[Business] Disney Buys Lucas Films For $4Bill, new Star Wars Movies Starting in 2015

He is probably thinking: it's almost over, keep thinking of the 4 billion dollars..it's almost over.....

 

That would have been Legen...


Wait for it...

Dary.

Internet Five!

 

Drawn together, lol..

 

I like how he's wearing a $30 pair of Nikes.

And you should watch this if you haven't yet. George Lucas on Mad TV:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d_iSQ65ZDAE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://youtu.be/d_iSQ65ZDAE

 

Disney's $4 billion deal for Lucasfilm does not include the right to release the original 'Star Wars' -- unless a new deal can be forged with Fox.

It appears that George Lucas did not give the studio that has distributed the Star Wars films since 1977 a shot at buying his company. But Fox isn't out of the Star Wars game just yet -- which raises the question: What are the prospects for the ultimate Star Wars box set?

'Fanboy' Director Working on Star Wars-Themed 'Chewie' Bob Iger and George Lucas on Disney's Acquisition of Lucasfilm Disney will own and release future films in the Star Wars series (as for potential Indiana Jones films, Paramount retains some distribution rights and future movies will only be made if both Paramount and Disney agree on terms). Lucas apparently has sketched out plans for three more Star Wars films -- he always envisioned making nine -- with Episode Seven set for release in 2015. But Fox owns distribution rights to the original Star Wars, No. 4 in the series, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. And as for the five subsequent movies, Fox has theatrical, nontheatrical and home video rights worldwide through May 2020.

While the rights on those five films eventually will revert to Disney, that "in perpetuity" pact for the first film appears to be an obstacle to Disney releasing a complete set -- unless a deal can be made.

According to a longtime Lucas associate, the filmmaker always wanted to keep his films together. “Now it seems like he can't have a total package of the story because one of the movies is with Fox, unless they can make some kind of deal [with Disney] to release nine of them,” this person says.

Disney and Fox did not respond to a request for comment. But a Fox insider tells THR that as for Disney's blockbuster deal to purchase Lucas' company, "we certainly would have liked a crack at it but i get the play."

Fox plans to proceed with plans to re-release the supposedly much-improved 3D versions of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith in fall 2013. The re-release of Episode I -- The Phantom Menace turned in only a fair performance earlier this year, grossing a total of $102.8 million worldwide. Fox receives only a relatively low - six percent - distribution fee to release those films.

Lucas’s decision to sell his company to Disney--not Fox--makes sense: Disney has the theme parks, merchandising and licensing operations to take full advantage of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones characters. "Disney is the perfect place,” says the Lucas associate. ”At Fox they just make movies. Fox doesn't have theme parks and huge brands. This is a good fit."

So despite Lucas’s wish to keep the films together, the allure of the Disney parks in particular may have been too strong. The filmmaker has long been known for demanding exceptionally tough deals. But one of the few instances in which he felt he wasn’t tough enough involved a deal in the late 1980s with Disney to make characters from Star Wars and Indiana Jones the first non-Disney properties at the parks-- for $1 million a year, in perpetuity.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tangled-rights-could-tie-up-384541

 

I wasn't the only person thinking this... that's an insane amount of money but thought it would be worth a lot more than that!

 

No way. The Empire should be dead - it isn't Jason Voorhees.

the movie needs fresh characters. Set it generations in the future - maybe keep C-3po and R2 for continuity and familiarity.

 

They could skip Thrawn if they wanted, but I don't think they should bypass Luke all together. There are stories that could be told about the New Jedi temple and stuff where Luke is an older guy.

 

I would give Hamill a cameo in a hologram or something but that's about it.

Right now LucasFilm is saying that it will be an completely original story.

 

It can be a completely original story and still include Luke. The prequels were original stories and included Obi-Wan.

I just think they are making a mistake if they bypass using Luke in the next 3. The brand took a hit after the prequels. Bringing Luke back would be a good way to get a jumpstart. Heck, even using Harrison Ford for cameos as Han would be smart.

 

Could just go with a story about Han and Leia's kids, Luke as the mentor.

 

Yep. I'll be disappointed though if they just wipe away the entire expanded universe by giving them children other than the ones from the books.

 

I still would LOVE to see a movie about the 20 years between III and IV.

If done right, I think it would be even better than ESB which seems to be the fanboy-favorite of the series.

 

That would be awesome too.

Honestly I think Disney should do a live action show like Battlestar Galatic and put it between III and IV and have it be about the Empire coming to dominate the galaxy. You'd be able to use all new characters for the most part with just Vader really. Heck, I bet Jimmy Smits would love to play Bail Organa on tv.

Edit: It would also allow you to do some really cool Easter Eggs like having Thrawn appear in the show briefly (episode or two) as he's being sent on his away mission.

 

God no. I don't want to see and old and wrinkly Solo. He would be 5 years older than the last Indiana Jones. Luke maybe - since the jedi can turn more to the Force and you saw Ob1-Wan and Yoda old.

Let the old characters gracefully die.

The story of the establishment of a new Jedi Order could be told in the opening scrawl.

 

EPISODE III.V ? The Empire Kinda Sorta Realizes it Has to Strike Back?

 

EPISODE III.V - Empire High As Fukk, Building a Flying Moon And ****