[Ryofu]

By Ben Fritz

October 30, 2012, 1:46 p.m.

Walt Disney Co. has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in a surprise deal that gives the media giant control of the "Star Wars" franchise.

Along with the purchase, Disney announced that it plans to release a seventh live-action "Star Wars" movie in 2015.

The agreement continues Chief Executive Bob Iger's strategy of growing Disney through huge acquisitions that give the Burbank company control of key pieces of intellectual property. In 2009, Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, a deal that resulted in this year's hit "The Avengers." In 2006, Disney acquired "Toy Story" and "Cars" maker Pixar Animation Studios for $7.4 billion.

PHOTOS: Meet 'The Clone Wars' characters

"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," Iger said in a statement.

In addition to "Star Wars," Disney's purchase of San Francisco-based Lucasfilm will give it ownership of special-effects company Industrial Light & Magic, sound company Skywalker Sound and video game publisher LucasArts.

In June, "Star Wars" director and Lucasfilm owner George Lucas announced his plans to retire, and named producer Kathleen Kennedy as chief executive of Lucasfilm, which he wholly owns. Once the Disney acquisition is complete, Kennedy will become president of Disney's Lucasfilm unit and report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn.

FULL COVERAGE: The latest 'Star Wars' news

For fans, the most stunning part of Tuesday's announcement is likely Disney's intention to make more "Star Wars" movies. Following the one targeted for release in 2015, the company said "more feature films [are] expected to continue the 'Star Wars' saga and grow the franchise well into the future."

In addition to new movies, Disney will look to use the "Star Wars" franchise throughout its businesses, including theme parks, consumer products, television and digital platforms.

"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," George Lucas said in a statement. "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."

Disney is funding approximately half of the purchase price with cash and the rest by issuing 40 million shares of stock. Regulatory authories must still approve the acquisition before it can close.

I don't think this is bad news. It may mean the Star Wars franchise will be given a bit of a break if Lucas isn't directing new entries. It also probably means Mark Hamil will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker as well as the return of the other cast members, something I think most people expected to never happen.

[TB74]

I don't think this is bad news. It may mean the Star Wars franchise will be given a bit of a break if Lucas isn't directing new entries. It also probably means Mark Hamil will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker as well as the return of the other cast members, something I think most people expected to never happen.

Please, Disney, if there are other Star Wars, make sure Lucas isn't directing and gives the director the appropriate creative freedom to make the movies interesting.

Episodes I to III of the SW saga were downright boring IMHO. Only the third was okay, thanks to its more gripping drama, while the first lacked rythm but was saved by its renewal aura (at least for some time). I remember wanting Jar Jar to end up being cut in half by the bad guys... And the actors, all looking bored out of their mind.

Episode II felt like watching someone else play Mario Bros. Ugh. The worse of the entire series.

Lucas was probably too obsessed by the technical qualities of his movies (blue screen, yay!) that he completely focused on his digital cameras and his blue & green screen techniques, enough to forget about directing his actors a bit more. The older series didn't have as much budget, so he had to focus on the essentials, and his team had to develop many techniques to make his films become a reality (which is why Star Wars was such a technical revolution). They were tinkering with bits and pieces, like inventors do in their labs, which resulted in such a inventive movie.

The release of the "upgraded" episodes IV through VI is an example of how Lucas lost its grip with the reality of his own films. Adding Jabba in episode IV, in the form of some CGI that looked odd, was just a stupid idea. But those were "his" films, so he felt like he could make them "better". LoL.

From that moment on, he became obsessed with filling his worlds with an overabundance of details, creatures and the rest. As a result, episodes I through III were shot in front of blue or green screens 98% of the time. Instead of being inventors, the art creators became CGI technicians instead.

In fact, Lucas decided to dump living actors (as in screen actors, I mean — voice actors are still essential for this) altogether when he created the "Clone Wars" animated series. A good move IMHO. At least now, the characters look like they belong in that fantasy world, and the CGI artists can make them look like their enjoying themselves. I watched a few episodes of that series, and I can say there were much more exciting than episodes I-III!

Rant over. BTW, episode V is still the best, IMHO, followed by episode IV.

Now about the newest release, I couldn't care less. I used to be a fan of the SW series, but episodes I, II and III were so full of often meaningless CGI, I lost interest. If the reviews are very, very good, I might go see it.

I'll be honest, I think too many directors now use CGI to fill out the lack of substance found in their movies, especially the lack of substance in the storyline. Thankfully, there are still some creators who know how to use CGI as the tools they are. Tools that can be useful to support a story rather than to replace it.

"Inception" is a good example of a movie in which CGI is used in a creative way (only when necessary and never at the expense of the story, but instead to support storytelling).

Second rant over, LoL.

