Disney Buys Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion

[dpamac]

--AP--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.

The Walt Disney Co. announced the agreement to make the purchase in cash and stock Tuesday. Disney added that “Star Wars Episode 7” is scheduled for release in 2015.

Goodbye Avatarland, hello Star Warsland? It could compete with Potter.

[AgentC]

Goodbye Avatarland, hello Star Warsland? It could compete with Potter.

You beat me. Delete my thread please. :D

[dpamac]

Official word from the Mouse is here (https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/disney-acquire-lucasfilm).

Here's Uncle George signing the deal:

[AgentC]

I would be so excited if they abandoned Avatar and went the a Star Warsland. Seems like a no brainer considering how popular Star Wars weekends are.

[TiggeRia]

Holy moly that's a lot of money!! I have yet to see a Star Wars movie... :secret:

[big blue and hairy]

I read years ago during the filming of the original trilogy, that there were nine existing stories, including three after the original trilogy (4,5, & 6). Maybe this is the start of that.

:sulley:

[big blue and hairy]

Also, Star Wars land would work for me....:thumbsup:

:sulley:

[darthmacho]

:jaw: That's a LOT of money...

OMG! New movies? Potential additions to Disney Parks? A Star Wars Themed Resort at WDW? (Okay, I made that last one up, but think of the possibilities!)

[BrerGnat]

Five words:

Fifth. Gate. Star Wars Park.

Nuff said. They could just sit back and watch the money roll in.

Oh, and Harry Potter who? In your face Universal!!!

[AgentC]

Listening to the conference call. I totally forget that this also include the Indiana Jones series too. They just said they did buy it for Star Wars and everything else is a bonus.

[ChipNDale79]

ive been on board with Avatar from day one.

Now i'm saying cancel Avatar and build a Star Wars land!

[Pop Centurion]

Goodbye Avatarland, hello Star Warsland? It could compete with Potter.
Compete? It would be game over for Potter.

Granted I've never been a fan of the Pandora/Avatarland idea, I do admit it would be a much needed boost for AK. Obviously a Star Wars Land wouldn't work in AK. Indiana Jones fits the theme better but it couldn't be made into a vast enough area.

[ryca1dreams]

Listening to the conference call. I totally forget that this also include the Indiana Jones series too. They just said they did buy it for Star Wars and everything else is a bonus.

The way I understand it includes anything owned by Lucasfilm, ILM, Skywalker Sound, which, in addition to movie rights, would include things like THX and other film/audio technologies. Am I wrong?

[AgentC]

The way I understand it includes anything owned by Lucasfilm, ILM, Skywalker Sound, which, in addition to movie rights, would include things like THX and other film/audio technologies. Am I wrong?

Yes, they bought everything, but the value of the deal was based on Star Wars.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Ok, now this is something I can get excited about. Was never a fan of Avatarland, actually hated the movie, could barely stand to sit through the whole thing. I think Star Wars has the staying power Disney needs for a project as large as an entire land/park. There is already a huge fan base, and it's a classic!

I see a few knocks on Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The only way Star Wars would blow Potterland out of the water is IF Disney does it as well as Universal did with Potter. Even then, I think many underestimate the success and huge fan base of the Potter books, movies, and Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I do think Star Wars was a bigger success, but it just depends on how much passion Disney decides to put into it.

[Lindsey310]

Five words:

Fifth. Gate. Star Wars Park.

Nuff said. They could just sit back and watch the money roll in.

Oh, and Harry Potter who? In your face Universal!!!


Wow this would be amazing!! Hope they are thinking the same things we are!! :mickey3:

[Lindsey310]

:jaw: That's a LOT of money...

OMG! New movies? Potential additions to Disney Parks? A Star Wars Themed Resort at WDW? (Okay, I made that last one up, but think of the possibilities!)

Love all of these ideas!!! Hope they are thinking the same way we are!!! :mickey:

[dpamac]

Listening to the conference call. I totally forget that this also include the Indiana Jones series too. They just said they did buy it for Star Wars and everything else is a bonus.

Ermegerd! Totally forgot about that. Ian and I were talking about about how they could move or ditch Muppets 3D and wipeout the backlot tour and create a whole new section for Star Wars, but they could include the stunt show and maybe a new version of the Indiana Jones ride from DL too.

[caryrae]

Maybe Disney can open a Resort in Skywalker Ranch? :)

Or how about an Ewok Village Resort?

[dpamac]

Yes, they bought everything, but the value of the deal was based on Star Wars.

LucasArts too, which makes some pretty popular video games.

[TinkerbellT421]

1) I guess I better watch the Star Wars movies...:tiptoe::hide:

2) why not have both? Avatar land and a Star Wars land? I think it would be a much needed boost for Animal Kingdom.

