Leia wird Disney-Prinzessin – das MouseHouse kauft Lucasfilm und kündigt neue STAR WARS 3D-Trilogie an [Video]

Diese Ankündigung war gestern Abend das Lauffeuer auf sämtlichen Filmseiten: US-Medienkonzern Walt Disney kauft das von Filmproduzent George Lucas gegründete Unternehmen Lucasfilm. Für den Schnäppchenpreis von vier Milliarden Dollar, die Hälfte in bar, die andere Hälfte durch den Besitz von 40 Mio. Aktien. Ein Schnäppchen, wenn man bedenkt, dass dort sämtliche Verwertungsrechte an Star Wars dranhängen. Und natürlich ILM Industrial Light and Magic, sowie Skywalker Sound. Ein neuer Film plus Merchandising, dann ist die Kohle wieder drin! Weint sich George Lucas eigentlich in den Schlaf, für die Marvel-Rechte hatte Disney den gleichen Betrag gelöhnt, für den Ankauf von Pixar aber 7,4 Milliarden Dollar? Immerhin sind Lucasfilm und Pixar jetzt wieder vereint, 1979 startete die CGI-Schmiede als Graphics Group in der Computerabteilung von Lucasfilm.

Hier seht ihr Chairman und Chief Executive Officer von The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger und George Lucas, Chairman und Chief Executive Officer von Lucasfilm in ihrer offiziellen Video-Ankündigung:

Für die Fans die viel wichtigere Nachricht: auch ein neuer Star Wars-Film wurde angekündigt. Episode VII soll 2015 in den Kinos zu sehen sein. Und kaum war die Meldung rum, kam die nächste Nachricht: es bleibt nicht bei einem Sequel, Disney plant eine ganze Trilogie im Anschluss an die ursprünglichen Star Wars- Teile. Diese sollen im Abstand von zwei bis drei Jahren veröffentlicht werden. Produzentenlegende Kathleen Kennedy, neuerdings Co-Chairman von Lucasfilm, wird Ausführende Produzenten von SW VII, George Lucas wird als kreativer Berater zur Seite stehen. Viele Fragen sind noch nicht beantwortet: Wer wird bei der Trilogie Regie führen? Ist Prinzessin Leia jetzt auch eine offizielle Disney-Prinzessin wie Cinderella oder Schneewittchen? Wie interagieren das Marvel- und das Star Wars- Universum? Wird Pixar einen animierten Star Wars-Film ähnlich The Clone Wars produzieren?

Eines kann ich euch noch verraten: aus Hintergrundkreisen wurde bestätigt, dass Star Wars 7 bis 9 (oder im Episodensprech Star Wars VII, Star War VIII und Star Wars IX) stereoskopisch in 3D in den Kinos zu sehen sein werden. Das wurde zwar nicht offiziell verkündet, liegt aber sowohl auf der Disney Digital 3D-Strategie und im Postkonvertierungsanliegen der bisherigen Star Wars-Saga. Und wir werden 2015 sicher den aktuellen Standard in High Frame Rate  als HFR 3D erleben. Erinnert euch an meine Worte.  🙂

Wie sehr 20th Century Fox von diesem Deal betroffen ist, die 2013 Episode II und III in der 3D-Fassung in die Kinos bringen, ist noch unklar. Teil des Deals sind wohl auch Rechte an Howard the Duck, Willow oder Red Tails, die nun an Disney gehen. Gleiches gilt auch für die Indiana Jones- Franchise, doch lässt man Paramount hier noch etwas Spielraum für Indy 5.

Hier die Pressemitteilung im kompletten Umfang: 

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) 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 Warsfranchise 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 Warsfranchise 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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