Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Disney buys LucasFilm

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » Film-Yak » Disney buys LucasFilm (Page 1)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: Disney buys LucasFilm

Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-30-2012 03:25 PM

Since I can't post in industry news [Wink]

http://blog.sfgate.com/bottomline/2012/10/30/disney-buys-lucasfilm-for-4-billion/

quote:
From The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction worth $4.05 billion.

“It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers,” said George Lucas, 100 percent owner, founder and chairman of Marin and San Francisco-based Lucasfilm.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 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.

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, including its massively 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.

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.

Yes, but will Disney move to San Francisco — or maybe Marin — or will George Lucas move to Burbank?

Of maybe George Lucas will just go away!

| IP: Logged

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-30-2012 05:34 PM

The Disney-bashing is sure to be far and wide, but you have to admit they've done a wonderful job with the Star Wars universe in their theme parks. The new version of the "Star Tours" attraction in Hollywood Studios (WDW) is fantastic.

The bright side is, the Star Wars saga has nowhere to go but up, after the reception to the prequels.

| IP: Logged

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-30-2012 05:39 PM

Wonder if the plans to release the originals in converted 3D is still going ahead. Disney/Pixar are very heavily invested in 3D so my guess is it will still happen.

| IP: Logged

Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 10-30-2012 06:40 PM

It's a trap!

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-30-2012 06:45 PM

So, whom do I call to book Star Wars? Oh, wait, it's unavailable for booking. [Mad]

| IP: Logged

Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 10-30-2012 07:27 PM

I know Episode 4 is owned by Fox and most likely 5 and 6 but I am not sure about the three prequel 1, 2 & 3. The article states Fox will still control the STAR WAR films they own

-Claude

| IP: Logged

Jeremy Weigel
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1062
From: Edmond, OK, USA
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 10-31-2012 01:43 AM

I'm surprised that Fox didn't get it given the long time relationship. Now we get to look for all the Disney characters hidden in the backgrounds.

| IP: Logged

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 10-31-2012 05:38 AM

If Disney wanted to release all 6 Star Wars titles, they would just buy Fox....heh heh.

| IP: Logged

Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 10-31-2012 08:16 AM

I haven't looked at the fine print in the film credits lately, but if I recall correctly Lucasfilm Ltd. owned the copyright to the Star Wars movies, thus really owning the movies. Fox owned the distribution rights in North America.

Perhaps Fox will get to distribute these upcoming Star Wars installments while Disney retains the copyright (and a good share of the box office pie) -kind of like what took place with The Avengers movie release (Paramount distributed while Disney really owned it).

With Disney gaining control of the Star Wars titles, I wonder if fans will eventually/finally get to buy original cuts of the movies in high definition.

| IP: Logged

Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-31-2012 08:44 AM

It's been my understanding for the last, let's say, forever, that Lucas owned the rights to Star Wars and would not allow the originals to be shown (even before he mucked with them) unless you were a close personal friend or something. Art/Rep houses have been locked out of them for years. I was also told by Fox some years ago that he had all the 35mm prints destroyed.

We don't know from the story, but I assume he maintains the copyright. How he's licensed it to Disney is the question, and will provide the answer as to wether the originals are re-released in any form.

Of course, Disney just moved its rep catalog over to Swank. It would be hilarious if Swank ended up in control of the original Star Wars films.

| IP: Logged

Jim Cassedy
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1661
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 10-31-2012 09:38 AM

One of the big questions here in San Francisco is what this merger means to the
hundereds of employees at the LucasFilm facility here in The City.

News footage on TV last night showed all of the employees arriving back at the
LucasFilm campus after being taken somewhere off-site for the official merger announcement
and company-wide meeting. As was obvious from the pictures and as the news anchor
pointed out, none of them looked happy as they got off the busses.

Many just looked downward and shook their heads as they walked inside.

It's unknown at this time if some or all will loose their jobs or if Disney will shut
down the production facilities here in SF and move operations to Los Angeles.

Maybe they'll all wind up working at the Disney Museum, which is about a 10min walk
from the present Lucas building. Time will tell, I guess. But they didn't look happy.

Here's a picture I took of the main Lucas Bldg back in June:

| IP: Logged

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-31-2012 09:49 AM

A New Hope..?

| IP: Logged

Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-31-2012 09:51 AM

Another way to look at this is everything has come full circle and Pixar will end up running Lucasfilm.

Certainly Pixar makes better films than either Disney or Lucasfilm.

| IP: Logged

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-31-2012 09:53 AM

^^ Like.

| IP: Logged

Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 10-31-2012 01:26 PM

Will ILM continue to be the lead VFX company in the industry? Will it become another Dream Quest Images (look it up)? And will Howard the Duck become an animated series?

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.