3) I'm sorta prematurely excited about the possibilities this provides :mickey:

[Quadstriker]

Thanks for the anniversary present, Disney. Ya'll are still cool.
:mickey:

[readytogo2]

not a star wars fan but glad to see there may be something new in the parks

[magicofdisney]

The possibilities are nearly limitless. I'm kind of wondering why it took so long (unless Lucas has been holding out). What a fantastic merge! :thumbsup:

[TinkerbellT421]

And I forgot to mention this will be a perfect fit in Hollywood studios.

[brownie]

I hope this means an expansion of Star Wars in the parks. I would love to go to the Mos Eisley Cantina.

[Quadstriker]

In honor of the film opening this week...


George Lucas in 1999: "I'm gonna wreck it!"

Disney in 2012: "I can fix it!"

[Figment!]

Here's the full press release:


DISNEY TO ACQUIRE LUCASFILM LTD.

Global leader in high-quality family entertainment agrees to acquire world-renowned Lucasfilm Ltd, including legendary STAR WARS franchise.

Acquisition continues Disney's strategic focus on creating and monetizing the world's best branded content, innovative technology and global growth to drive long-term shareholder value.

Lucasfilm to join company's global portfolio of world class brands including Disney, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and ABC.

STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 feature film targeted for release in 2015.




Press Release
The Walt Disney Company
October 30, 2012


Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

"Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas," said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney's unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value."

"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, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "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."

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.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm's legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world's top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney's strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

Note: Additional information and comments from Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company, and Jay Rasulo, senior executive vice president and CFO, The Walt Disney Company, regarding Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, are attached.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media, and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of over $40 billion in its Fiscal Year 2011.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.

Founded by George Lucas in 1971, Lucasfilm is a privately held, fully-integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide; Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties; Lucasfilm Animation; and Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses. Additionally, Lucasfilm Singapore, produces digital animated content for film and television, as well as visual effects for feature films and multi-platform games. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

[dnickels]

Don't think I saw it specifically mentioned here but on CNBC I thought I heard them say to expect movie #7 in 2015. That may have been speculation rather than an official announcement but I'm pretty sure I heard it that way.

[BriarRose0708]

This is great news. While I'm not as avid a Star Wars fan as many, I really enjoy the "classic" movies and loved the new version of Star Tours. I think there are so many more opportunities here than with Pandora/Avatar land. It will be very exciting to see where this goes.

[Dopey's Girl]

Just talked to a CM at American Adventure in Epcot. He said that everyone is really excited about this.

[dpamac]

I'll be willing to bet a revamping of the Studios is coming. I don't remember who said it earlier but they are right: Disney would need to put the attention to detail into this that Uni put into Hogsmeade. I want to walk through and be transported. I want Stormtroopers to shoot at me and miss because they have terrible aim. I want to walk into the Mos Eisley cantina, sit down at a booth with Greedo and shoot first.

[1DisneyNut]

I grumble at a lot of the stuff Disney does here lately but I have to admit, purchasing Lucasfilm and getting Star Wars and Indiana Jones has me fired up. I can't wait to see what new attractions and perhaps entire land comes to WDW.

I personally think avatar sucked and have never been able to make it past the first 15 minutes....really about the first 10, the additional 5 of the 15 I am actually already distracted and reading something, surfing the program guide looking for something else to watch or doing something on my phone. Hopefully the avatar land idea gets canned and Star Wars Land or perhaps a Lucas Land with both Star Wars and Indiana Jones and whatever else they can dream up goes in. That would be awesome!

[BrowncatP]

Star Wars land PLEASE!!:mickey: I am ready to book my vacation to see the new land now!

[Roger's #1 Fan]

Holy Lightsabers! This is awesome.

Wonder why they didn't save this for the What's New, What's Next event?

Maybe they are getting this part out of the way so they can announce the DHS redo with Star Wars Land. The artist who did the rock work for Carsland could probably do a bang up job on Mos Eisley.....

The force is with DISNEY. :mickey:

[Disney Hungarian]

I am very pleased with Disney's purchase today. This will have an affect on cash flow for Disney. I do not expect any new rides or lands very soon (within 2 years.) Disney has never had any problems acquiring any rights to use Lucas films properties in the parks before the purchase. My guess is that if anything is added, it will be about the time of the next Star Wars movie in 2015 (I do hope I am wrong and it is sooner.)

[gerald72]

Will there be a Howard the DuckLand?

[GBBT]

Will there be a Howard the DuckLand?

I hope not...that's a BAD movie.....

[Imagineer1981]

such a better merger than with Avatar. This is one of the more exciting announcements in a really, really long time

[KylesMom]

Heard the news on the way home from work while worrying about all my ICOT friends trying to get home. OMG!

WOW - and yes - and WOW. Ditch AVATAR, and hitch up Star Wars. Haven't had a chance to talk to Kyle tonight, but I bet he will be freaking out in the morning when I tell him that his two favorite things have finally joined "Forces"! Sorry, but I LOVE this franchise buy! :darth:

[DisneyDawgette]

I would be so excited if they abandoned Avatar and went the a Star Warsland. Seems like a no brainer considering how popular Star Wars weekends are.

