In a come out left field announcement, Disney has acquired Lucasfilm
for $4.05 billion and has already announced Star
Wars: Episode 7 for summer 2015.
Said George Lucas on the sale: “For the past 35 years, one
of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star
Wars passed from one generation to the next. 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. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the
leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney
organization, Star Wars will
certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and
experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film,
television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer
products.”
Disney also acquires the technologies from the San
Francisco-based company, which operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd.,
LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound. Lucasfilm made
Kennedy co-chairman back in June, as the apparent heir to Lucas, who was
stepping away from the blockbuster film making and getting into smaller, more
personal projects that did not rely on the bean counters and studio heads
diluting scripts to appeal to a broader audience. Kennedy will now become president
of Lucasfilm, and will be reporting to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn.
What is known about a new Star Wars installment is that Kathleen Kennedy would be executive
producer on Episode 7 and any more Star
Wars movies beyond that, and that Lucas would serve as creative consultant
only, meaning he’ll no longer have a say in its creative direction. Also, what
will be the fate of Star Wars: The Clone
Wars series which airs on rival cable net Cartoon Network?
For many fans, enamored with the Original series and not the
prequels, there is much joy, as many have said Lucas lost his way creatively
over the years. Still, what remains unanswered is whether the new Star Wars
movie will use any of the Expanded
Universe novels that have come out in the last 20 years (not to mention the comic books and graphic novels) or go in a new
direction. Also, would they involve original Star Wars actors Mark Hamill,
Carrie Fisher or Harrison Ford?
Or, would they just reboot the franchise?
While no one saw this coming, Lucas has been working with
Disney for years, especially at their theme parks. The revamped Star Tours ride at Disneyland was a
huge success when it re-opened last year and continues to remain a popular
attraction, mostly for its multiple versions of the ride which can give people
new experiences each time the take the ride. Plus, Disney has their favorite characters
dressed as Star Wars characters
already, so the fact that the studio bought Lucasfilm seems a logical extension
of both Star Wars and Disney merchandising
products.
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