4.5 BILLION with a "B"
Disney has just confirmed that they will acquire George Lucas‘ Lucasfilm Ltd for $4.05 billion, in a deal that includes rights to the Star Wars franchise. Disney has scheduled Star Wars: Episode 7 for a 2015 release, with future movies to come every two to three years. Not much is known about what to expect from the films other than the fact that Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy will be executive producer on any forthcoming Star Wars movies, while George Lucas himself with serve as creative consultant.
“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.”