Amen! I'd rather bank on a concept that has proven to be a symbol of American pop-culture, than bank on something that they hope may pick up in the next few movies...


Maybe we'll see a LucasFilms area of DHS now, in addition to an expansion of the Pixar Studios area! Gives me hope for that park, too! Adios, Echo Lake? Please?! :)

[DisneyDawgette]

I see a few knocks on Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The only way Star Wars would blow Potterland out of the water is IF Disney does it as well as Universal did with Potter. Even then, I think many underestimate the success and huge fan base of the Potter books, movies, and Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I do think Star Wars was a bigger success, but it just depends on how much passion Disney decides to put into it.

Hmm, I am a huge Potter fan. We're talking, I was at every book release and midnight showing, dressed to the nines. And I was so underwhelmed by Potter when I went a few weeks ago. The park was congested and REALLY kicked my claustrophobia into overdrive- which is not easy to do. I will never again pay $12 for Butterbeer that I can make better at home, and HPFJ was just... okay? I thought the concept was really neat and I enjoyed the ride... but enough to pay $90 to go back to wait in line for over an hour to fly through 3D (yet mostly blurry) effects? Definitely not.

Oh, and don't get me started on Dragon Challenge. That's still my favorite ride because the coaster itself is incredible- but come on, Universal... so cheap that you can't even repaint the ride for the big opening of a new multi-million dollar profit machine? Heads up, YOU CAN TELL!



That being said, I'm not a fan of Star Wars. I honestly don't particularly enjoy the movies (:secret:), but I hear Star Wars and I think of nothing but how much Disney could do with it! I will see the new one solely because Disney is doing it (Here's to hoping it's as good as The Avengers, because THAT was a beast movie.)

Parks, hotels, merch, you name it- it will do well. I know people who live, eat, and breathe Star Wars, and they're just the kind of people who would spend buckets of money to see it in person! And... I think I would too! :thumbsup:

[Tekneek]

This is for the whole package. Not just some movies, or rights to projects. They've got the entire company top to bottom. From the start, this makes much more sense to me than the Marvel acquisition. Disney has been working with George Lucas for 30 years or so.

Seems like a good thing all around, but I hope they don't mess it up.

[MyDisneyworld]

Please bring Star Wars Land......:trooper::darth::chewy::yoda::ewok:

[BrerGnat]

I too, love Harry Potter. Not to the extent of a lot of people, but I really did enjoy the stories a lot. I read all of the books multiple times, saw the movies, etc. I appreciate it for what it is.

That said, Harry Potter in NO WAY compares to the breadth of the Star Wars Universe. It's not even close. In merchandising alone, Star Wars is a monster machine, continuing to churn out toys, action figures, art, collectibles, etc. The worldwide Harry Potter fan base is dwarfed by that of Star Wars. You can't really put them in the same ballpark. I honestly don't believe that Harry Potter has the staying power that Star Wars has. 30 years+ from now, there will STILL be rabid Star Wars fans. I don't know that I can say the same about HP. HP is primarily a literary phenomenon, but Star Wars is so much more than that. Already, the fervor surrounding HP is dying down. I know that, for me, it's just not that big a deal anymore. Sure, I'd like to visit HP land at Universal, but I still haven't made it there, and I'm not chomping at the bit to do so. I could take it or leave it.

Now, I will say, I didn't even SEE Star Wars until I was in college and I had to watch the Trilogy for an upper level literature class (it was an example of classic good/evil narrative). I thought the movies were stupid, to be honest. They really are poorly written, poorly acted movies. But then, I met my future husband...self admitted Star Wars nerd. 12 years later, I know more about Star Wars than I ever imagined I would, and you know...it's actually a pretty cool franchise. :thumbsup: It grew on me, and I can appreciate the nostalgic love millions of people have for it. It's similar to our own obsession with WDW. :blush:Takes us back to our childhood...brings us to a happy place we remember...and that is worth a LOT. Parents pass along their love of Star Wars to their children. I don't think that will happen generations from now with Harry Potter.

Good move, Disney. Finally, a purchase that makes solid financial sense!

From the conference call yesterday, it sounds like Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneylands will see the most Star Wars in the parks in the near future. I don't like that, but it makes perfect sense. They need to drum up interest in those parks, and this is a solid way to boost attendance over there. Honestly, I think my own DH would go all the way to Hong Kong if Disney put a Star Wars land there. He said last night, "I've dreamed about being able to go to a Star Wars theme park my whole life." :cloud9:

But, domestic Star Wars presence over and above what we have now has to be a near certainty. Disney just can't go wrong here. After seeing pictures of Carsland and walking through the small portion of New Fantasyland the other night, I'm confident that Disney Imagineers have the ability to knock it out of the ballpark, theme wise, on anything Star Wars related.

George Lucas will remain a creative consultant too, so you know we'll see some good stuff.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

This is for the whole package. Not just some movies, or rights to projects. They've got the entire company top to bottom. From the start, this makes much more sense to me than the Marvel acquisition. Disney has been working with George Lucas for 30 years or so.

