Disney to Acquire LucasFilm

[Broadway Guru]

It might just be me, but I'm struggling with the rationalization that Star Wars is ok to have one ride, but Marvel is not.

Quite frankly, Wren, in my perfect world, there would not be a Star Wars ride in DL either. Nor Indy, nor Marvel, nor anything but Disney-produced IP, combined w/ original stories based on legendary archetypes.

Now that we've cleared that up, honestly, I'm over it. I have accepted that Disney now exists in name only. The creative enterprise launched by a self-made man from Missouri has been replaced by an IP holding company named after said man, and whose primary businesses are acquisitions and marketing. It just so happens that among those holdings are the assets of the former Walt Disney Productions.

What does that mean for me? It means I can let go. I don't have to keep trying to believe in magic when the people trying to sell me said magic clearly don't believe in it themselves. I can decide what made DL magical for me and go find that magic in other places. In doing so, I've fulfilled DL's original mission statement by "find[ing] happiness and knowledge." DL is still a fun place to go, but there's a lot more to the world than princesses and pirates.

[ewo1992]

So I hear Disney, Lucas Films, and Star Wars all over the Internet and news but why is there no love for Indy? He is a part of Lucas Films too.

[film975]

To the marketeers at Disney, nothing's "perfect" until it has a franchise brand tie-in.

Sorry. I just don't see it happening. Not when they could've done it years ago with other franchises. And especially since Star Tours is virtually (pun intended) the same thing.

[Victor Brunswick]

Probably, but she will be in her cinnamon bun outfit, not slave Leia. Sorry dude.

That'll be for Club 33.

[Retrocool]

As a longtime fan (and more recent critic) of both Disney and Lucasfilm, I have to admit I was shocked by this news when I first heard it, and it has been hard to deal with over the past several hours. On the one hand, it does make some sense, but on the other hand it takes a lot of what Lucas has said in the past and throws them all up in the air, and in some respects contradicts previous decisions and announcements he's made about Star Wars (like not doing episodes 7, 8, & 9). As to how it will affect creative decisions relating to Star Wars (and possibly Indy), I'm just not sure. Lucas hasn't made the greatest creative choices for those franchises in recent years, either. I'm not sure there's really much Disney could really do in any major way, creatively. Other than some corporate decision making and using Lucas properties at the Disney parks (which they've been doing for years anyway), I don't see Disney creative personnel involved that greatly with Lucasfilm's activities, insofar as the existing properties are concerned. New ones, that might be something else. I dunno, it'll be interesting to see how it all progresses. So far Disney's done fairly well with both Pixar and Marvel, and let them stay creatively independent, so hopefully they'll do the same with Lucasfilm.


But then again, Lucasfilm was SUPPOSED to have been this beacon of hope for independent filmmaking (particularly for NorCal and regional filmmaking in general), this little-guy-against-the-Establishment rebel outpost that defied the Hollywood Empire and succeeded on its own terms. Now it's like Luke's gone and sold the Lars family farm to the Empire because he was getting old and the Emperor's terms were just too good to pass up (or picture Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey selling out to Mr. Potter), and that's a fair metaphor because today's Disney is not the same as yesterday's Disney (especially when Walt was in charge), which was also an independent studio that succeeded on its own terms. Today's Disney is made up of the same Hollywood types that Lucas used to despise. I'm dying to hear Gary Kurtz's take on this. Francis Coppola's, too. Definitely Steven Spielberg's.


It's just gonna be really weird to NOT see the 20th Century Fox logo and hear that fanfare before Episodes 7, 8, & 9, unless Disney does some unusual distribution deal with Fox....which is doubtful.


I just feel......WEIRD.......about this. Like if my dad left my mom and remarried my best friend's mom, who I like. A really awkward blend of feeling deep betrayal and the acknowledgement that you gotta do what's best for you and that maybe this is the best thing for everyone after all.

[imaginashton]

So I hear Disney, Lucas Films, and Star Wars all over the Internet and news but why is there no love for Indy? He is a part of Lucas Films too.

