Tue, Oct 30, 2012 | 20:57 GMT

Disney buys Lucasfilm, Star Wars Episode 7 to come in 2015 — Report

Disney has acquired Lucasfilm for the hefty sum of $4.05 billion, according to multiple sources.

The deal will see Disney paying half of that giant figure in cash, with the rest made up in an issue of around 40 million shares.

As part of the purchase, Disney now owns all of Lucasfilm’s subsidiaries. For gamers, this means that the company has acquired video game developer and publisher LucasArts as well.

Of course, this also means that Disney owns the rights to the iconic “Star Wars” franchise, and initial reports are now suggesting that the company plans on releasing a Star Wars: Episode 7 film in 2015.

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

“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.”

I’ll let you take that one in for a second. This may not specifically be just video game news, but with Star Wars apparently ready for a comeback to the big screen, ramifications would seem sure to be felt across many industries, the gaming one included.

Update: This article originally stated that Disney had acquired just “LucasArts” rather than all of “Lucasfilm,” which includes the video game development studio. It has been updated for further clarity.

50 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Disney, Financials, Lucasarts
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50 comments

#1

SlayerGT
30/10/12, 8:22 pm

O_O

#2

Dark
30/10/12, 8:24 pm

NOOOOOO!!

#3

AHA-Lambda
30/10/12, 8:26 pm

WOAH!!!! DA FUCK!!

#4

Christopher Jack
30/10/12, 8:26 pm

Could just imagine Mickey Mouse telling Lucas that he’s his father… :’(

http://dribbble.s3.amazonaws.com/users/763/screenshots/47951/shot_1282451470.png

#5

Edo
30/10/12, 8:28 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s ………or whatever.

#6

Jeff Dunn
30/10/12, 8:29 pm

I was sitting here, mouth agape. Stunning news, I know.

#7

SplatteredHouse
30/10/12, 8:30 pm

They’re welcome to them. The better games are coming out of Europe (and indies/ks initiatives) in the adventure genre anyway, while Lucasarts clings to Star Wars as it’s last hope.

#8

SplatteredHouse
30/10/12, 8:32 pm

oh, they bought the film company…”Soon your transformation to the dark side will be complete” xD

#10

Ireland Michael
30/10/12, 8:38 pm

Hooo boy.

*stands well back*

#11

SplatteredHouse
30/10/12, 8:41 pm

So, Disney-Angry Birds-Star Wars then. Because, that would be the relation to games?

“Star Wars apparently ready for a comeback on the big screen” lol?

#12

AHA-Lambda
30/10/12, 8:45 pm

ok obligatory…

NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I’ve got a bad feeling about this

I sense a great disturbance in the force

PS: ya know what? Just stop the press, absolutely nothing will top this news. Everyone just take a week break :P

#13

Jeff Dunn
30/10/12, 8:46 pm

@11 Yeah. Ugh.

This story’s been developing for a good while now, so that’s my excuse for the constant updates everyone.

Just for further clarity, Disney buying Lucasfilm means that it now owns LucasArts, the dev. I’ve added that into the update just to be safe. So there’s your “video game news” part of the story, even though, as a whole, it’s much bigger than just that.

#14

joshua nash
30/10/12, 8:49 pm

as long as ep7 isn’t a crapfest like the prequel movies and is instead on par with the the avengers then i’m okay with this, but does this mean that star wars will be in KH3 cause if so i think i’ll die happy

#15

SplatteredHouse
30/10/12, 9:03 pm

@13: You originally believed the source report (on a developing story) to be related to the acquisition of the games part of Lucas. No further qualification needed. :) I thought “film” and “Arts” acted as two separate entities, but it seems not. They get “Skywalker Sound” and “Industrial Light and Magic” too, I imagine.

#16

AHA-Lambda
30/10/12, 9:07 pm

Social/mobile focus over consoles confirmed on the ongoing conference call, can’t say I’m surprised =/

#17

hitnrun
30/10/12, 9:10 pm

At least this means we’ll get the original trilogy re-released. I always knew capitalism would save Star Wars in that sense. I just expected it would be when Lucas died.

As for the new movies: if they’re good, great. If they’re not, even better. Then we can further separate the first three films into the relevant and enjoyable experience that they are without having to hew and hedge and argue. “Even if they strike us down,” etc.

It’s not a good sign that they’re announcing a release date before they’ve even hired a writer to begin working on the barest idea of what a sequel to Return of the Freaking Jedi would be about, though, as though they were producing a Spider Man sequel.

#18

Yoshi
30/10/12, 9:19 pm

Oh god…

#19

OrbitMonkey
30/10/12, 9:26 pm

Good. Hopefully Buzz Lightyear & Stitch will have cameo’s in future films :)

#20

OlderGamer
30/10/12, 9:26 pm

I didn’t see this coming.

#21

Sini
30/10/12, 9:27 pm

in perfect world they would fire everyone at lucasarts, which is long overdue.

#22

AHA-Lambda
30/10/12, 9:28 pm

@17 – apparently disney need to work out distribution rights with Fox on that one first before they do anything.

#23

OrbitMonkey
30/10/12, 9:31 pm

And a new film in 2015! GLEE!

God i hope its some new canon… As much as i love the old guys, tying everything back to Luke, Han or Leigha is wearing thin.

