14 DAY TRIAL // The Walt Disney Company has just announced the acquisition of Lucasfilm, the company solely owned by George Lucas. Lucasfilm and its entire portfolio has exchanged hands for $4.05 billion (€3.12 billion), Disney says.
“Acquisition continues Disney's strategic focus on creating and monetizing the world's best branded content, innovative technology and global growth to drive long-term shareholder value,” the company announces.
“Lucasfilm [will] join company's global portfolio of world class brands including Disney, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and ABC,” adds Disney.
With Lucasfilm, Disney also owns now one of the biggest and most popular film franchises in Hollywood, “Star Wars,” as we also informed you earlier today.
Consequently, it’s looking to capitalize on that, announcing a new installment for 2015. No other details on “Episode 7” have been announced yet.
Variety notes that the historical transaction will literally make of Disney an even bigger force than it was before, and it’s not just because it now has “Star Wars.”
“The deal also gives Disney the ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise, and other films in development at Lucasfilm, along with vfx shop Industrial Light & Magic, audio post house Skywalker Sound, and videogame developer LucasArts,” the trade publication says.
At the moment, the “Indiana Jones” franchise is considered comatose, if not actually dead, especially after the lukewarm reception of the most recent installment, which was criticized even by the stars appearing in it, Shia LaBeouf and Harrison Ford.
A reboot would probably be needed in order to make it a hit again.
However, fans are not to expect more movies from Disney per year now that it’s got more property. The aim is to focus on as few as possible, but do the most to make them record breaking blockbusters.
“The studio arm will continue to produce four to six live action titles a year, with a ‘Star Wars’ pic taking one of those slots every second or third year. The rest of the sked will continue to be made up of one to two Marvel movies, a Pixar pic and Walt Disney Animation toon,” Variety points out.