Back to the next Star Wars. Most likely the new episode will be #7, with Luke, Han and Leia taking on that Admiral Paellon (is that the correct name? can't remember) while struggling to keep the new republic from collapsing.

I don't think Hamil will be back, though. He made it pretty clear he wasn't interested in starring in a SW sequel last time he was interviewed about this. But then, it's been quite a time since then, so I could've changed his mind. But since episode VII is happening right after The Return of the Jedi, that would probably end up looking very odd. Most likely, they'll cast new faces, which will be popular and young enough to attract a new generation of kids into the world of SW.

But if new directors can put back the freshness and creativity in Star Wars, while giving it back the light-hearted and genuine epic spirit of episodes IV and V, than its good news indeed. Not having Lucas behind the cameras will sure help, I'm certain of that.

Not to say that Lucas never was a decent director. American Graffiti is an excellent, well directed movie, and episode IV of SW was very good as well. If he had focused either directing or producing rather than both, the most recent episodes might have been much better.

If I had to predict something about SW, is that in the hands of Disney, we'll see more products like the "Clone Wars" animated series. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see a whole new set of franchises appear over the next years, with new series aimed at different audiences, from the kid to the grown adult. Disney's strengths might serve the Star Wars franchise well, as long as they don't overwhelm the audiences with countless spinoffs. From "Princess Leia goes shopping on Corusant" to "Sing with the Ewoks", there are so many ways this could go wrong LoL.

Good news, I believe.

[stephdumas]

The folks of "Funny or Die" website did their satire of Star Wars 7
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b20e41a81...-wars-7-trailer

And there a parody of the German movie Downfall, well known for its couldless parodies clips, who covered the subject
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsK537mAqc

[CrowSama]

I really enjoyed the original 6 movies. I honestly really loved them, and how much amazing cinematography/creativity made it into these movies. Seeing disney take the reigns from Lucas makes me think that one of two things will happen (both of which are equally likely).

1. They nerf the snot out of it. They make it so that it really is like the Clone Wars they air on CN as far as plot line quality, and make the characters about as 2-dimensional as a piece of paper and about as original as "My Immortal" as a title for fanfics.

2. They beef that crap up. They take the plot writers of the Kingdom Hearts series and make them write the scripts for the new movies. They go in-depth about the rest of the Star Wars world, but not to the extent of Clone Wars, nor do they rape it as far as originality for characters and settings.

I'm not holding my breath for it. I am somewhat eager to see it.

[TB74]

I really enjoyed the original 6 movies. I honestly really loved them, and how much amazing cinematography/creativity made it into these movies. Seeing disney take the reigns from Lucas makes me think that one of two things will happen (both of which are equally likely).

1. They nerf the snot out of it. They make it so that it really is like the Clone Wars they air on CN as far as plot line quality, and make the characters about as 2-dimensional as a piece of paper and about as original as "My Immortal" as a title for fanfics.

2. They beef that crap up. They take the plot writers of the Kingdom Hearts series and make them write the scripts for the new movies. They go in-depth about the rest of the Star Wars world, but not to the extent of Clone Wars, nor do they rape it as far as originality for characters and settings.

I'm not holding my breath for it. I am somewhat eager to see it.

Good point regarding Clone Wars. The character are pretty unidimensional, which I was I think the series has little attractive power overall. The action is good, the characters seem to have fun, but it stops there. Not that the Star Wars franchise is about deep character development anyway (Star Wars isn't a very... uh... philosophical, some might say).

I read the "Episode VII-IX" novels, which are very detailed and have some decent character depth, but most important, which is very gripping in drama. The new Republic is struggling against the bouncing back Empire, Leia and Han care about their newborn kids, and Skywalker faces a tough opponent that has the force, all while trying to train his sister and her children.

Put that into a 3-part series, with thicker-than-a-sheet-characters while keeping the gripping feeling of a good storyline, and you get a very good movie. Focus too much on tech, and you loose sight of characters, their motivations, expectations, etc. There's a way to get a good balance. They can do it, especially without Lucas at the helm, IMHO.

[TB74]

And there a parody of the German movie Downfall, well known for its couldless parodies clips, who covered the subject
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsK537mAqc

I was working as a store clerk and manager until a little more than a year ago, and I saw a parody using the same clip, and in which Hitler is pissed off about the latest Nikon DSLR being delayed, eventually opting to buy a Sony camera instead (Nikon had been really hurt by the Japanese Tsunami and the floods in Thailand back then, forcing the delay of many products expected to hit the shelves much sooner). LoL

On a side note, kudos to Bruno Ganz for his gripping interpretation of a madman gone crazy and utterly oblivious to reality. This great moment of cinema will probably serve for other countless parodies, mainly because Ganz is just incredible in Hitler's role.

I also felt like I was living in this bunker while watching this movie, thanks to great directing as well.