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When you wish upon a ‘Death Star’, a seventh film in the most beloved franchise in entertainment history may not be so far, far away.
In one of the most momentous entertainment industry acquisitions of the last 30 years, the Walt Disney Company announced that it is purchasing Lucas Film in a stock and cash contract valued at $4.05 billion.
The blockbuster deal aims to add a new series of Star Wars feature films to Disney’s line-up with Star Wars: Episode VII targeting a 2015 release. In 2005 the last Star Wars film, Revenge of the Sith, generated $550 million in operating income.
George Lucas, the Hollywood icon and face behind the fictional universe, will pass his role of director onto a new generation of filmmakers. And for those who can’t help but quote every single Star Wars movie so far: ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this’ Ö rest assured as Lucas will still remain as a creative consultant.
Lucas will become the second-largest individual holder of Disney shares, with a 2.2 per cent stake.
The move has been welcomed by Gerard Saad, the general manager at Al Dana Cinema Management and Film Distribution. He said: "I think true Star Wars fans will watch the movies regardless of Disney buying the Lucas enterprise, or not. I am a keen follower of all the innovations in cinema, so I think releasing three more Star Wars movies is a good idea.
"So far Dana Cinema has had the exclusive rights to play all the Star Wars movies. They are very popular, and before Avatar and Titanic came along, it was the biggest blockbuster ever, especially with George Lucas taking it beyond any limit. As a trilogy it is still the most famous and iconic."
The Dana Mall shopping complex has become a shrine to Star Wars fans as the cinema houses a collection of larger-than-life movie characters on display.
"We received a selection of authentic memorabilia, including figurines of Darth Vader and a stormtrooper, from Hollywood," explained Mr Saad. "No other cinema in Bahrain has these collectibles and they have proved to be very popular with customers.
"We came up with this idea to attract people and make going to the theatre a fun experience for everyone and they get a piece of Hollywood history too!
"With the unrest and the location of our cinema we have lost around 70 per cent of our customers, which is a shame, but the memorabilia still attracts many locals and tourists.
"The Star Wars figurines are very popular and many people come just to pose for photographs with them."
The next Star Wars movie instalment will be Episode VII in the series, followed by episodes VIII and IX, Disney’s chief executive Bob Iger said. Disney’s long-term plan is to release a new movie in the series every two to three years thereafter, he added.
Discussions about a possible sale started about 18 months ago as Mr Lucas was pondering his retirement, and Disney was looking to add another well-known brand to its empire. The deal was signed at Disney’s Burbank, California, headquarters last week.
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