Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion

kluang · 10-30-2012, 10:24 PM

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business...for-4-billion/

Quote:

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced today that it has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction valued at $4.05 billion. Lucasfilm is 100 percent owned by Lucasfilm chairman and founder, George Lucas.

Under the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on Oct. 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying half of the consideration in cash and issuing 40 million shares at closing.

“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including ‘Star Wars,’ one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”

Disney is the owner of ABC News and this website. Its last big purchases included a $4 billion deal for comics giant Marvel in 2009 and a $7.4 billion deal for animated movie studio Pixar in 2006.

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see ‘Star Wars’ passed from one generation to the next,” said Lucas. “It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that ‘Star Wars’ could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, ‘Star Wars’ will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”

Lucasfilm includes its popular ‘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 that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations,” Disney said in a statement.

“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,” according to the statement.

“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.

“Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. ‘Star Wars’ resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. ‘Star Wars’ feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made ‘Star Wars’ one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

“The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

“The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.”

Quote:

‘Star Wars Episode 7′ is targeted for release in 2015

Plz be a KOTOR Movie.

Plz be a KOTOR Movie.

Plz be a KOTOR Movie.

Plz be a KOTOR Movie.

Revan deserve to be in the big screen.

and whatever happen in the mmo is not canon

kael03 · 10-30-2012, 11:15 PM

Episode 7 = after the fall of the Empire. Revan was long before the movies.

kluang · 10-30-2012, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kael03

Episode 7 = after the fall of the Empire. Revan was long before the movies.

NO more skywalkers pleeeeease.

kael03 · 10-30-2012, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kluang

NO more skywalkers pleeeeease.

Lots more skywalkers (3 confirmed between the books and comics) and more Solos.

kluang · 10-30-2012, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kael03

Lots more skywalkers (3 confirmed between the books and comics) and more Solos.

Oh boy........

kael03 · 10-31-2012, 01:37 AM

That's also something along the lines of 30-150 years after Return of the Jedi

jekyl_hyde · 10-31-2012, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kael03

Episode 7 = after the fall of the Empire. Revan was long before the movies.

Just remember, this is Disney. Remember John Carter? The Chronicles of Narnia?

While I would love to see the movie adaptations of the remaining books, I'm not getting my hopes up.

**Mal** · 10-31-2012, 06:17 PM

THEY CAN'T DO WORSE THAN GEORGEY BOY.

caps

ACt · 10-31-2012, 10:16 PM

I didn't think Disney did that bad of a job on the Chronicles of Narnia, rather than a lot of people didn't really know the story other than it was supposedly a "classic."

Vanity · 10-31-2012, 10:25 PM

Disney has way more hits than they do misses, so other than "stop making fucking Star Wars movies," I don't really understand the issues.

kluang · 11-01-2012, 03:23 AM

Disney will do an original story

why

the actors are too old to do a thrawn trilogy

if they get new actors for the characters, it will feel a bit wrong right.

apacolypz · 11-01-2012, 06:01 AM

Humm I was wondering why fucking Darth Vadar was patrolling around Disney world... At first I thought he was coming to dominate,take over and destroy but it looks as though he needs to join forces with Mickey....Star Wars Fantasia saga anyone?

ask me anything · 11-01-2012, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kluang

Disney will do an original story

why

the actors are too old to do a thrawn trilogy

if they get new actors for the characters, it will feel a bit wrong right.

I'm pretty certain they won't get the original actors to reprise their roles in the new trilogy anyway, except maybe a few of them. They might include a few of them in the movies by having them not take any action roles, and relegating them to just a few highly airbrushed hologram scenes or playing completely different roles.

I could see then doing Mark Hamill like they did Stan Lee in the Marvel movies, by giving him a little 2 minute pop shot in each of the 3 film playing a different (minor) role each time. That would actually be lulzy.

I would actually love them to do a Thrawn Saga. That little blue bastard was straight up devious.

