Disney is acquiring Lucasfilm in a cash and stock deal valued at $4.05 billion, the companies announced today. The deal includes Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound. The headquarters of Lucasfilm and its employees are expected to stay in San Francisco and their other current locations. The company will be run by Kathleen Kennedy, the current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm; she’ll report directly to Alan Horn, Chairman of Walt Disney Studios (see "Horn to Head Disney Studios").
A new Star Wars movie, Star Wars Episode 7, will be released under the Disney-Lucasfilm brand in 2015, the first of a new trilogy and future Star Wars movies that will be released every two to three years going forward. George Lucas will serve as creative consultant on the movie.
Lucas said of the transaction, "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."
Disney and Lucas have had an ongoing relationship that put Star Wars into Disney theme parks.
This brings Star Wars and other Lucasfilm brands into Disney, along with Pixar (in a $7.4B deal, see "Marvel Buys Pixar") and Marvel (in a $4B deal, see "Disney Buys Marvel") properties, Disney's other two major acquistions of the past decade.
Disney and Lucas have had an ongoing relationship that put Star Wars into Disney theme parks.
This brings Star Wars and other Lucasfilm brands into Disney, along with Pixar (in a $7.4B deal, see "Marvel Buys Pixar") and Marvel (in a $4B deal, see "Disney Buys Marvel") properties, Disney's other two major acquistions of the past decade.
