Disney Buys LucasFilm, Star Wars Episode 7 in 2015

I hope that much like Mario Kart 7 the movie is literally just named "Star Wars VII". No subtitle, just that.

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shoptroll wrote:
juv3nal wrote:

4 words for y'all: Pixar Grim Fandango Movie

I'll be in my bunk.

I'll be in my bone wagon.

meh ... how could they make it worse than the last couple of movies?

Here's to hoping they make the Zahn books into a series.

Archangel wrote:

I felt a great disturbance in the Internet, as if millions of jaws suddenly hit the floor in stupor and were suddenly silent. I fear something terrible has happened.

So the empire purchased the empire.

Perspective:

Assets owned:

The Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Motion pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Disneynature

Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios
DisneyToon Studios
Pixar Animation Studios

Disney Music Group
Walt Disney Records
Hollywood Records
Disney Music Publishing (see Disney Music Group page for a list of publishers that are part of Disney Music Publishing)

Disney Theatrical Group
Disney Theatrical Productions
Disney Live Family Entertainment
Music Theatre International
Disney on Ice - produced by Feld Entertainment
Disney Live - produced by Feld Entertainment
Disney Character Voices International

Disney Studio Services

Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
Golden Oak Ranch
Prospect Studios
KABC7 Studio B
Disney Digital Studio Services

Disney–ABC Television Group
Disney/ABC Television Group Digital Media
Walt Disney Television
Disney Television Animation
Disney-ABC Domestic Television - formerly Buena Vista Television
Disney-ABC International Television - formerly Buena Vista International Television
ABC Television Network
ABC News

Equity Stakes
A+E Networks - (joint venture between Disney (50%) and Hearst Corporation (50%))

ABC Entertainment Group
ABC Entertainment
ABC Studios - formerly Touchstone Television & ABC Television Studios
ABC Digital
Times Square Studios (division)

ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Spark - with Corus Entertainment
ABC Family Digital

ABC Owned Television Stations Group
WLS-7 Chicago, Illinois
KFSN-30 Fresno, California
KTRK-13 Houston, Texas
KABC-7 Los Angeles, California
On The Red Carpet
WABC-7 New York City
WPVI-6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
WTVD-11 Raleigh-Durham
KGO-7 San Francisco, California
Live Well Network
ABC National Television Sales
ABC Regional Sports and Entertainment Sales

Disney Channels Worldwide
Disney Channel
Disney Cinemagic
Disney Junior
Disney XD
Hungama
Radio Disney

Hyperion Books
ABC Daytime Press
ESPN Books
Hyperion eBooks
Hyperion Audiobooks
VOICE

ESPN, Inc.
(Disney 80%, Hearst Corporation 20%)
ESPN and HD
ESPN2 and HD
ESPN on ABC - formerly ABC Sports
ESPN Classic
ESPNews and HD
ESPN Deportes
ESPN Films
ESPNU
ESPN Now
ESPN Plus
ESPN Original Entertainment
ESPN Pay-Per-View
ESPN Regional Television
ESPN International (see for complete list of channels)
ESPN America
ESPN Star Sports (joint venture between Disney (50%) and News Corporation (50%))
TSN (20%)
ESPN Radio
Mobile ESPN
ESPN3
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN Books (an imprint of Disney's Hyperion Books)
ESPN Home Entertainment
ESPN Outdoors
BASS
ESPN Digital Center

Disney Interactive Media Group
Hulu (27%)
Playdom

Disney Online
disney.com
DigiSynd, social media marketing
Take180 -Disney's YouTube channel
Disney Family Network websites[
family.com
Kaboose.com
Babyzone.com
AmazingMoms.com
Funschool.com
Zeeks.com
babble.com
Disneybaby.com
Disney Family (Family.com)
Spoonful.com
Go.com - formerly GO Network
FamilyFun.com
Wondertime.com
Disney Interactive Studios
Avalanche Software
Junction Point Studios
Gamestar
Rocket Pack

