Disney Buys Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion

[joonyer]

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

[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? 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? 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!

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.

[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!

[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! 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." )

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.