I was thinking the same thing...

[Steve DeGaetano]

So I hear Disney, Lucas Films, and Star Wars all over the Internet and news but why is there no love for Indy? He is a part of Lucas Films too.

Because any Indy stuff will have to be negotiated with Paramount.

[flynnibus]

This is all nice & fine, but what raised my eyebrow more than anything is this little tidbit.

"Disney is paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing based on Disney’s stock price on October 26. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm chairman and founder Lucas."

That's a lot of shares within the hands of one man. There's also the supposed $3+ Billion of stock in the grasp of Steve Jobs' estate. Between the two that would appear to be a considerable amount of clout. By my rough guesstimate that would make about 11-12% of all Disney stock in the hands of two concerns. Just wondering on who is buying who?

And by the way, Flynnibus, that pic is brilliant!

Lucas will have 2.2% of the shares.. which seems like a lot.. and it blows away most individual investors (Iger has 1.1 million vs the 40 millions spoken of here) but it pales in comparison to institutional or mutual fund holdings. The Jobs trust holds about 137 million shares as I understand for comparison.

---------- Post added 10-31-2012 at 10:47 AM ----------

So I hear Disney, Lucas Films, and Star Wars all over the Internet and news but why is there no love for Indy? He is a part of Lucas Films too.

The problem is the film rights to Indy are tied up with Paramount. Paramount has rights to a 5th film and something involved with future films as well. Because of that, Disney did not associate a significant value to the Indy franchise in their accuiqistion.

Fox holds the rights to the original star wars film (movie and home distribution) in perpetuity! They hold rights to the other 5 films until 2020.

This is why Disney was so aggressive in saying new films are coming - they need to make new films to have clean access. Apparently the Paramount deal with Indy is more cluttered for future projects.. while Star Wars is CLEAN for future projects, but past projects still have other studios involved (Fox).

All the 'value' Iger and JR were focusing on was the Star Wars film franchise (estimating the old films were worth 1.5 billion if done today..) and everything else was just gravy...

Tangled Rights Could Tie Up Ultimate 'Star Wars' Box Set (Analysis) - The Hollywood Reporter

[SimbaSpot]

I have always considered Disney and Star Wars connected...

Summer of 1977: Star Wars opened (saw 3 times) and I first visited Walt Disney World.

May 25 1983: I was in the opening event for DL's New Fantasyland in the morning and then rushed to a movie theater to see Jedi on the afternoon of its opening day.

Jan 9 1987: Attended the Star Tours Opening with one of my first DL Annual Passports...

So I already have a strong D/SW connection, and I keep a cautious optimism that the future of the franchise will be positive.

Here's my ideas for the merged new Episodes: Disneyland California Re(P)ort: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Announced

[Leofoenget]

Acquiring Lucasfilm is one thing. Continuing the story and launching a new trilogy by 2015 is another.

I am so pissed off right now.

I agree. Jonny Dep as the new Luke Skywalker--hmmm? Where will the story pick up? After Jedi in the extended universe/books? or somewhere in between?

[explodingboy]

Acquiring Lucasfilm is one thing. Continuing the story and launching a new trilogy by 2015 is another.

I am so pissed off right now.

Uh, that was the plan all along..

[wiigirl]

Why mess with a great attraction such as Space Mountain? It's perfect just the way it is.

Agreed....Space Mountain is sacred...

[biggsworth]

Even the morning after I am happy about this deallll!!! WEEEEEEEEE my two favorite things joined at the hip. I can't wait for another Star Wars films now please for the love of Star Wars don't let george write or direct it in anyway shape or form and maybe it will be good

I am really excited to see a Star Wars themed area in a park. Can someone please make me a Mos Eisley Cantina to go to?

[indianajack]

The problem is the film rights to Indy are tied up with Paramount. Paramount has rights to a 5th film and something involved with future films as well. Because of that, Disney did not associate a significant value to the Indy franchise in their accuiqistion.

Then Disney should start negotiating with Paramount to buy out their rights to Indy.

[swampymarsh]