Lucasfilm

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Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC
Type Limited liability company
Subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company
Industry Motion pictures
Founded 1971
Founder(s) George Lucas
Headquarters Letterman Digital Arts Center (Presidio of San Francisco)
Key people Kathleen Kennedy
(President)
Parent The Walt Disney Studios
(The Walt Disney Company)
Website lucasfilm.com

Lucasfilm Ltd., LLC[1] is an American film and television production company based in the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco, California. The studio is best known for its films, such as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, as well as its leadership in developing special effects, sound and computer animation for film. The Walt Disney Company bought Lucasfilm in 2012 at a valuation of $4.05 billion.[2][3] Lucasfilm was founded by filmmaker George Lucas in 1971 in San Rafael, CA. Most of Lucasfilm's operations were moved to San Francisco in 2005.[4]

Contents

History [edit]

[icon] This section requires expansion. (October 2012)

Independent era [edit]

Lucasfilm was founded by filmmaker George Lucas in 1971.[5]

On July 8, 2005, Lucasfilm's marketing, online, and licensing units moved into the new Letterman Digital Arts Center located in the Presidio in San Francisco. It shares the complex with Industrial Light & Magic and LucasArts. Lucasfilm had planned an expansion at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, California, but shelved the plan[when?] due to opposition from neighbors. However, it still plans to expand elsewhere.[6]

In January 2012, Lucas announced his retirement from producing large-scale blockbuster films and instead re-focusing his career on smaller, independently budgeted features.[7][8]

In June 2012, it was announced that producer Kathleen Kennedy, a long-term collaborator with Steven Spielberg and a producer of the Indiana Jones films, had been appointed as co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd. It was reported that Kennedy would work alongside Lucas, who would remain chief executive and serve as co-chairman for at least one year, after which she would succeed him as the company's sole leader.[9]

On September 5, 2012, Micheline Chau, who served as president and COO of Lucasfilm for two-decades, announced that she was retiring. With her departure, senior executives for each of the Lucasfilm divisions will report directly to Kathleen Kennedy. Chau was credited with keeping the Lucasfilm and Star Wars brands strong, especially through animation spin-offs and licensing initiatives.[10]

Disney subsidiary [edit]

Discussions relating to the possibility of The Walt Disney Company purchasing Lucasfilm officially began in May 2011, after a meeting that George Lucas had with Disney CEO Bob Iger during the inauguration of the Star Tours: The Adventures Continue attraction. Lucas told Iger he was considering retirement and planned to sell the company, as well as the Star Wars franchise.[11] On October 30, 2012, Disney announced a deal to acquire Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion,[12] with approximately half in cash and half in shares of Disney stock.[2] Lucasfilm had previously collaborated with Disney and Walt Disney Imagineering to create rides and attractions centered on Star Wars and Indiana Jones for various Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide.[13]

Kathleen Kennedy, co-chairman of Lucasfilm, became president of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she serves 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. Kennedy serves as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant.[14] The company also announced the future release of new Star Wars films, starting with Star Wars Episode VII in 2015.[13]

Under the deal, Disney acquired ownership of Lucasfilm and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, video games, animation, visual effects, and audio post-production. Disney also acquired Lucasfilm's portfolio of entertainment technologies. The present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.[15] Future films will be co-branded by both the Disney and Lucasfilm names (as Disney | Lucasfilm),[16] akin to what Disney has done with Pixar.[17] On December 4, 2012, the Disney-Lucasfilm merger was approved by the Federal Trade Commission, allowing the acquisition to be finalized without dealing with antitrust problems.[18] On December 21, 2012, the deal was completed, and Lucasfilm became a wholly owned subsidiary of Disney.[3]

20th Century Fox, the distributors of the first six Star Wars films, still retain the distribution rights to the original two Star Wars trilogies, currently owning permanent distribution rights for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, while holding the distribution rights to Episodes I-III, V, and VI until May 2020.[19] Paramount Pictures retains some distribution rights for the Indiana Jones films, and future films will only be produced if both Paramount and Disney agree on terms.[19][20]