Seems like a good thing all around, but I hope they don't mess it up.
I agree. And let me add I don't think there will be a star wars land just the same weekends and ride already there.
However with the new technologies they have acquired I can see them using it for rides, movies and games. :mickey:

[jennsky]

I was thinking all day yesterday too about how they could blow out a whole lot of Hollywood Studios and put in Star Wars land. We were talking about it at work. That would draw HUGE interest from people across all age groups. It would be insanely busy. I'm guessing they blew off Avatarland once they started thinking about buying Star Wars. Awesome! And I do like the Star Wars themed resort idea. That would be cool!:mickey:

[azcavalier]

And I do like the Star Wars themed resort idea. That would be cool!:mickey:

This would surprise me. They haven't ever themed a resort based on a single movie/franchise. They're all based on geographic regions and cultures, with the exception of the value resorts, which combine movie themes.

I also am not sure about them adding a "land" to DHS. Yes, Star Wars fits in the park because it's a hollywood blockbuster franchise, but DHS isn't built with "lands" like AK or MK. It has various streets, which feature architectural eras. Just dropping in a "Star Wars Land" would disrupt the theme of the park, which is "Hollywood throughout the ages".

That said, I think that they'll eventually do *something* with it. Maybe even its own park. But if they do THAT, we're talking ten years down the road, which is what it takes to build a park from the ground up. If they started planning that today, we'd see it open in 2022.

[buzznwoodysmom]

That said, Harry Potter in NO WAY compares to the breadth of the Star Wars Universe.

.

Natalie,

I do agree with most of what you said. I even said in my own post that Star Wars has been a larger success than Harry Potter.

My main point was that Star Wars will do well in a Disney park "IF" Disney does it right. Universal did WWOHP very, very well, you feel transported into the books and movies, and I'd love to see Disney do as good a job, or even better, with SW. I am hopeful that with the new Carsland over at DL and this new FLE at MK, that those are good indications that Disney currently understands what their guests want. For a few years they were doing everything on the cheap and not putting nearly enough imagination and passion into it. If this had been announced 3-5 years ago I wouldn't even be excited about it because of what Disney was putting out at the time. I am sure Star Wars land/park, will be a huge success, but only if it is done right.

My DH is also a life long SW fan. I know he would be disappointed if any kind of SW land/park was built up by media and Disney marketing, but then fell flat due to lame attractions. But like I said earlier, if Carsland and FLE are any indications of what Disney will continue to churn out in the future then they can hit a homerun with this.

[Tigerinvestigator]

Anybody else get the mental image of Willy Wonka giving Charlie Bucket the chocolate factory when the news broke? Looks like George Lucas knows Disney is the best way for his dreamworld to continue after he is gone....what a legacy! I am also very excited. Been a huge Star Wars fan since the original came out at theatres. Now my three DD's love the series. They range in age from 8-15 and know every character. They have never been Harry Potter fans and don't really care about going back to Universal. I think Harry Potter will always be popular with the public, but my personal opinion is that Star Wars has a much wider range of fans. I agree with BrerGnat that this is really too big for just a land, they need to build a "Universe". Guess we will have to wait and see. Count me as one who would still like to see Avatar brought to AK. I think AK needs a boost and a couple of attractions and small land would be great. But Disney needs to be thinking BIG when they lay out their plans for Star Wars. Would also love to see the Indiana Jones ride put somewhere at WDW, either in Adventureland or DHS. Maybe this gives us a better chance of seeing it now. No matter what happens this can only be good news for Disney/Star Wars fans!:thumbsup:

[joonyer]

I think this is a great acquisition for Disney, and no doubt a great deal for Georgia Lucas, too. That being said, most of us here on intercot, and similar boards, are theme park junkies and have immediately gone into overdrive thinking about new attractions, "lands", even entire theme parks and resorts based on the Star Wars franchise. And it is certainly exciting to think about. But I didn't see anything in the official press release about any immediate plans to develop anything in regards to the franchise in WDW or DL. I think Disney is primarily interested in the profits that can be made with the movies and merchandising, thus this quote from the press release: "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".

Like everyone else, I am excited about what this means for the parks/resorts, but I really want to see/hear some official plans for something new based on the movies happening in the parks. Hopefully we'll be seeing that before too long, probably sooner than anything based on Marvel appearing in the US parks, but I think we'll be seeing new SW movies before we see new attractions in the parks.

[BrerGnat]

Like everyone else, I am excited about what this means for the parks/resorts, but I really want to see/hear some official plans for something new based on the movies happening in the parks. Hopefully we'll be seeing that before too long, probably sooner than anything based on Marvel appearing in the US parks, but I think we'll be seeing new SW movies before we see new attractions in the parks.

