From the Telegraph
Walt Disney has agreed to buy Lucasfilm, the company behind the legendary Star Wars franchise, for $4.05bn (£2.5bn) in a cash and shares deal. A seventh Star Wars film will be released in 2015.
The company, which is 100pc owned by visionary movie maker George Lucas, will join Disney’s portfolio of brands including, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and ABC.
“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” Robert A Iger, Disney’s chairman and chief executive said. “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.”
About half the price will be paid in shares and Disney plans to issue about 40m shares to cover the deal.
Mr Lucas said that he was passing on Star Wars to a new generation of filmmakers. “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” Mr Lucas said. “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.”