#24

DuckOfDestiny
30/10/12, 9:35 pm

Wait, this means Disney now own the rights to Monkey Island?

#25

LuLshuck
30/10/12, 9:44 pm

As much as i want a new star wars film, disney was not my first choice of people to buy them

#26

Dave Cook
30/10/12, 9:45 pm

IT’S A TRAP!

#27

Phoenixblight
30/10/12, 9:51 pm

THis is great news Lucas couldn’t hack it with the first three episodes. Disney has been doing very well with Marvel so I am all for this.

#28

manamana
30/10/12, 10:01 pm

BANTHA POODOO!

#29

robincolon8
30/10/12, 10:03 pm

Carl said I am in shock that anyone can get paid $4455 in 1 month on the computer. did you see this site link..http://lnk.co/KQW5O

#30

Custard Ganet
30/10/12, 10:27 pm

Yes!!! New blood.All Disney need to do is get directors and writers who are actually passionate about Star Wars and you cant go wrong,at least nothing they make could turn out as bad as the prequels right? also hopefully get the originals released on blu ray

#31

KrazyKraut
30/10/12, 10:56 pm

I am dead and in hell…please tell me I am dead and in HELL!!!

#32

Edo
30/10/12, 11:01 pm

Even the spambot is shocked :D !

#33

KrazyKraut
30/10/12, 11:02 pm

I felt a great disturbance in the Force… as if millions of voices
suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear
something terrible has happened.

#34

Ireland Michael
30/10/12, 11:20 pm

@33 Are you sure it wasn’t just flatulence?

#35

Hunam
30/10/12, 11:37 pm

Does this mean… does this mean non Lucas Star Wars films!?

I mean… this could be amazing.

#36

KrazyKraut
30/10/12, 11:39 pm

A msg from 2027:
“Check out the new PSXBOXWii iPad from Disney!!!”

#37

Hunam
30/10/12, 11:43 pm

I just hope they get a good director and tackle the Thrawn trilogy.

#38

OrbitMonkey
31/10/12, 12:14 am

Michael Bay to direct & Justin Bieber as the new *Luke*.

#39

NocturnalB
31/10/12, 12:29 am

This happened because George Lucas lost faith in most fans due to the never ending hate mail he received for things like Jar Jar Binks etc., so he said he’d never have a hand in another Star Wars film again after episodes 1-3, look it up i don’t remember who it was that did the interview, possibly Rolling Stones. This is the direct result of the world being filled to the brim with douche bags.

Still though my god this is some massive news

#40

Telepathic.Geometry
31/10/12, 12:30 am

Holy shit, that’s some seriously big news! Didn’t see that comin’… But considering that the alternative could be leaving George Lucas behind the wheel, I’m strangely comfortable with it…

#41

Digital Bamboo
31/10/12, 1:21 am

This might not be a bad thing.

If they’re animated (in the right way) and follow the Thrawn Trilogy, these next movies could be amazing.

They can’t be worse than The Phantom Menace, can they?

#42

NocturnalB
31/10/12, 1:29 am

@41 No F-ing way! Unless you are talking live action mixed with minimal cgi animation, and only stunningly amazing cgi animation. They would never add a new episode and make it 100% animated.

#43

Ireland Michael
31/10/12, 1:31 am

You know, Hamill is at just the right age now to fit into the master role.

All he’s missing is the beard.

#44

FLONG
31/10/12, 1:36 am

Wonderful.

Share a website with you ,

(w w w .like surprise.com/ )

Believe you will love it.
Edit

#45

NocturnalB
31/10/12, 1:48 am

Hey Flong dong silver… go fly a kite with that spamming BS.

@Michael

That would be cool! Mark Hamill as some form of elder in a new series of films, seems perfectly fitting. Although this “Thrawn” trilogy everyone keeps talking about sounds like the better route so i don’t know.

#46

Digital Bamboo
31/10/12, 2:20 am

@42 I was thinking more fully animated, not in a cartoonish or photo-realistic sense, but something slick & stylized. Pretty unlikely, I know. Disney is not based in Japan, after all.

Or, if they did chose to use live action & some of the original actors, then animating over top of it, something like A Scanner Darkly. I just can’t imagine a new live action Star Wars working with contemporary well-known actors.

Whatever they do, hopefully they get it right.

#47

NocturnalB
31/10/12, 2:27 am

Yeah i remember A Scanner Darkly, it was alright, and i do get better now what you mean. I don’t know maybe I’m just a traditionalist but personally i think they need to just stick to the good old fashioned way of doing it.

Agreed, i just hope they get it right, what ever they do.

#48

Dragon246
31/10/12, 2:45 am

I would say 4.5 billion for one of the most iconic franchises ever along with everything else on offer is a steal. Star wars film, if done right can easily reach avengers sale figures.

#49

Ireland Michael
31/10/12, 2:56 am

@25 Isn’t there like a 25 year span of the lore after the original trilogy that’s “off limits” for anything other than the movies? I’m not sure of the specifics (I’m more of a Star Trek man, truth be told), but imagine that’s when the movies would be set.

#50

Ireland Michael
31/10/12, 2:57 am

Good luck to Kathleen Kennedy. She’s gonna need it.

I do not pity her position at all. The fans are going to be out in force (no pun intended) after this reveal. I hope she can handle it.

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