Disney to buy Lucasfilm

[Buzz Bumble]

Another cartoon in today's NZ Herald ...

[Buzz Bumble]

The Stuff.co.nz website has two articles.

One article is about George Lucas in general (basically a brief history with a little bit about the new Disney deal). There's not really anything we didn't already know though, but he did reportedly say in the 1980s that he didn't like the way Disney works and it wasn't in the spirit of Walt's original plan. Then again in 2004 he said that he was "not happy that corporations have taken over the film industry". George Lucas: Unmasking the 4 Billion Man

The other article is about the Disney acquisition. Why the Disney Star Wars Deal is Exciting

[MattG]

In the next issue of Entertainment Weekly, apparently, Kathleen Kennedy states that there will be 2-3 Star Wars films per year!

[Reverend Strone]

Holy crud, I don't know what to make of that. Part of me is dismayed as I like the idea of Star Wars movies being big events. They could become MacDonalds cinema if they're so frequent, but then if they can actually make them consistently awesome then I guess it's nothing but great news. I'm stunned though.

[MattG]

Holy crud, I don't know what to make of that. Part of me is dismayed as I like the idea of Star Wars movies being big events. They could become MacDonalds cinema if they're so frequent, but then if they can actually make them consistently awesome then I guess it's nothing but great news. I'm stunned though.

I'm a bit stunned too, but then it's been likened to the rate of release of Avengers films, and people haven't bemoaned the influx if Ironman/Captain America/Thor/Avengers releases, over the last couple of years, too much.

[Buzz Bumble]

That could be (hopefully) just a mis-reporting of the original announcment of planning to release the new trilogy movies every 2 - 3 years apart ... reporters tend to be utterly hopeless at reporting, or checking, actual facts in the rush to be "first".

If they're really planning on releasing 2 or 3 movies every year, then we may as well give up now because the quality is going to go down the toilet in the usual greedy chase for the mighty dollar

[Buzz Bumble]

As well as the new Sequel Trilogy, Disney are reportedly also planning to release two / three Star Wars spin-off movies EVERY YEAR!

Disney planning 2 or 3 Star Wars films a YEAR!?
Sweet merciful Zeus! We were excited (if not a little nervous) that Star Wars Episode VII would be out come 2015, but now that's the least that's happening. Turns out Disney plans on making a lot more Star Wars pictures. A LOT MORE.

So the Disney buyout happened, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced that we would be getting a new episode in the Star Wars saga every two years or so. That makes sense. After all, it takes time to put together an epic or, at least, it should.

But hang onto your hats, kids, because that's just the main stuff. Apparently, according to the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, Kennedy and Disney plan to put out two to three Star Wars-related movies EVERY YEAR!

Now, that doesn't mean we'll see Episodes VII, VII and IX all in 2015. In fact, we'd stake our reputations that we most certainly won't. It will, however, likely mean we will see Lucasfilm take a page from Marvel. After all, look at all the individual films that led up to the insanely successful Avengers. So what we're probably looking at is a series of films telling the stories of specific characters, all in an effort to enrich the existing universe.

Well, that and to make more money, of course. After all, more movies means more movie tickets and, most of all, more toys. Not gonna lie, we're PUMPED.

It could be time to get out now before Disney flushes the whole franchise down the toilet in the greedy chase for a quick buck.

[Archon Revuge]

As well as the new Sequel Trilogy, Disney are reportedly also planning to release two / three Star Wars spin-off movies EVERY YEAR!

This is something that's being extensively misquoted on a number of sites across the web. While it could happen, the Entertainment Weekly article does not in fact say that it will. Here's the original quote:

"Lucasfilm’s co-chairman and soon-to-be president, Kathleen Kennedy, has told employees she wants the company to produce two or three films a year (it’s averaged fewer than four per decade), and first up is Star Wars: Episode VII.

Note that Kennedy has only said that Lucasfilm will aim to produce two to three films per year. These won't necessarily all be Star Wars films.

[Buzz Bumble]

Note that Kennedy has only said that Lucasfilm will aim to produce two to three films per year. These won't necessarily all be Star Wars films.

True, except that Disney has already said they have no plans for the other LucasFilm works (which is really only Indiana Jones, unless you really want Howard the Duck 2 ), so there is basically only Star Wars, unless they plan on making new franchises ... in which case why bother putting them under the LucasFilm name and not judt Disney? Technically it also doesn't say cinema releases, so they could be TV-movies.

[Archon Revuge]

...so there is basically only Star Wars, unless they plan on making new franchises ... in which case why bother putting them under the LucasFilm name and not just Disney?

That's a good point Buzz.

Technically it also doesn't say cinema releases, so they could be TV-movies.

I'd be much happier with that. Like Strone, I prefer the idea of keeping Star Wars movies as big events - something they'll cease to be if we see them coming out on such a regular basis.