decided to, because in the end, he is the creator. He is the one who started LucasArts, and empowered those aforementioned geniuses to create what we love. That idea, ladies and gentlemen, that spirit, is now totally gone.
Rum Rogers on 30 Oct, 2012, 22:35…
I wonder what this could possibly mean to LucasArts? I don't know if I should feel happy or sad... so I'd say I'm scared right now.
Laserschwert on 30 Oct, 2012, 21:29…
Ron twitters:

I pretty sure this whole Lucas/Disney deal went down so they could get a hold of Monkey Island. That would make sense.
Melancholick on 30 Oct, 2012, 21:01…
... at this point, I feel like I'd enjoy a Jerry Bruckheimer Star Wars movie more than anything that George is capable of making happen. Hopefully, all those Pixar geniuses who grew up as franchise nerds are frothing at the mouth to make a movie that restores some of the mythology and grandeur to whatever's left in the license.

Or, you know: more Clone Wars. Kids do love them Clone Wars.
Jon N/A on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:58…

valkian
Jon N/A
I wonder what this means for ScummVM and ResidualVM and released/in-production fan games...

All those extremely popular Disney fan games were never taken down. No reason to worry.

Cool!
valkian on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:55…

Jon N/A
I wonder what this means for ScummVM and ResidualVM and released/in-production fan games...

All those extremely popular Disney fan games were never taken down. No reason to worry.
Gov. Phatt on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:55…
So much for Lucas being adamant about no more Star Wars films, leaving specific instructions in his will.
Jon N/A on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:52…
I wonder what this means for ScummVM and ResidualVM and released/in-production fan games...
valkian on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:45…
Clearly, the .05 in the 4.05 billion dollars, is the value of Loom.
jp-30 on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:32…
Pixar - Lucas - Disney... SAM & MAX MOVIE!

Or, y'know, more Star Wars.
Threepwood4life on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:25…
Guybrush has an insult swordfight with Jack Sparrow, the possibilities are there
Skooj on 30 Oct, 2012, 20:23…
This is nuts. And yet, I wonder if this will mean any changes for LucasArts. Disney bought out Lucas to get their mitts on his franchises; is it a stretch to think that Monkey Island 6 is a little more likely? There's definite money there. Or maybe the MI film could become a reality. Who knows? Only one thing is sure: Star Wars 7 will probably be in 3D.

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