Disney buys Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion

[Bronco21]

Yeah, let's bet against the success of Avatar 2 and its sequels. I'm sorry the highest grossing film of all time that a lot of its audience saw 3 or 4 times is already enough of a track record. That would be like pumping out a hundred barrels of oil and then giving up because you think the likelihood there is more is too low. You are grasping at straws and this argument is ridiculously laughable. As for Star Wars, it's going to need some rehabbing after Lucas's terrible prequels to get back in the kind of shape to be an actual contender for how well Avatar 2 will likely perform.

If its laughable to question a franchises staying power based on it not having a) memorable characters and b) an intriguing story, then I will shut up. But obviously not many would agree with your assumptions so I think it is a very valid argument. It made lots of money, that doesn't necessarily mean it will have the same success in the future. The longer the sequel takes to be created the more people will forget about the franchise. The more people are turned to new and more interesting things, the less they will care about it. Every franchise will reach a point of no longer being relevant. It has yet to be seen whether Avatar will have a long relevancy period or a short one. How many movies have we seen that made a lot of money so they produce a sequel which ends up being a flop? Quite a few. Sure none have had the same amount of success as Avatar, but the same could happen to Avatar. There is no such thing as a risk free investment when it comes to the movie business.

[Mr Wiggins]

It made lots of money, that doesn't necessarily mean it will have the same success in the future. The longer the sequel takes to be created the more people will forget about the franchise. The more people are turned to new and more interesting things, the less they will care about it.

Exactly right. Avatar did huge movie business because it was a technological groundbreaker and a novelty for its time, and because of the ticket upcharge for 3D. It did no ancillary business because it had nothing to sell except its tech, eye candy and action -- no memorable characters and no compelling story. Six years later, the sequel will have to deal with a movie business where Avatar's tech, eye candy and action have become commonplace, and with audiences that have been-there-seen-that. With no memorable characters or compelling story like the first Star Wars, a series of Avatar sequels will have little to offer but more of the same tech, eye candy and action that we saw in the first one. So we get Avatar Goes Underwater, Avatar Goes to the Desert, Avatar Goes to the Mountains. So we get the same Big Bad Corporation still trying to get the same Unobtanium from the same Noble Natives. Sure, it'll do business (or at least the first sequel will), but record-breaking? No way.

Good thing the "Avatarland Plans" appear to be adaptable to a different franchise. And it's no big brain surgery to figure out what that franchise will be. (Or as the man said, "Trust your beancounters, Luke!")

[Coastierox]

Wait... So is Leia a Disney princess now?

[Pizzapants]

Yeah, let's bet against the success of Avatar 2 and its sequels. I'm sorry the highest grossing film of all time that a lot of its audience saw 3 or 4 times is already enough of a track record. That would be like pumping out a hundred barrels of oil and then giving up because you think the likelihood there is more is too low. You are grasping at straws and this argument is ridiculously laughable. As for Star Wars, it's going to need some rehabbing after Lucas's terrible prequels to get back in the kind of shape to be an actual contender for how well Avatar 2 will likely perform.

No, your oil analogy just doesn't make sense. This isn't oil, this is cinema. The only thing you keep bringing up is that Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time. While that's technically true, it's only because movie ticket prices are so much more expensive in this modern day. Look at the "Highest Grossing Movies Adjusted for Inflation" list. Gone With the Wind is actually #1. Avatar doesn't come in until #14. #2 is Star Wars, 12 is Empire Strikes Back, and 15 is Return of the Jedi. So yes, the Star Wars franchise is more successful.
Secondly, Star Wars is 35 years old, and a lot of people still care about the films, the characters, and the universe it takes place in. Avatar is 3 years old, and most people don't give two craps about it. It wasn't even a good movie. Visually, it was amazing. Story-wise, it was Ferngully. Yeah, the sequels will bring it back into public consciousness, but just like the first film, it won't last.