Disney's CEO Bob Iger confirmed that Lucasfilm had plans to have stand-alone Star Wars movies with Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg lined up to develop the movies that would be released sometime during the six-year period the sequel trilogy will be released.[21]

In April 2013, the development arm of the LucasArts division was closed down and most of its staff was laid off.[22][23] However, LucasArts remained open with a skeleton staff of fewer than ten employees so it could retain its function as a video game licensor.[24]

Related companies [edit]

Divisions [edit]

Former Divisions [edit]

Filmography [edit]

Film Year Director Distributor Tomatometer Gross
American Graffiti 1973 George Lucas Universal Studios 97% $115,000,000
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 1977 George Lucas 20th Century Fox 94% $775,398,007
More American Graffiti 1979 Bill L. Norton Universal Studios 22% $15,014,674
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 1980 Irvin Kershner 20th Century Fox1 97% $538,375,067
Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures 94% $384,140,454
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi 1983 Richard Marquand 20th Century Fox1 79% $475,106,177
Twice Upon a Time 1983 John Korty & Charles Swenson Warner Bros. N/A N/A
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984 Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures 85% $333,107,271
Latino 1985 Haskell Wexler Cinecom N/A N/A
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters 1985 Paul Schrader Warner Bros. 95% $502,758
Labyrinth 1986 Jim Henson TriStar Pictures 62% $12,729,917
Howard the Duck 1986 Willard Huyck Universal Studios 16% $37,962,774
Willow 1988 Ron Howard Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 46% $57,269,863
Tucker: The Man and His Dream 1988 Francis Ford Coppola Paramount Pictures 86% $19,652,638
The Land Before Time 1988 Don Bluth Universal Studios/Amblin Entertainment 73% $48,092,846
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989 Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures 89% $474,171,806
Radioland Murders 1994 Mel Smith Universal Studios 19% $1,316,865
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 1999 George Lucas 20th Century Fox1 57% $1,027,044,677
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 2002 George Lucas 20th Century Fox1 67% $649,398,328
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 2005 George Lucas 20th Century Fox1 80% $848,754,768
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 Steven Spielberg Paramount Pictures 77% $786,636,033
Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2008 Dave Filoni Warner Bros. Pictures 19% $68,282,844
Red Tails 2012 Anthony Hemingway 20th Century Fox 36% $48,832,821

In development [edit]

Status unknown [edit]

Television series [edit]

Television films and specials [edit]

Other productions [edit]

See also [edit]

Portal icon Disney portal

Footnotes [edit]

  1. ^ Distribution rights will be transferred to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures by May 2020.

References [edit]