Disney Mobile
Tapulous

Disney Online Studios
Club Penguin
Pirates of the Caribbean Online
World of Cars Online

Disney Consumer Products
Disney Baby
D23
Disney Store
Disneystore.com
World of Disney Store
Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney·Hyperion
Disney·Jump at the Sun
Hyperion Books
Disney Press
Disney Editions
Disney Libri
Disney Libros (Spain)
Disney Educational Productions
Disney Kids Magazines (hundreds of publications are included, listed below are just a few)
W.I.T.C.H.
Topolino
Disney Princess Magazine
Winnie the Pooh Magazine
Fairies Magazine
Mickey Mouse Magazine
CrossGen - restarted as an imprint by Marvel Comics
Disney English
The Baby Einstein Company
Disney Learning
Disney Book Apps

Parks & Resorts
Adventures by Disney
Walt Disney Imagineering
Anaheim, California, United States
Disneyland - 1955
Disney California Adventure Park - 2001
Downtown Disney (California)
Disneyland Hotel
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel
Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States
Magic Kingdom - 1971
Epcot - 1982
Disney's Hollywood Studios - 1989
Disney's Animal Kingdom - 1998
Downtown Disney (Florida)
Pleasure Island
Downtown Disney Marketplace
Downtown Disney Westside
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
Typhoon Lagoon - 1989
Blizzard Beach - 1994
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort, French Quarter
Disney's Port Orleans Resort, Riverside (formerly known as Disney's Dixie Landings Resort)
Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
Disney's All-Star Music Resort
Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
Disney's Pop Century Resort
Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disneyland - 1983
Tokyo DisneySea - 2001
Ikspiari
Disney Ambassador Hotel
Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta
Tokyo Disneyland Hotel
Disneyland Paris
Opened on 12 April 1992 as the Euro Disney Resort. Located in Marne-la-Vallée, France (Disney 51%, public shareholders 49%)
Euro Disney S.C.A.
Disneyland Park - 1992
Walt Disney Studios - 2002
Disney Village - 1992
Disney's Davy Crockett Ranch
Disneyland Hotel
Disney's Hotel Cheyenne
Disney's Hotel New York
Disney's Hotel Santa Fe
Disney's Newport Bay Club
Disney's Sequoia Lodge
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong (Disney 48%, Hong Kong Government 52%)
Hong Kong International Theme Parks
Hong Kong Disneyland - 2005
Inspiration Lake - 2005
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
Disney's Hollywood Hotel
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Magic - 1998
Disney Wonder - 1999
Castaway Cay - 1998
Disney Dream- 2011
Disney Fantasy- 2012
Disney Vacation Club
Disney's BoardWalk Villas, Walt Disney World Resort
Disney's Beach Club Villas, Walt Disney World Resort
Disney's Old Key West Resort, Walt Disney World Resort
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Walt Disney World Resort
The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Walt Disney World Resort
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Walt Disney World Resort
The Villas at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Walt Disney World Resort
Disney's Vero Beach Resort, Vero Beach, Florida
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Resort

Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Characters, Inc.
Marvel Studios
Marvel Music
Marvel Television division
Marvel Animation
MLG Productions 1 - MLG Productions 7
Marvel Film Productions LLC (Delaware)
MVL Productions LLC: an indirect wholly owned film development subsidiary[53]
MVL Film Finance LLC: holder of Marvel's Movie debt and theatrical film rights to the ten characters as collateral.
MVL Rights, LLC: subsidiary holding movie rights of all Marvel Characters with some on contract with MVL Film Finance
Iron Works Productions LLC: subsidiary holding debt to finance the Iron Man films.
Incredible Productions LLC (Delaware): subsidiary holding debt to finance the Incredible Hulk film
MVL Iron Works Productions Canada, Inc. (Province of Ontario)
MVL Incredible Productions Canada, Inc. (Province of Ontario)
Asgard Productions LLC (Delaware)
Green Guy Toons LLC (Delaware)
Squad Productions LLC (Delaware)
MVL Development LLC (Delaware)
Marvel Entertainment International Limited (United Kingdom)
Marvel Internet Productions LLC (Delaware)
Marvel Property, Inc. (Delaware)
MRV, Inc. (Delaware)
MVL International C.V. (The Netherlands)
Marvel Worldwide, Inc.
Marvel Comics
Icon Comics
MAX
Ultimate Comics
Marvel Press
Marvel Toys division
Marvel Toys Limited (Hong Kong)