I generally agree with you here. However, I think it will be very difficult for Disney to NOT do something physical in the parks. The fans will demand it. The theme parks account for a large portion of their profits, and there is NO WAY that Avatarland Is really Disney's answer to Harry Potter at Universal. I sort of feel like Avatarland was used as a smokescreen to drum up hype/interest while this REAL deal was going down behind the scenes. Avatarland, if it even actually happens, will be a short term boost for Disney, possibly, but NOTHING compared to what a Star Wars themed park or land would be.

George Lucas himself has even said that he would love to visit a Star Wars theme park, but he didn't want to be the one responsible for building it. He wouldn't have given (yes, given...$4 billion is a STEAL for Lucasfilm) Disney the franchise if he didn't think they'd use it in the theme parks.

It might be light years into the future, but I think Star Wars themed lands/parks is a near certainty.

[TinkerbellT421]

.

George Lucas himself has even said that he would love to visit a Star Wars theme park, but he didn't want to be the one responsible for building it. He wouldn't have given (yes, given...$4 billion is a STEAL for Lucasfilm) Disney the franchise if he didn't think they'd use it in the theme parks.

It might be light years into the future, but I think Star Wars themed lands/parks is a near certainty.

Great point. And why do I want to think they bought Marvel for more than that? Am I wrong? I don't remember the exact number...hopefully someone knows. 4billion seems CHEAP compared to the profit this deal will potentially rake in FOR YEARS.

[BrerGnat]

Marvel was purchased for $4 billion.

Pixar cost Disney over $7 billion.

[Fangorn]

And why do I want to think they bought Marvel for more than that? Am I wrong? .... 4billion seems CHEAP compared to the profit this deal will potentially rake in FOR YEARS.


The purchase price for Marvel was roughly the same - right at $4 Billion. Comparing the two franchises and given that Disney doesn't currently have theme park rights to the Marvel characters, $4B for all of Lucas' properties, technologies and services does indeed seem like an absolute steal. I know we're all tending to focus (rightly) on the movie franchises, but Industrial Light and Magic, Skywalker Sound and the THX patents have to be worth a large percentage of that $4 Billion.

I'm convinced Lucas really did give Disney the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg.

Steve

[Gator]

This is great!!! That means new Star Wars movies, which Lucas had already said he wouldn't do. It also means more for the Indiana Jones franchise, which didn't do so well on it's last movie.

But even better is the impact on the parks. A Star Wars section. Shoot, a Star Wars park. Even a Star Wars resort! People would come from all over the world to see it. I'm pumped about this.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

...Disney just can't go wrong here.


Now now, just wait until the bean counters start looking for an extra $4 BILLION, I have absolute confidence they can screw this up! ;)

[TinkerbellT421]

Marvel was purchased for $4 billion.

Pixar cost Disney over $7 billion.

:thumbsup: Thanks! I think we all pretty much agree that in comparison, this Star Wars deal was definitely a steal. (What a bargain! *guess the movie* lol)


The purchase price for Marvel was roughly the same - right at $4 Billion. Comparing the two franchises and given that Disney doesn't currently have theme park rights to the Marvel characters, $4B for all of Lucas' properties, technologies and services does indeed seem like an absolute steal. I know we're all tending to focus (rightly) on the movie franchises, but Industrial Light and Magic, Skywalker Sound and the THX patents have to be worth a large percentage of that $4 Billion.

I'm convinced Lucas really did give Disney the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg.

Steve

:thumbsup: And, not to mention the Indiana Jones thing as well. I am pretty certain there HAS to be something left to do another Jones movie. What do you guys think? I love the Indiana Jones movies, I am typically not a sequel lover. BUT, I did enjoy every Indiana Jones movie, surprisingly. Just the possibilities involved with this deal that have my head spinning. It's amazing. :number1::cloud9: I'm utterly FLAWED by the hate I see spewn all over in the interwebs by Non-Disney lovers though. Some very harsh criticisms about how upset people are by this....

[PirateLover]

The synergy between the franchises had been there for quite some time. Star Wars presence in the parks has only increased with Star Tours 2.0. I saw more kids in R2D2 ears than regular Mickey ears! As a fan of both Disney and Star Wars I see endless possibilities here. Can't wait.

[Mousemates]

I guess I will climb on board the "I like this" train too...it makes a lot more sense to me than the whole avatar thing...Stars Wars (and Indiana Jones) simply feel more Disney-ish (likely because their long standing presence in Hollywood Studios has allowed a long standing mental connection to form). My guess is that all but the most hard-core Disney purists will find this addition palatable.

[Fangorn]

The synergy between the franchises had been there for quite some time.

In addition to the obvious Star Wars - Indy/Disney connection, don't forget that Industrial Light and Magic used to have a Computer Graphics division. But they sold it to a guy by the name of Steve Jobs who changed the name to Pixar. And that John Lassiter worked for ILM in the 1980s.

So there are a lot of connection points here.

Steve

[HackLaSalle]

Why does this have to be an instead of Avatar instead of IN ADDITION TO Avatar?

