I didn't see this coming... Disney buys Lucasfilm for $4 billion from George Lucas.
That's everything from the film franchise to future films and including Skywalker Sound, ILM, etc. I HOPE they don't stop supporting indie film at Skywalker... Skywalker Sound especially has helped many indie filmmakers finish their projects at indie rates.
Walt Disney this afternoon announced a deal to buy Lucasfilm from Star Wars director and film pioneer George Lucas for $4.05 billion in cash and stock.
Under terms of the deal, Lucas will be paid half in cash and half in the form of about 40 million Disney shares.
“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” Disney CEO Robert Iger said in a statement. “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.”
Lucas said in a statement that it is “now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers.”
The article states that Star Wars Episode 7 will be released in 2015... that's something I didn't see coming either. Let's hope the new films are better than the last three!
-Blake