Lucasfilm
Industrial Light & Magic
Skywalker Sound
LucasArts
Lucas Licensing
Lucas Learning
Lucas Books
Lucasfilm Animation
Lucasfilm Animation Singapore
Lucas Marketing
Lucas Online

Other Assets
BVS Entertainment/Saban Entertainment library - some or all of the Power Rangers rights sold to Saban Brands
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises / Marvel Productions, Ltd. library
El Capitan Theatre
The Muppets Studio (formerly Muppets Holding Company LLC)
Times Square Studios
It's a Laugh Productions
Silver Creek Pictures, Inc.
Catalyst Investments, LLC
POW! Entertainment - 10% of the outstanding shares of stock[8]
Reedy Creek Energy Services
International Business Ventures:
Miravista Films [9]
Super RTL, Germany (joint venture between Disney [50%] and RTL Group [50%])
RTL II, Germany (15.75% stake)
UTV Software Communications (100% stake since 2/2012)
NET TV, Spain (20% stake)

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Have to be animated.

Hamill, Fisher, Ford, and Billy Dee can still do voice work.

I'm all for some animated Zahn films, as long as that's not what they put forward as Episode 7.

In any case, Mark Hamill has to be PSYCHED that he might be called in for some Kenobi-style old-man Luke action.

Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Personally, I would be OK with them doing the Zahn books with different actors. At least with those books, you have a very solid trilogy that ties in nicely with the stuff that everyone is familiar with. I'd take that with different actors or something that they let Lucas write.

Like many my reaction was, "They can't screw it up much worse than he did."

I too would love to see them start to do some of the Expanded Universe stuff; see below.

Stele wrote:
Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Have to be animated.

Hamill, Fisher, Ford, and Billy Dee can still do voice work.

This AND, get the people that did the trailers for the Old Republic to do the animation.

Stele wrote:
McIrishJihad wrote:

I'm really happy about this. I do like what Disney has done with Marvel and Pixar, and don't see how this can go wrong with LucasFilms.

Don't forget Cars 2.

But otherwise, pretty solid track record.

From Wikipedia:

Planes is an upcoming direct-to-DVD spin-off of the Cars film made by DisneyToon Studios and produced by John Lasseter. The film is conceived from the short film Air Mater that introduces aspects of Planes and even ends with a hint of the movie.

The shocking part of this is not a direct-to-DVD spin-off aspect. It's that Lasseter--one of the minds behind the original Pixar movies--sold out for untold billions and is now happily making direct-to-DVD content.

rabbit wrote:

Thus the prospects for a real bluray despecialized edition, legal and everything, go up enormously.

Thus the prospect of ret-conning episodes I to III go up enormously.

I am in favor of this if they completely steer clear of the existing characters. Tell me new stories and don't let Lucas touch a damn thing.

No, no no! Don't make episode 7! Re-make Episodes I-III!

Agent 86 wrote:

I'm not sure there is anything Disney could do that would be worse than what Lucas has done already.

Pretty much.

and at 4b they are laughing.

Were pretty much guaranteed a bunch of movies so they can start recouping that money and I'm not sure if they can do much worse then the last 3.

Stele wrote:
Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Have to be animated.

Hamill, Fisher, Ford, and Billy Dee can still do voice work.

I like that idea ... a lot.

tboon wrote:
Gremlin wrote:

I...what?

My reaction as well.

I was expecting to be Rick Rolled by this thread.

I think I clicked on it anyway in hopes that it was a troll.

athros wrote:
thejustinbot wrote:

Grand Admiral Thrawn in film form. Fingers crossed so hard.