Or why does this need to be better than the Marvel deal or the deal they should have done instead of Marvel?

I just don't get it. It's an awesome deal in addition to the company's agreements with other. I think that this will be a great expansion to DHS along with Carsland coming. (Rumored of course) But what I really want is MONKEY ISLAND!!! Give me more Monkey Island Disney!!!

[Roger's #1 Fan]

Why does this have to be an instead of Avatar instead of IN ADDITION TO Avatar?

I honestly think that Avatar will push forward at its own merit and pace regardless of the addition of Lucasfilm to the Disney stable. Given that they have put $$ into securing the licensing as well as designing and now apparently bidding out the show building, I don't see this as a smokescreen or diversion. Short of some kind of Ewok or Wookie type concept, I don't see any synergy between Star Wars and AK. I'm hoping the delay or slower pace of the DHS makeover announcement was due to the finalizing of the Lucasfilm deal and that they may have some new elements to the makeover that are Star Wars related.

[JPooh]

Are we talking a new park or a new land within a park?

[joonyer]

Are we talking a new park or a new land within a park?

That depends on who "we" is.

If "we" are Intercotees here on this forum (and others like this board), then everyone is excited and talking about the possibility of either new attractions, whole "lands" and/or even an entirely new park based on the SW theme.

But if by "we" you mean Disney, then all they are saying right now is that there will be more Star Wars movies, the next one coming in 2015. New additions to theme parks/resorts are certainly expected, but exactly what will be forthcoming is all speculation by fans at this point. There has been no official announcement about what this means for the parks (yet).

[Dsnygirl]

After reading the 4 pages this announcement has already created, I have nothing new to add except


:woohoo: :trooper: :yoda: :D :D :yoda: :trooper: :woohoo:

[MelissaW]

Ermegerd! Totally forgot about that. Ian and I were talking about about how they could move or ditch Muppets 3D and wipeout the backlot tour and create a whole new section for Star Wars, but they could include the stunt show and maybe a new version of the Indiana Jones ride from DL too.

On no you didn't! You did not just say that they should ditch Muppets 3D! Granted I know that this is so small compared to what "Star Warsland" could be....but don't mess with my Kermie! :kermit:

[PirateLover]

On no you didn't! You did not just say that they should ditch Muppets 3D! Granted I know that this is so small compared to what "Star Warsland" could be....but don't mess with my Kermie! :kermit:

I'm going to get a little off tangent here but I'm with you! I hope they don't entirely ditch it. That would break my heart. Heck I don't even want the movie updated like most people do because it (along with the Muppets at Walt Disney World special) was the last thing Jim Henson took part in before his untimely death. Many of the other Muppeteers involved have passed away or are no longer involved with the Muppets. That being said, if it stands in the way of expansion, it would not shock me to see it go bye bye :( Personally I wish they would continue to do MORE with the Muppets. The movie was a relative success, but not a HUGE hit. They fumbled the ball for so long that I'm not sure the Muppets can ever reach the success they had in previous decades.

[PirateLover]

Just curious... does anyone else hear Dr. Evil's voice in their head when they read the title of this thread? "4.5 BILLION DOLLARS!"

[TinkerbellT421]

Found an article yesterday that apparently Lucas is donating all of this money (the $4 billion dollar deal) to a charity. :thumbsup:

I don't know if I can post this outside link but it was on nbcnews.com this morning.


George Lucas donating Disney sale billions to charity

Chris Pizzello / AP file
George Lucas and Darth Vader.

By Alex Ben Block, The Hollywood Reporter

Follow @ TODAY_ent
By the end of the year, the $4.05 billion sale of Lucasfilm to Disney should be finalized. And since George Lucas owns 100 percent of his company - which has little to no debt -- all that money goes to him.
After that, Lucas plans to quickly put the bulk of the money into a foundation which will primarily focus on educational issues, a spokesperson for Lucasfilm tells THR.
PHOTOS: When You Wish Upon a Death Star: The Surprising Symmetry of Star Wars and Disney
“George Lucas has expressed his intention, in the event the deal closes, to donate the majority of the proceeds to his philanthropic endeavors.”
Advertise | AdChoices

It's not yet clear which foundation will get the proceeds. Lucas is currently the chairman of Edutopia, which is part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation. He could put money into that or create a new foundation which would be funded from the sale.
RELATED: George Lucas' Next Act: Bill Gates-style Philanthropy
The Foundation was the vehicle Lucas used to make a $175 million donation to his alma mater USC in 2006. He has also given to many other causes over the years including the Film Foundation, Stand Up To Cancer and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“For 41 years, the majority of my time and money has been put into the company,” Lucas said in a statement Wednesday. “As I start a new chapter in my life, it is gratifying that I have the opportunity to devote more time and resources to philanthropy.”
RELATED: George Lucas' 2010 Philanthropy Pledge
The spokesperson noted that this “announcement continues a commitment that Lucas made in 2010 to The Giving Pledge where he stated, “I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race. We have to plan for our collective future—and the first step begins with social, emotional, and intellectual tools we provide to our children. As humans, our greatest tool for survival is our ability to think and to adapt—as educators, storytellers, and communicators our responsibility is to continue to do so.’”
For the full text of the 2010 letter, click here.

