Disney buys Lucasfilm

[Evil Eye]

Disney is buying Lucasfilm, the company behind the Star Wars films, from its chairman and founder George Lucas for $4.05bn (£2.5bn).



Mr Lucas said: It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of film-makers.



In a statement announcing the purchase, Disney said it planned to release a new Star Wars film, episode seven, in 2015.



That will be followed by episodes eight and nine and then one new movie every two or three years, the company said.



The last Star Wars film was 2005's Revenge of the Sith, and Disney said it believed there was substantial pent-up demand.



Disney will pay about half in cash and half in stock, issuing 40 million Disney shares in the transaction.



Our valuation of Lucasfilm is roughly comparable to the value we placed on Marvel when we announced that acquisition in 2009, Disney said, adding that the valuation was almost entirely driven by the Star Wars franchise.



The first Star Wars film was released in 1977.



For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next, said George Lucas.



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.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20146942





Would you watch a seventh Star Wars movie?

 

[Flurry]

I'd be willing to give it a chance. I never had much issue with the prequels unlike a lot of others.

 

[DrLeftover]

I'd never seen a 'droid cry before.

 

[Flurry]

I don't get the reference.

 

[Sinon]

I won't. But that's because I hate all the Star Wars movies. I like the videogames though.

 

[Jazzy]

No thanks. I'm not a Star Wars fan to begin with.

 

[Flurry]

I've heard it mentioned that Harrison Ford wants to have his character killed off early on if they bring back Han Solo for the new movie. Gee, how Bill Murray of him.

 

[FlashDown]

I am currently unsure if I want to see this next Star Wars movie since Disney will be making it. I am unsure of what they will do with it and if they will make it good or make it very cartoony. I will probably give it a shot and try and watch it but if they mess up Star Wars then I will be very upset. Lets hope they do good!

 

[Dark Raiden]

Well, according to some articles I've read, they're still allowing Lucasfilms to pursue their own creative interests with the film project. They're simply milking the franchise for profit.

 

[McConnaughay]

I am fine with Dinsey purchasing the rights to Lucasfilm because quite honestly, I don't hate Disney, they bought the rights to Marvel movies and one way or the other, they helped lead to The Avengers which was probably the best Marvel super-hero movie that I can think of. Albeit, some can easily get away with saying that Disney merely financed it, but the point that I am trying to make also is that Disney knows what it's doing. They have proven it with things like Pirates of the Caribbean multiple times.