Disney buys Lucasfilm (Star Wars) for $4 billion

[Motownkid]

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Disney buys Lucasfilm for $4 billion | USA Today



Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are joining Mickey Mouse, Buzz Lightyear and Iron Man in Disney's roster of heroes.

Disney is buying Lucasfilm for $4 billion, adding the legendary Star Wars franchise to the entertainment giant's stable of characters. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by founder George Lucas. The purchase culminates a one and a half year pursuit of the Lucas empire, Disney's CEO said.

Lucas, who receives 40 million Disney shares from the deal, will be the second-largest non-institutional shareholder of Disney, Bloomberg News says, behind the trust of deceased Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

The 68-year-old Lucas will serve as a creative consultant but plans to retire.

"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, chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, in a statement. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers."

Said Disney CEO Robert Iger: "This is one of the great entertainment properties of all time, one of the best branded and one of the most valuable, and it's just fantastic for us to have the opportunity to both buy it, run it and grow it."

The big screen isn't the only place that there might be tales from the galaxy far, far away. "We really like Star Wars' potential on TV as well," Iger says, "and we think (cable-satellite channel) Disney XD will be a great home for that."



Disney's largest deals:

1. ABC, 1995 - $19.7 billion
2. Pixar, 2006 - $7.6 billion
3. Fox Family, 2001 - $5.2 billion
4. Lucasfilm, 2012 - $4.05 billion
5. Marvel, 2009 - $3.96 billion

[darthradical]

cant wait for STARWARS episode 7!

[Judgement]

man i hope Disney can reach everyone's expectations