[tigmickey]

WOW!! I have a few thoughts about what I would like to see with the movies/parks!

1)Episode 7 - written by a real writer, not Lucas, and directed by a real director, maybe Whedon and we might get a get movie on par with Empire Strikes Back.

2)Star Wars land at DHS. (Don't touch Muppets!)

3)Animals of Star Wars at AK. (goodbye Camp Mickey and Minnie.)

4)Tree House Villas being remade as Ewoks Treehouse Village!

5) Indy ride from DL cloned at WDW.

Very excited by the purchase!

[laprana]

Just curious... does anyone else hear Dr. Evil's voice in their head when they read the title of this thread? "4.5 BILLION DOLLARS!"

:rotfl::funny: YES!! In fact, when I told my sister about the deal, I said that Disney paid "4 billion dollars" in the Dr. Evil voice! Too funny! :thumbsup:

[Tekneek]

They should not ditch The Muppets. If anything, it's now time to expand upon the fun merchandise morphing Muppets characters into Star Wars characters.

Disney is building a massive stable of properties that are more in line with Disney's core than some of the acquisitions Eisner made.

[PirateLover]

They should not ditch The Muppets. If anything, it's now time to expand upon the fun merchandise morphing Muppets characters into Star Wars characters.
.
I agree, I know I bought the Muppet Star Wars figurines! Hopefully you are right.

[Zawadi]

So Disney now have a new song...

When you wish upon a Darth Star

:D

[Quadstriker]

1)Episode 7 - written by a real writer, not Lucas, and directed by a real director, maybe Whedon and we might get a get movie on par with Empire Strikes Back.


Word.

[Dixie Springs]

Woohoo! Jar Jar Binks' Wild Ride!

But serupisly, an early post herein mentioned the idea of sacking Avatar for Star Wars in future land-building. That would be awesome! I hate Avatar. Besides, they already have a non-blue Pocahontas in their inventory.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

1)Episode 7 - written by a real writer, not Lucas, and directed by a real director, maybe Whedon and we might get a get movie on par with Empire Strikes Back.

I agree :mickey:

[Aurora]

1)Episode 7 - written by a real writer, not Lucas, and directed by a real director, maybe Whedon and we might get a get movie on par with Empire Strikes Back.

YES!!!!


4)Tree House Villas being remade as Ewoks Treehouse Village!

Oooooo, I wish.

[CosmicRay]

But I think you are all missing the BIG money point that Lucas brought to the table... Howard the Duck! :funny:

[joonyer]

And don't forget American Graffiti. I loved that movie! Disney could build (Terry the) Toad's Wild Ride! :D

[Dixie Springs]

I couldn't edit it for some reason, so I hereby apologize for my gross mis-spelling of 'seriously' a couple of posts above. My fault for typing in the dark. Promise I was not drunk (though, if the post were spoken, it would sound like that).

[seanyred]

Am I the only who has pictured Spaceship Earth as the Death Star? :mickey: I know it will never happen but I can dream can't I?

[joonyer]

Am I the only who has pictured Spaceship Earth as the Death Star? :mickey: I know it will never happen but I can dream can't I?

Hmmmm . . . That could be an awesome new attraction. (adding it, I mean, not replacing SE).

[Tekneek]

But I think you are all missing the BIG money point that Lucas brought to the table... Howard the Duck! :funny:

I consider that to be an under-appreciated film. I had the game on my Commodore 128 back in the day. That was fun.

[TheVBs]

I think this is very cool news and I'm excited to see what they do with it!

[caryrae]

I would like to see a planet Hoth resort where you get to sleep inside a Tauntaun and the room is an ice cave.

[DizneyFreak2002]

So, Sandy hits NJ, I lose power for a week... Did I miss something? :)

[Buttercup]

Mmmm...

Harrison Ford Land....

Me likey.
:cloud9:

[MelissaW]

I would like to see a planet Hoth resort where you get to sleep inside a Tauntaun and the room is an ice cave.

Eewww! That seen where Luke slices open the Tauntaun always grossed me out! :sick: :)

[MelissaW]

I agree, I know I bought the Muppet Star Wars figurines! Hopefully you are right.

I'm all about saving the Muppets! And Miss Piggy fighting off Darth Vader... She could karate chop his block off! And I can't find the original post about converting the Tree Villas into Ewok Tree Houses! :ewok:Now that's what I'm talking about! Oh so very many possibilities with this!

[caryrae]

So does this mean that Princess Leia will join the Disney Princesses now?

[Rhetoric2000]

Not sure how I feel about this vis a vis Star Wars.