  1. ^ The Walt Disney Company. "The Walt Disney Company Completes Lucasfilm Acquisition (press release)" (Press release). Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  2. ^ a b "Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.". Yahoo!. October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012. 
  3. ^ a b Schou, Solvej (December 21, 2012). "Mickey meets 'Star Wars': Walt Disney Co. completes acquisition of Lucasfilm". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 22, 2012. 
  4. ^ "Industrial Light & Film". Retrieved November 4, 2012. 
  5. ^ Moss, Stuart (2009). The Entertainment Industry. Wallingford, UK: cab international. p. 89. ISBN 9781845935511. 
  6. ^ Les Christie CNN Money 5:43 p.m. PDT, May 21, 2012 (May 21, 2012). "After ritzy neighbors block Skywalker Ranch expansion, George Lucas strikes back with proposed low-income housing development - KCPQ". Q13fox.com. Retrieved October 31, 2012. 
  7. ^ Fischer, Russ (January 17, 2012). "George Lucas Ready to Retire From Blockbuster Filmmaking". /Film. Retrieved January 17, 2012. 
  8. ^ Yamato, Jen (January 17, 2012). "George Lucas Promises Retirement (From Blockbusters... Not Counting Indiana Jones 5)". Movie Line. Retrieved January 17, 2012. 
  9. ^ Richard Verrier and Ben Fritz, "Kathleen Kennedy to helm Lucasfilm as George Lucas phases out", Los Angeles Times, June 2, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  10. ^ Gregg Kilday, "Longtime Lucasfilm President and COO Micheline Chau Retiring", The Hollywood Reporter, September 5, 2012, Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  11. ^ "Never mind about Star Wars 7. Who is going to be Bob Iger's No. 2?". Jim Hill Media. October 30, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012. 
  12. ^ Burr, Ty (November 3, 2012). "What to expect when Disney buys 'Star Wars'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 4, 2012. 
  13. ^ a b "Disney purchases Lucasfilm, announces new Star Wars". 3 News. October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012. 
  14. ^ "NEW STAR WARS MOVIES ANNOUNCED AS DISNEY ENTERS AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE LUCASFILM LTD.". http://starwars.com. October 30, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012. 
  15. ^ Smith, Ethan (October 30, 2012). "Mickey, Darth Vader Join Forces in $4.05 Billion Deal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 30, 2012. 
  16. ^ "Walt Disney Confirms J.J. Abrams Will Direct New ‘Star Wars’". The Wall Street Journal. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013. 
  17. ^ Acuna, Kirsten (9 November 2012). "Here's What Disney CEO Bob Iger Says He Wants To Do With 'Star Wars'". Business Insider. Retrieved 22 November 2012. 
  18. ^ Patten, Dominic (December 4, 2012). "Disney-Lucasfilm Deal Cleared By Feds". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 5, 2012. 
  19. ^ a b Masters, Kim (October 30, 2012). "Tangled Rights Could Tie Up Ultimate 'Star Wars' Box Set (Analysis)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2012. 
  20. ^ Adam B. Vary (2012-11-1). "What about Indy? The Disney/Lucasfilm deal and the future of 'Indiana Jones'". Retrieved 9 February 2013. 
  21. ^ Zakarin, Jordan (February 5, 2013). "It's Official: 'Star Wars' Stand-Alone Films From Lawrence Kasdan, Simon Kinberg in Development". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 6, 2013. 
  22. ^ a b Shaw, Lucas (3 April 2013). "LucasArts to Cease Making Games, Will Lay Off Most of Staff". The Wrap. Retrieved 3 April 2013. 
  23. ^ Neal, Ryan W. (3 April 2013). "Disney Closes LucasArts, Video Game Arm of LucasFilm, Cancels Star Wars Games". International Business Times. Retrieved 3 April 2013. 
  24. ^ a b "Disney to Shut LucasArts Videogame Unit". The Wall Street Journal. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2013-04-18. 
  25. ^ Droege, DB. "The future of Star Wars comics under Disney Read more at http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-opinion/68306-the-future-of-star-wars-comics-under-disney#dhjWhGoVEi4KW67w.99". TG Daily. Retrieved 6 January 2013. 
  26. ^ Shelby Hill, Steven Gaydos (2011-09-30). "Accusations fly in Kerner bankruptcy". Variety. Retrieved 2013-04-19. 
  27. ^ Crabtree, Sheigh (2002-06-12). "Lucas' THX stakes out new galaxy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-04-19. 
  28. ^ Hoppel, Adrian (2013-03-20). "Law & Apple: iFone Defeats iPhone, THX Targets Apple". MacLife. Retrieved 2013-04-19. 
  29. ^ Adler, Shawn (2008-06-13). "Warwick Davis Enthusiastic About Possibility For ‘Willow 2′". MTV News. Retrieved 2012-06-23. 
  30. ^ Peaty, James. "Rick McCallum interview: Dennis Potter, Star Wars TV series, George Lucas & Red Tails" Den of Geek.com, June 2012.

External links [edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucasfilm&oldid=556133175"