[Coastierox]

No, your oil analogy just doesn't make sense. This isn't oil, this is cinema. The only thing you keep bringing up is that Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time. While that's technically true, it's only because movie ticket prices are so much more expensive in this modern day. Look at the "Highest Grossing Movies Adjusted for Inflation" list. Gone With the Wind is actually #1. Avatar doesn't come in until #14. #2 is Star Wars, 12 is Empire Strikes Back, and 15 is Return of the Jedi. So yes, the Star Wars franchise is more successful.
Secondly, Star Wars is 35 years old, and a lot of people still care about the films, the characters, and the universe it takes place in. Avatar is 3 years old, and most people don't give two craps about it. It wasn't even a good movie. Visually, it was amazing. Story-wise, it was Ferngully. Yeah, the sequels will bring it back into public consciousness, but just like the first film, it won't last.

i have to agree here, while avatar is visually stunning, the movie just plain stank. In fact when I first saw it I was on a transatlantic flight and I asked the stewardess if I could just please get off now. I mean if I wanted to watch Fern Gully I would have to have found the worst pawn shop in Afghanistan and then sifted through their trash. The story is that bad. Although, I do have to say that it is proof that you can polish a turd. Now to get this slightly back on topic... Yay! Star Wars!!!

[Pizzapants]

One more thing. When Disney announced an avatar land, we the Disney nerds knew about it. When Disney announces it buys LucasFilm, the social networks and media explode beyond belief, sometimes strong enough to overtake stories of a devastating storm that just ripped through the east coast. How's that for public consciousness?

[PBandJ]

Yet another thread is hijacked by Avatar arguments The two are not even related. Disney has more than enough money to proceed with their Avatar plans and also develop ideas on Lucas properties.

I think this Lucasfilm news is GREAT and holds so many exciting possibilities for the Disney parks! My hope would be that they also get theme park rights to Marvel in Orlando, and then DHS can be re-done with five areas: Old Hollywood (the entrance, Great Movie Ride, and Tower of Terror areas), Disney Studios (where the Voyage of the Little Mermaid is now), Marvel Studios (the back of the park), Pixar Studios (where Toy Story is now), and Lucas Studios (built around Star Tours). And of course, I would hope that this would involve getting rid of the abomination that is the Sorcerer Mickey hat :P This might help keep the Marvel, Pixar, and Lucas characters contained to one park for those who don't want them to have a big presence in the MK. But the Star Wars universe is definitely big enough to warrant its own park altogether, so who knows, maybe that is where this is headed.

I think it would be silly not to expect more Star Wars movies. The thought is distasteful to those (like me) who were underwhelmed by Episodes I, II and III, but if they get the right people to write and direct, they could bring the franchise back to its former glory. How exciting would that be?! Plus, as a teacher I can tell you that kids now have grown up watching all six Star Wars movies, and for many of them, Episode I is their favorite. So Disney would be crazy NOT to make more Star Wars movies, since they are guaranteed money makers and they will keep the series current so that kids born now and in the next 10-15 years will have their own Star Wars movies to bring them into the universe (and into Disney's inevitable Star Wars theme park area).

[Coastierox]

^^^Six areas. Muppet Studios...

[LordVader]

I hope its more like 3.1 the only interesting story left to tell is the gap between the end of 3 and start of 4. For myself no Vader no point!

Exactly, but if a good director were attached to it(J.J. Abrams, or Joss Wheadon) then it could have some potential.