This. So much this

That is what I'm hoping for.

Finally, someone might make a worthy sequel to Caravan of Courage

Gremlin wrote:

A big question: what does this mean for the Star Wars fan films and fan culture? Lucas, for all his faults, was incredibly tolerant of that space, and I can't see the Mouse being an improvement there.

It's not a big question. It's probably the most important question.

Disney has sued daycare centers for painting Mickey on their walls so I'm going to hazard a guess that the Rat's lawyers will be sending out a sithload of cease and desist letters.

From the article in the OP:

the company plans new "Star Wars" films every two to three years, a series on Disney XD and a larger presence at its theme parks.
Slumberland wrote:

In any case, Mark Hamill has to be PSYCHED that he might be called in for some Kenobi-style old-man Luke action.

As far as I can recall Mark Hamill pretty much hates dealing with Star Wars in any way and had to be bullied by his kids to make the cameo on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. He doesn't even do the voice work for Luke Skywalker in the old Lucasarts games even though he does a ton of VO work.

So I'm pretty sure Mark Hamill isn't psyched at all. If anything I'd expect him to be dreading the nagging phone calls from CNN et al regarding the purchase.

I do think it's funny seeing everyone immediately tune to the original trilogy though. Disney isn't going to be targeting those of us who love the original three movies, they're going to be targeting the people who loved the prequels when they were kids and now have spending money and kids of their own. Just look at what they've already done with Clone Wars and expand upon that.

Star Wars 7 - Directed by J.J. Abrams?.....Danny Boyle?

Cautiously optimistic about all of this.

Gumbie wrote:

Star Wars 7 - Directed by J.J. Abrams?.....Danny Boyle?

WHEDON.

Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Hey, it worked for Indiana Jones 4...

Vrikk wrote:

Cautiously optimistic about all of this.

Gumbie wrote:

Star Wars 7 - Directed by J.J. Abrams?.....Danny Boyle?

WHEDON.

oOoo...

First thing: I'm stunned they were able to keep this a secret. That's damn impressive.

I'm honestly completely neutral on what this means for Star Wars. Lucas has ruined that and Indiana Jones so badly for me with recent instalments that I've grieved and moved on. It can only get better from here. If it does, I'll be thrilled. If it doesn't, I'll feel the same. Though I will admit, I get a little twitch in my heart for the prospect of a proper Blu-ray set that either has no Special Edition content or gives an option to play either version. I'd buy a 1-6 set just to get the originals in 1080p.

What I'm scared about the most is what this means for LucasArts. Disney tried AAA game development a few years ago and a few years before that. Every time, they ended up getting out and refocusing on kids games and left a bunch of burning studios behind. Their interactive division is all mobile, social and handheld kids stuff now. LucasArts hasn't exactly been on fire either lately, what with the constant management shakeups, infrequent releases and wavering quality. Star Wars 1313 looks amazing but is Disney going to want to keep an entire separate games division alive for that and whatever tie-in games come for the next movie? My biggest fear is them shuttering LucasArts and either selling their IPs off to who knows who or worse yet, shoving them in the vault and letting them rot even further. I really, really hope I'm wrong and that they see LucasArts as yet another reason to attempt to get into AAA development again. If we find out a new X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter is coming and it's some craptastic mobile skinner box game, I will go on a rampage.

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Nevin73 wrote:

the company plans new "Star Wars" films every two to three years, a series on Disney XD and a larger presence at its theme parks.

Disney XD would probably be the new home of Clone Wars or that live-action TV series that's been in pre-production since 2005.

TexasRay wrote:
Slumberland wrote:

How can you do Zahn when it featured the original cast of characters so prominently? I think you've got to go in a different direction.

Personally, I would be OK with them doing the Zahn books with different actors. At least with those books, you have a very solid trilogy that ties in nicely with the stuff that everyone is familiar with. I'd take that with different actors or something that they let Lucas write.

My mind's eye has seen Episode VII and it features a Chiss Admiral named Thrawn.

I think it is perfectly OK to recast the characters.