In all probability Emperor Palpatine will return as the main villain. In the Books he makes like 5 or 6 comebacks from the grave, turns luke to the darkside (briefly), his kids and one of his grand kids. He nearly turned his nephew and niece (Solo's kids) by making them try to kill each other. They didn't know it though since they each thought they were fighting Vader. Oh yeah so much shit they could write about. Not to mention episodes 1-3 were all about the accession of palpatine to being emperor. Only makes sense that 7-9 would be about his final demise, the return of the Jedi order (Young Jedi Book series), and Lukes final days and fair well. Don't know how they'll fit all that into a mere 3 movies though. Soooooo much shit they'll have to completely skip.

manta · 11-01-2012, 08:42 PM

jekyl_hyde · 11-02-2012, 08:08 AM

At least Lucas isn't cheap.

10-30-2012, 11:15 PM	#2
kael03 Aspiring Physicist Join Date: May 2010 Age: 27 Posts: 4,663 Thanks: 4,943 Thanked 8,590 Times in 3,811 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion Episode 7 = after the fall of the Empire. Revan was long before the movies.

10-31-2012, 01:37 AM	#6
kael03 Aspiring Physicist Join Date: May 2010 Age: 27 Posts: 4,663 Thanks: 4,943 Thanked 8,590 Times in 3,811 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion That's also something along the lines of 30-150 years after Return of the Jedi

10-31-2012, 06:17 PM	#8
Mal Scotch Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,112 Thanks: 12,947 Thanked 10,883 Times in 3,862 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion THEY CAN'T DO WORSE THAN GEORGEY BOY. caps

10-31-2012, 10:16 PM	#9
ACt Heart Wizard Join Date: May 2009 Location: The Halls of Irreverence Posts: 3,286 Thanks: 5,339 Thanked 18,824 Times in 4,891 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion I didn't think Disney did that bad of a job on the Chronicles of Narnia, rather than a lot of people didn't really know the story other than it was supposedly a "classic." __________________ It's amazing to me that, unlike in the real world, people on the internet will wear "everyone thinks I'm a moron" as a badge of honour.

10-31-2012, 10:25 PM	#10
Vanity Succumb Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 976 Thanks: 3,437 Thanked 5,983 Times in 2,238 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion Disney has way more hits than they do misses, so other than "stop making fucking Star Wars movies," I don't really understand the issues. __________________ My nerves are bad to-night. Yes, bad. Stay with me. Speak to me. Why do you never speak? Speak. What are you thinking of? What thinking? What? I never know what you are thinking. Think.

11-01-2012, 03:23 AM	#11
kluang One Punch Man Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 6,426 Thanks: 3,199 Thanked 4,697 Times in 2,110 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion Disney will do an original story why the actors are too old to do a thrawn trilogy if they get new actors for the characters, it will feel a bit wrong right. __________________ To err is human, to forgive, divine. Humans aren't machines... they have souls, feelings. They live, they die, they love, they hate... And yes, they even make mistakes..... When kluang finds you creepy and wrong then you are beyond horrible. He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Being Malaysian is about driving in a German car to an Indian restaurant for an Indonesian food, then travelling home, grabbing a Pakistani kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch American shows on a Japanese TV. Because we have no originality.

11-01-2012, 06:01 AM	#12
apacolypz Jounin Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NC Raleigh Posts: 981 Thanks: 496 Thanked 669 Times in 293 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion Humm I was wondering why fucking Darth Vadar was patrolling around Disney world... At first I thought he was coming to dominate,take over and destroy but it looks as though he needs to join forces with Mickey....Star Wars Fantasia saga anyone?

11-01-2012, 08:42 PM	#14
manta No Leaf Clover Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tropic Age: 26 Posts: 411 Thanks: 1,017 Thanked 1,357 Times in 703 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion __________________

11-02-2012, 08:08 AM	#15
jekyl_hyde Hunter-Nin Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 1,138 Thanks: 671 Thanked 1,122 Times in 438 Posts	Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm for $4 Billion At least Lucas isn't cheap.

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