http://www.drfunkenberry....e-in-2015/

Disney has just bought Lucasfilms for $4.5 billion dollars and plan on releasing episode seven (episode VII) of the "Star Wars" franchise in 2015!

George Lucas confirmed the purchase and the making of episode VII to the associated press not long ago:

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see ‘Star Wars’ passed from one generation to the next,” said Lucas. “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.”

Episode VII will be the first of the final 3 films that Lucas wrote scripts for, but never intended to release in his lifetime.

This news is huge from a tech standpoint, a financial standpoint, and for the fans, who thought they would never see an episode VII.

well, without lucas writing or directing, there's hope they will be good.

lucas is a great producer, but cant write dialogue or direct.

but i still am... hesitant

The first one they ever made was great. The second and third movies were pretty good, too.

I never saw the fourth, fifth or six movies and have no desire to. Not really because they're bad, but I just had no desire to go backwards in time. It's like, why? You know how it's going to end; or at least, how three movies of it end.

We all know that Luke grows up, becomes a Jedi, and Darth Vader is his dad. I just didn't care at all about seeing what led up to the years and generations before all that happened.

And since it's been 30 years since episode six (or seems like it), I have no interest in picking up the story.

$4.5 billion?

How much cash reserve does Disney have? Wow.

Graycap23 said:

$4.5 billion?

How much cash reserve does Disney have? Wow.

that's just the profits from "the avengers"

cborgman said:

Graycap23 said:

$4.5 billion?

How much cash reserve does Disney have? Wow.

that's just the profits from "the avengers"

No way they netted 4.5 billion from a movie released 4 months ago.

Impossible.

Graycap23 said:

cborgman said:

that's just the profits from "the avengers"

No way they netted 4.5 billion from a movie released 4 months ago.

Impossible.

not quite 4.5, no

http://www.imdb.com/title...8/business

box office was almost 1.5 billion,

$1,481,585,111 (Worldwide) (26 August 2012)

home video sales was 135 million in it's first 2 weeks alone, merchandising/licensing is incalculable but toys, costumes, and product stuff is all over the place especially for halloween, and broadcast rights are going to be huge as its one of the biggest hits of all time.

at this point, i would estimate about 3 billion, most of it profit.

.

[Edited 10/30/12 14:20pm]

Fury said:

They beat my offer of $3,890,000,000 and two bottles of Get Wild and 3121 cologne

Its as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.................

muirdo said:

Its as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.................

RodeoSchro said:

The first one they ever made was great. The second and third movies were pretty good, too.

I never saw the fourth, fifth or six movies and have no desire to. Not really because they're bad, but I just had no desire to go backwards in time. It's like, why? You know how it's going to end; or at least, how three movies of it end.

We all know that Luke grows up, becomes a Jedi, and Darth Vader is his dad. I just didn't care at all about seeing what led up to the years and generations before all that happened.

And since it's been 30 years since episode six (or seems like it), I have no interest in picking up the story.

'Star Wars' was very good, 'Empire' a classic. Then Lucas jumped-the-shark with 'Return of the Care Bears'.

uPtoWnNY said:

RodeoSchro said:

The first one they ever made was great. The second and third movies were pretty good, too.

I never saw the fourth, fifth or six movies and have no desire to. Not really because they're bad, but I just had no desire to go backwards in time. It's like, why? You know how it's going to end; or at least, how three movies of it end.

We all know that Luke grows up, becomes a Jedi, and Darth Vader is his dad. I just didn't care at all about seeing what led up to the years and generations before all that happened.

And since it's been 30 years since episode six (or seems like it), I have no interest in picking up the story.

'Star Wars' was very good, 'Empire' a classic. Then Lucas jumped-the-shark with 'Return of the Care Bears'.

i always get slammed for it in these topics, but i like jedi more than new hope. empire is the masterpiece though

I've got a bad feeling about this.

i really really really hope they will be able to remove all the stupid changes to the originals and release them without that stupid special edition crap.

cborgman said:

Graycap23 said:

$4.5 billion?

How much cash reserve does Disney have? Wow.

that's just the profits from "the avengers"

but he gets a cut as well. $4.4B is a good price.

cborgman said:

i really really really hope they will be able to remove all the stupid changes to the originals and release them without that stupid special edition crap.

you can find the DVDs of the orginal editions (like Star Wars with its orginal Craw)

I have Star Wars. I have seen the other 2 in the last 6 months at Target.

I'm Star Wars (1977) all the way without the "episode IV A New Hope" bullshit that was added for a rerelease years later. I read that novelization about 3 times as a kid back in 1977-78.

