The latest acquisition of Disney, and arguably the most popular, was that of Lucasfilm which took place in October 2012. Film producer George Lucas is best known for his “Star Wars” movies and was 68 when Disney acquired the movie studio. Already having stepped down from the day-to-day operations of the film studio, he was able to ensure the legacy of “Star Wars” would live on. He was quoted in saying “It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers.” Lucasfilm is 100% owned by George Lucas and he stands to gain all the proceeds from the sale. In addition to ensuring that the legacy of “Star Wars” continues, Disney announced that it would continue to build on the prior success of Lucasfilm by releasing a new “Star Wars” movie in 2015 and sequels every 2-3 years following that release. In addition to expanding the existing franchise, Disney was also able to expand its presence in Northern California where Pixar and Lucasfilm both being located there. In this example of horizontal integration, Disney strengthened its presence in an existing market and gained access to many more by being able to produce future “Star Wars” films.
In this video, a critic discusses the acquisition and how excited he is that future Star Wars movie will be directed by someone other than George Lucas. He said he can’t wait to compare the quality and style.
The Business of Disney Film Acquisitions By Nikki N. for Film 2700 
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