Star Wars Ep. 7 coming soon to a theater near you.

[EastLos01]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/5...sfilm.html.csp

Disney buying Lucasfilm for $4B, ‘Star Wars’ Episode 7 slated for 2015 release
Mega-group » Lucasfilm joins Pixar, Marvel, ESPN and ABC under Disney banner.


Los Angeles • Disney is paying $4.05 billion to buy Lucasfilm Ltd., the production company behind "Star Wars," from its chairman and founder, George Lucas. It’s also making a seventh movie in the "Star Wars" series called "Episode 7," set for release in 2015, with plans to follow it with Episodes 8 and 9 and then one new movie every two or three years.

The Walt Disney Co. announced the agreement to make the purchase in cash and stock Tuesday.


The deal brings Lucasfilm under the Disney banner with other brands including Pixar, Marvel, ESPN and ABC.

Kathleen Kennedy, the current co-chairman of Lucasfilm, will become its president and report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Lucas will be creative consultant on new "Star Wars" films.

Lucas said in a statement, "It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers."

[TickleMeElmo]

YOU FUCKIN' NERDS READY OR WHAT?!?

[greghead]

Lucas said in a statement, "It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers."

Maybe now they'll make new Star Wars films that don't completely suck. Still, weird to think of Lucasfilm as part of Disney.

[Sushov23]

I haven't been this happy about movies in a long time. FUCK YES! STAR WARS ahhhhhhhhhhh. Better not be a fucking remake bro.

[menikmati]

Oh, they're trying to make Star Wars relevant again? Yawn.

[unit300021]

It's a lose lose situation for Disney if they actually make the film. First off balance was brought back to the force so if they continue right where they left off then they basically lied in 6 movies. Only real way to pull it off would be a time jump into the future where it became unbalanced again but the problem is, who wants to see a star wars with no Luke, Darth, Han, Yoda, Leah, and Chewy? I for sure don't. I guess you can sill have C3PO and R2D2 but still. No way they make back the 4 billion.

[greghead]

No way they make the money back? I'm guessing you forgot about merchandise and image-licensing. Star Wars shit sells really well.

[unit300021]

Yeah I probably did but still 4 billion is a ton to make up, even with the selling rate of Star Wars shit. Especially if episode 7 is a major bust.

[amyzzz]

My friend who loves Star Wars and Disney equally must be going apeshit about now. This could be cool.

[TomAz]

No way they make back the 4 billion.

INVESTMENT BANKERS SCREW UP FINANCES ON $4BN DEAL, SAYS RANDOM GUY ON INTERNET

[kreutz2112]

Oh, they're trying to make Star Wars relevant again? Yawn.

Stars Wars has ALWAYS been relevant IMO, but I would say its relevancy as a function of its popularity went back up when the Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network started. The Clove Wars series makes the prequels better.

[greghead]

Yeah I probably did but still 4 billion is a ton to make up, even with the selling rate of Star Wars shit. Especially if episode 7 is a major bust.

Yes it is, but it's not just shirts and shit, think about Blu-Ray DVD sets and royalties for all of Lucasfilms movies (American Graffiti, Indiana Jones movies, Labyrinth, and a couple other huge films I'm sure I'm forgetting). Even if the new movie is a total flop, they'll still move merchandise/movie tickets/DVDs with ease. It may take a minute or two, but Disney will turn a nice profit on this deal.

[wmgaretjax]

Yes it is, but it's not just shirts and shit, think about Blu-Ray DVD sets and royalties for all of Lucasfilms movies (American Graffiti, Indiana Jones movies, Labyrinth, and a couple other huge films I'm sure I'm forgetting). Even if the new movie is a total flop, they'll still move merchandise/movie tickets/DVDs with ease. It may take a minute or two, but Disney will turn a nice profit on this deal.

and ILM.

the entire valuation was made on the potential to make money on star wars alone. everything else is icing.

[JorgeC]

I'm hoping for a live-action weekly series. I thought when Clone Wars was being developed that's the direction they were heading in, but i guess the cartoon made more fiscal sense.

Wonder how far in the future 7, 8 and 9 would take place and what kind of source material they'd base it on. Dark Empire? Hopefully no Jedi Academy crap. I'm more of an Old Republic dude, but i'll still be there at every midnight screening no matter what schlock they put up on screen.

[amyzzz]

Labyrinth sequel, please.

[Alchemy]

Original versions of 4, 5, and 6!? Is it finally going to happen!?

[luckyface]

I'd be more interested in seeing them re-do episodes I - III. Those were pretty shitty.

And did someone say Labyrinth?

[Grandma]

if wicket and cindel aren't in episode 7 then who the fuck cares

[luckyface]

if wicket and cindel aren't in episode 7 then who the fuck cares

You can't forget Wilford Brimley. And that really fast creature that Wilford had as his pet.

[greghead]

and ILM.

Oooh, that's right. I had forgotten about ILM, Skywalker Sound, LucasArts, etc etc.

[unit300021]

Any chance they release a movie with Boba Fett as the central character? I think that would be pretty awesome.

[Neighborhood Creep]

3D!

[xanman86]

I wonder if this will speed up the releases of the original 6 in theaters with 3D upgrades. I think A New Hope 3D was supposed to come out in 2015...

[cutterbutter]

They are totally gonna bank in on them both.

COMING 2015: SEE THE FIRS STAR WARS MOVIE IN 3D AND THE BRAND NEW EPISODE 7 IN 3D IN THE SAME YEAR. COMING 2015!

[york707]

And the rides and whatnot at the Disney theme parks.

[DFrank]

They already have a Star Wars ride...which is horrible compared to the older one.

[bmack86]

According to a Forbes article Lucas pulls in $215 million on merchandise. It's not clear, but I assume that's a yearly number. Actually quite a bit smaller than I expected, but still provides a significant incentive.

As far as story goes, there are quite a few books about the future, some of them pretty good. There was one trilogy I recall where, while mining for the crystals that power light sabers, the jedis come upon a really good new villain. It was set about 20-30 years after the Return of the Jedi and all the main characters were still in it. That would actually make a decent Episode 7 if they did it well.

[cutterbutter]

Mark Hamill coming back to play old luke... please no.

[Alchemy]

In the video where Lucas talks about the sell, he mentioned passing on his treatments for 7, 8, and 9 to the Disney folk. I wonder how much weight those treatments have, or if Disney will let them collect dust and just use the other (probably better) material that's out there.

[Aphxtwinin]

Episodes 7,8,9 are basically written already through the various book series...Han and Leia have twins (Anakin and I forget the girls name), Luke slips to the Dark Side in his exploration of the full power of the force, starts Sith Order again, Anakin Solo and Sister becomes Jedis and defeat their Uncle Luke (not sure if he dies)...Peace returns to the galaxy.