I’ve had some time to process the event itself as well as read industry and fan reaction to the Disney-Lucasfilm transaction. Personally, I have to say that I am not concerned this is a bad thing at all. In fact, this may very well be the greatest thing that has ever happened to Star Wars fans, both new and old.
If you aren’t already aware, one of the biggest moves in production history occurred when Disney purchased Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion big ones. That’s a lot of cash, and who else would have the money other than ol’ Walt’s zombie himself?
Joking aside, what does this merger mean? Well, a lot of folks seem to think it’s the end of the world, but I am not one of them. In fact, I feel the franchise will become even stronger now that it’s under Disney’s fold. There’s going to be plenty of money and creative effort to be placed in the franchise that wasn’t going to be otherwise.
George Lucas is a genius, there’s no doubt. Star Wars IS my favorite Sci-Fi universe, and there are so many stories to be brought to the big screen and told. What’s obvious about Lucas is that he didn’t have the time or energy to do this all on his own. He has already proven that his work is amazing, and now he can sit back in a purely creative, mentoring role and let a team of writers, animators, and other staff share the burden. Delegation of power is smart and can be successful if managed constructively; a role that Lucas can excel at.
Do we really want Lucas writing dialogue again? Your answer should be no if you remember some of the not-so-hot lines from the films.
In addition to the Star Wars franchise being bolstered, don’t forget that Lucasfilm is one of Hollywood’s best special effects workshops. George Lucas practically invented the industry when he was making the original Star Wars trilogy, and special effects have only become better as technology and techniques evolved. This is a huge bonus for Disney, adding to a Production Juggernaut that already includes digital animation powerhouse Pixar, as well as the equally capable digital animation studio. The amount of money and production overhead that will be saved by having a special effects firm in house will be incredible.
Besides special effects work, don’t count out the amazing amounts of games, online content, TV-spinoffs, and other content that can be drawn from the massive Star Wars franchise. Disney is inheriting a creative lot, and dividends are sure to pay off.
You don’t have to look far to see another franchise that is booming since a Disney purchase – Marvel. The Avengers universe has been massively popular and have become the highest grossing set of superhero movies in history, second only to the Christian Bale’s Dark Knight trilogy. The only difference is that Bale has finished his magnum opus, and that there is still plenty to come for The Avengers.
Hopefully the extra money and creative genius that will come with Lucasfilm will be invested in new, adventurous projects – perhaps Terminator can get a little Disney love. Hey, a man can dream, can’t he?
Not convinced? Here’s another favorable sentiment:
What do you think about the merger? Will Star Wars drift into a galaxy far, far away? Or will we continue to be amazed and intrigued by an alternate universe that we will never experience anywhere other than the big screen and video games?