There is a lot of interest from younger generations, don't get me wrong, there are innumerable youths who are probably as obsessed with it as many were in 1978; however folks with an age range of 35-50 seem to have a perception filter with Star Wars that feel that it transcends pop culture in a way that, well, it does. But only for them.

Compare the response to the prequels to the response to the Potter world and you have something roughly comparable, except the Potter material has more staying power because it was better.

This could of course be changed if the 2015 film turns out to be game-changing in a way that the original. But it's a lot harder for films to be game-changing now because there are so many films trying to be the-biggest-thing-ever each and every summer.

Hopefully the fact Lucas won't be the writer or director will help things. Certainly they'll help the movie be stronger than the last three.

HOWEVER

All I ultimately care about is whether we're getting a sequel to Labyrinth. Come on Disney, that would be worth the $4bn alone.

Please don't mock, I genuinely believe Labyrinth is the single greatest movie in history.

"If she went THAT way, she'd've gone straight to that castle"

[Aurora]

Not sure how I feel about this vis a vis Star Wars.

There is a lot of interest from younger generations, don't get me wrong, there are innumerable youths who are probably as obsessed with it as many were in 1978; however folks with an age range of 35-50 seem to have a perception filter with Star Wars that feel that it transcends pop culture in a way that, well, it does. But only for them.

Compare the response to the prequels to the response to the Potter world and you have something roughly comparable, except the Potter material has more staying power because it was better.

This could of course be changed if the 2015 film turns out to be game-changing in a way that the original. But it's a lot harder for films to be game-changing now because there are so many films trying to be the-biggest-thing-ever each and every summer.

Hopefully the fact Lucas won't be the writer or director will help things. Certainly they'll help the movie be stronger than the last three.

HOWEVER

All I ultimately care about is whether we're getting a sequel to Labyrinth. Come on Disney, that would be worth the $4bn alone.

Please don't mock, I genuinely believe Labyrinth is the single greatest movie in history.

"If she went THAT way, she'd've gone straight to that castle"

Well, I'm of that "35 to 50" generation and my kids are of the prequels generation. Star Wars not only has staying power, it has multi-generational appeal. (An NPR blogger says one of the headlines you'll see when the new Star Wars movie comes out will be "Almost 40 Years After the Original, Four Generations Wait in Line." :D)

But there are other things you're overlooking here, besides the movies. Namely, toys. There are industry estimates that put Star Wars toy sales at almost three times the movies' box office sales. (To the tune of $12 BILLION.) All you have to do is walk into a LEGO store to see the franchise's popularity.

Star Wars isn't just a bunch of hugely popular movies. It's part of the American cultural lexicon.

P.S. Labyrinth is one of my teen daughter's favorite movies.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Well, i am not going to read every post but let me see if I can guess how this thread went:

1) POTTER DIES!!!

2) 5TH GATE!!!!

3) CANCEL AVATAR!!!!

Am I close?

No, this isn't going to kill Potter, sorry folks... Universal is creating very detailed themed lands based on one of the most popular franchises ever... And they up the bar with each attraction added for Potter too... Gringott's will blow Forbidden Journey out of the water... The Hogwarts Express is no slouch either...

Please, no 5th gate based on Star Wars (or ever)... They cannot maintain the 4 they have now... I wouldn't want to see a Star Wars 5th gate open then park ops allow the park to rot...

Avatar is going full steam still... While things can always change (and we all know with Disney, things change on a daily bases, such is life in the theme park industry), Star Wars isn't knocking Avatar out of the plans...

With that said, I have had some time to absorb the purchase and read up on the details... I'm excited about Episode 7 yet weary at the same time... Disney is the studio that gave us John Carter (a borefest, sorry folks who liked it, Carter was a mess), and Prince of Persia... The only redeeming factor is Lucas will still be involved with the movies... I'm cautiously optimistic about the movie, but since we are still 3 years away from theatrical release, true opinions cannot be formed yet... I just hope Disney does the movie franchise justice...

As for the theme parks: Please, no CARSLAND... Let it stay a DCA exclusive.. Give us a land based on Star Wars... Disney if you are reading, and I know you are, HI!!!! then please, no Cars, more WARS!!!!! And no 80's simulator technology either.. Give up a land as detailed as CL in DCA, and one heck of a true e-ticket worthy of the Star Wars franchise... But why do I fear the only addition TDO will add is more character meet and greets (which they already do anyway)...

Personal feeling: Was shocked when I heard the news, yet, not totally... Lucas was retiring anyway... But the woman he put in charge, Kathleen Kennedy, is a bright woman who would have done great things with Lucasfilm... I am glad to see Disney is keeping her in charge of Lucasfilm... I predict she will run Walt Disney Studios in a few years, once Alan Horn cleans up the mess left by Mr. Cook and Mr. Ross...

Good buy for Disney... But, please, Disney, I beg you, do not ruin Star Wars for us...

[sthertweck]

Just imagine...sitting in the Jedi Temple Hotel... by a pool modeled after the Room of a Thousand Fountains... I may explode.