[goofy donald]

It's the most successful movie of all time. I don't even have to be a fan of the film to know that's a sure bet. Anyone that would write off the highest grossing movie of all time as unpopular is ignorant. If that is your stance, I have no problem saying you are extremely ignorant. If some of the fans like yourself ran the company, it would have gone under already. All the Star Wars fans can rejoice, but the big investment is going to be in Avatar in WDW. That's not going to change because of this acquistion. Simiarly, no "Marvel lands" have been announced so far either. So the people who begrudge the best selling film of all time get ready to enjoy your theme park attractions of it in the Animal Kingdom. It's not going anywhere and your childish grudge against it means nothing.

actually thats a totally false statement thats previously been debunked for two reasons:
1) movie tickets have drastically inflated over the years lifting several films over it in terms of actual success, including titanic without the recent re-release so its not even cameron's most successful movie.
2) its one of the first big budget hyped movies to feature world wide imax and 3D experiences, something that roughly 40-45% of theater goers chose in some form. This close to doubles the cost of admission or adds at least another half admission to the total and in turn inflates the box office total. something that people have yet to consider calculating yet and would drop Avatar even further down the scale on the all time list.

the fact is the film was a novelty. sure it had great imagery...but thats all it had. the story line is bad, just like the acting and most of the conceptualization of the film. all of these things and some other elements need to be working at high levels for the film series to have any staying power like a star wars or a harry potter. Avatar offers little to none of these things. It caught the 3D/Imax buzz at its peak and it cashed in on that, if anything it served as a showcase for the technology available for theaters today. It's quite clear it will not be around for the long haul, evidence is seen clearly in the fact that it has been entirely wiped off the pop culture reference scale, hell they even cancelled the third installment in the series before Avatar 2 even started filming, doesn't that send up some red flags?? so just look at it for what it is, a flashy spectacle that was fun to look at but the public moved on and now disney is going to miss the boat on its short lived success.

again just because people disagree with you it doesn't mean their ignorant or childish, thats the exact image your painting yourself with in these types of arguments. no i do not want marvel land, and no i am not a star wars fan boy. i think I've backed up my beliefs quite clearly here with pure fact and i understand how that could be a little disconcerting considering your trying your hardest to represent your favorite movie, however what I've illustrated here is just the reality of the situation. At least show my argument the respect it deserves and not use your continual personal attacks and generalizations against anyone who does not agree with you.

---------- Post added 10-31-2012 at 09:47 AM ----------

Exactly, but if a good director were attached to it(J.J. Abrams, or Joss Wheadon) then it could have some potential.

george lucas and joss wheadon, what a weird combo lol

[planodisney]

I have no dog in this fight but i have to admit that Avatar was a horrible movie. The story was ridiculously cliche and there were absolutely no characters that people fell in love with or who even became iconic in anyway. The sequel will probably do well, but it wont come close to matching the first and it certainly wont live in history as beloved the way Star Wars, LOTR. Indiana Jones or potter. I couldnt wait to see this movie on my big screan at home but my wife and I were sooooo bored we couldnt wait for it to end.

[Witches of Morva]

ORDDU: My sisters and I were never able to get into the Star Wars fandom because it's very hard for medieval women to relate to such a thing. Therefore our feelings on the matter are rather neutral. However, we do remember reading that the Star Wars Franchise had a chance to belong to Disney right from the start, had Disney not been playing hard-ball way back when...

[wiigirl]

uhmmm....not sure how I feel about that.... :P

[swampymarsh]

In all seriousness, the part of this that is the most interesting for me is that Disney is also getting Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker sound out of this deal. They get Lucas Arts too, but that's not as exciting...Unless the parks get a Guybrush Threepwood face character.

While the focus here is usually on themparks, gettin theme park rights was probably a small part of the deal.

Sure Disney got ILM and SS too, but in that sense as with LA, they mostly bought out a competitor that they weren't having a lot of trouble competing with. I don't think they gained a lot of advantage buying those.

However buying SW and IJ for a couple billion in cash can be quickly recouped since making a couple movies could earn a couple billion. Making more movies would give them the desired return on this investment.

[flynnibus]

ILM will suffer as no longer being an independent who contracts out. Their customer base will flee when other major studios no longer want to goto Disney for their SFX.

The bulk of this purchase was the film rights to make future StarWars films and the StarWars franchise. They stated this over and over in the conference call and Q&A. Everything else is just gravy...