"Empire" already jumps the shark with ridiculous elements creeping in (check sober criticism of Empire in Fantastic Films issue 22 & 23 , but luckily Empire had lots of brilliant scenes).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/F...0478766237

I am a Star Wars nut.

[img:$uid]http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Fantastic-Films-22-and-23-Star-Wars-Empire-1981-Mags-/14/!CD38WRQ!mk~$(KGrHqF,!lUEz+uJlu1zBNQDLRWK6g~~0_12.JPG[/img:$uid]

I hope Disney releases Star Wars intact as it's original 1977 version. Not the 1981 re-release version with the change and the title.

ufoclub said:

I hope Disney releases Star Wars intact as it's original 1977 version. Not the 1981 re-release version with the change and the title.

it was released on DVD not too long ago. I am sure it is easy to find. (as are the other 2)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can' even speak right now...

I mean EPISODE VII ???????????

do you guys realize that the prayers of MILLIONS of REAL StarWars fans have been answered?

this is a REMARKABLE day

Disney, Fox, Universal, his mother, who cares???

Episode VII man, Episode VII

[Edited 10/30/12 15:11pm]

That kind of sucks for the hundreds and hundres of fans of the novels and comics like me, all that continuity will be washed away. I can't even get TheForce.net to load to see what fans are saying.

I don't think it's a bad thing. Maybe they can re-make Episodes 1-3

Eh.

Graycap23 said:

$4.5 billion?

How much cash reserve does Disney have? Wow.

If they got the licensing and merchandising rights, unlike 20th Century Fox, who threw Lucas that "bone" nearly 40 years ago, the deal will pay for itself.

I'd much rather Disney and LucasFilm TRY this and fail than not try at all.

At a minimum, the prequels tied up many of the central plot lines left loose for years.

At a minimum, the sequels will close the loop.

I know the risks.

I know the track record.

But I cannot wait to see what happens with this.

Disney needed something to counter the Superhero Reign at the box office. By 2015 the DC heroes may be out in full force, at least 1 Superman movie, and a Justice League movie in the works or released.

They've now got Marvel and Lucasfilm. Ridiculous.

[Edited 10/31/12 9:23am]

NDRU said:

I don't think it's a bad thing. Maybe they can re-make Episodes 1-3

Yeah I could hammer out a better draft in a weekend.

In a nutshell EP I Obi Wan is older like 50 at least and a full on master. Anikin is older too but not much, maybe 15. The queen is younger (little girl 3 or so)

nyway, obi wan and another Jedi get tricked into intervening in the blockade... obi wan leads the other young Jedi into a trap and the Jedi is killed and Obi Wan flees in shame. He goes HOME to Tatooine (in the ROTJ script Obi Wan and Lars Owen were brothers). But Obi Wan gets captured and is about to be killed by Jabba (again in ROTJ Jabba said "I used to kill your kind when being a Jedi meant something"). But Anakin uses his pilot skills and manages to save Obi Wan and they go off to live on the Lars ranch). Ben (his real name) trains Anakin until he feels redeemed and he and anikin return to Coruscant. Yoda et al are not pleased but agree Anakin is powerful. Senator Palp is asonished in Anakin and Obi Wan's return. And he sends them to nabbo see what is needed to be done to liberate naboo. Ben fights a sith lord (his old pal) and kills him--he believes it was the younger Jedi from before. So there is a battle and they face 1000 to one odds but just in time Pappy shows up with a fleet and they save them all. End EP I

OnlyNDaUsa said:

ufoclub said:

I hope Disney releases Star Wars intact as it's original 1977 version. Not the 1981 re-release version with the change and the title.

it was released on DVD not too long ago. I am sure it is easy to find. (as are the other 2)

I have that, but it's not even full DVD resolution . I mean in HD, blu-ray.

ufoclub said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

it was released on DVD not too long ago. I am sure it is easy to find. (as are the other 2)

I have that, but it's not even full DVD resolution . I mean in HD, blu-ray.

oh! I am still on SD! Yeah I agree they should make a HD version of the orginal editions. But even as a 43 year old long time freak: the "Episode IV: A New Hope " in the craw is not an issue for me...

New Star Wars films with no George Lucas involvement could be good - and certainly better than the last three.

But screw Star Wars - I want Pixar to make a film of Grim Fandango!

I assume the Pirates Of The Caribbean films have scuppered any Monkey Island ones. Pity.

[Edited 10/30/12 17:06pm]

NDRU said:

I don't think it's a bad thing. Maybe they can re-make Episodes 1-3

I'm sure that was NOT part of the deal George made.