Disney Acquires Lucasfilm, Star Wars Episode 7 Planned For 2015

Outsiders - October 30, 2012





Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

"Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas," said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "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."

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "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."

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and "evergreen" Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm's legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world's top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney's strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.


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Comments...

Last 10 comments - ( Read All Posts )
yojoebro82 - 2012-12-27 @ 9:04 pm

The next director WON'T be JJ Abrams

(link)

I understand where he's coming from. As a fan I would just want to sit back and watch too.

WHAT?! BUT I WANT MORE LENSE FLARES OFFA MY LIGHTSABER FIGHTS!!

I'm down with Abrams, I like his work. Never did mind the lense flairs, it's just his style.

featofstrength - 2012-12-27 @ 4:40 pm

The next director WON'T be JJ Abrams

(link)

I understand where he's coming from. As a fan I would just want to sit back and watch too.

WHAT?! BUT I WANT MORE LENSE FLARES OFFA MY LIGHTSABER FIGHTS!!

yojoebro82 - 2012-12-27 @ 3:33 am

The next director WON'T be JJ Abrams

(link)

I understand where he's coming from. As a fan I would just want to sit back and watch too.

jedimaster-c - 2012-12-24 @ 4:36 pm

Chewie member of the Senate?

Chewie died 25 years after the Battle of Yavin...but its never too late to accept the Holiday Special and have Lumpy take his place!

I just thought of this yes Disney could potentionally release "The Star Wars Holiday Special" on DVD and Blu-Ray

As much as I would like them to eat crow and recognize that it happened, it probably wouldnt be much fun to watch anymore after an official release. Hunting that bootleg VHS down in the mid 80s was an epic nerd rite of passage. I recently transfered my copy to dvd for preservations sake, and I watch it every year...Nov 17th is always Life Day at my house.

Wow thats cool..I don't know if I could sit through the 70's variety show musical numbers they do

Oh my god no.The animated segment introducing Boba Fett was cool though. Other then that.

Bespin refugee - 2012-12-23 @ 10:06 pm
The Walt Disney Company Completes Lucasfilm Acquisition
Lady Jaye - 2012-11-07 @ 3:39 pm

So we have our potential big three coming back, but please not as the action's leads!!! Just as mentor roles!! To see them leap about would be sad!!!

Bespin refugee - 2012-11-06 @ 8:29 pm

'Where is Chewie? is he all right?

It seems in the EU, they killed him.

They couldn't have,...he was alive,...I felt it...Noooooooo!'

featofstrength - 2012-11-06 @ 5:47 pm

Wow thats cool..I don't know if I could sit through the 70's variety show musical numbers they do

Bea Arthur's number is the best part to me...Harvey Korman in three terribly unfunny roles on the other hand...ouch.

PS...Chewie is alive in internet trend... (link)

Wheeljack35 - 2012-11-06 @ 5:06 pm

Chewie member of the Senate?

Chewie died 25 years after the Battle of Yavin...but its never too late to accept the Holiday Special and have Lumpy take his place!

I just thought of this yes Disney could potentionally release "The Star Wars Holiday Special" on DVD and Blu-Ray

As much as I would like them to eat crow and recognize that it happened, it probably wouldnt be much fun to watch anymore after an official release. Hunting that bootleg VHS down in the mid 80s was an epic nerd rite of passage. I recently transfered my copy to dvd for preservations sake, and I watch it every year...Nov 17th is always Life Day at my house.

Wow thats cool..I don't know if I could sit through the 70's variety show musical numbers they do

featofstrength - 2012-11-06 @ 2:46 pm

Chewie member of the Senate?

Chewie died 25 years after the Battle of Yavin...but its never too late to accept the Holiday Special and have Lumpy take his place!

I just thought of this yes Disney could potentionally release "The Star Wars Holiday Special" on DVD and Blu-Ray

As much as I would like them to eat crow and recognize that it happened, it probably wouldnt be much fun to watch anymore after an official release. Hunting that bootleg VHS down in the mid 80s was an epic nerd rite of passage. I recently transfered my copy to dvd for preservations sake, and I watch it every year...Nov 17th is always Life Day at my house.

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