迪斯尼公司宣布,将以40.5亿美元的总价收购《星球大战》系列电影的制作公司卢卡斯电影,并将于2017年推出该系列电影的第7集,之后还会有第8集,第9集。在2006年和2009年,迪斯尼曾分别以74亿美元和42亿美元的价格收购了皮克斯动画公司和惊奇漫画公司。此次收购卢卡斯电影,迪斯尼将以现金和股票各一半的形式完成交易,乔治•卢卡斯将继续担任该电影公司的创意顾问,现任联席主席凯瑟琳•肯尼迪将担任公司总裁及《星球大战》续集的制片主任。
乔治•卢卡斯于1971年创建卢卡斯电影,并在1977年发行首部《星球大战》电影。卢卡斯表示,在过去的35年中,他最大的乐趣就是看着《星球大战》一代一代出现。他认为《星球大战》会比他活得长久,并且认为在他有生之年完成这个项目的交接是很重要的事情。
Disney is buying Lucasfilm, the company behind the Star Wars films, from its chairman and founder George Lucas for $4.05bn .
Mr Lucas said: "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of film-makers."
In a statement announcing the purchase, Disney said it planned to release a new Star Wars film, episode seven, in 2017.
That will be followed by episodes eight and nine and then one new movie every two or three years, the company said.
The last Star Wars film was 2005's Revenge of the Sith, and Disney said it believed there was "substantial pent-up demand".
Disney will pay about half in cash and half in stock, issuing 40 million Disney shares in the transaction.
The deal follows Disney's acquisitions of Pixar studios for $7.4bn in 2006 and Marvel comics for $4.2bn in 2009.
"Our valuation of Lucasfilm is roughly comparable to the value we placed on Marvel when we announced that acquisition in 2009," Disney said, adding that the valuation was almost entirely driven by the Star Wars franchise.
George Lucas launched Lucasfilm in 1971 and the first Star Wars film was released in 1977.
"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."
Mr Lucas will continue as a creative consultant.
Kathleen Kennedy, currently co-chairman of Lucasfilm, will become president of the firm and will be the executive producer on the new Star Wars films.
When the later Star Wars films were released in the 1990s and 2000s, although they did well at the box office, they were generally not well-received by fans.
But Josh Dickey, film editor at Variety magazine in LA, said that Disney was a "great fit" to update Star Wars.
"They're so good at branding and brands. They're so good at working with existing intellectual property and making it resonate with fans and marketing it very well," he told BBC World Service radio.
"They're not as good at creating original content, except for their Pixar division.
"I think if you bring together the minds from Pixar [and] the minds from Disney, the news that Disney is going to reboot Star Wars was a lot more exciting to fans than just 'there's gonna be another Star Wars'."
上一篇: 英国人爱上蘑菇 一年吃掉12万吨
下一篇: 飓风桑迪激发的在线幽默
国内英语资讯:China to further expand international cultural exchanges: senior official
体坛英语资讯:Roest starts new season with 5,000m victory at ISU Speed Skating World Cup
长城名列“世界新七大奇迹”之首!-英语点津
体坛英语资讯:Sun Yang says he is innocent as CAS hearing ends
体坛英语资讯:Tsitsipas comes from behind to win ATP Finals
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Putin elaborates on Russian foreign policy at annual press conference
国内英语资讯:Chinas northernmost province facilitates winter travel
凯瑟琳泽塔-琼斯护发秘籍?鱼子酱!-英语点津
国内英语资讯:China Focus: Bonuses from CIIE continue to unfold
国际英语资讯:6 killed in violence over controversial citizenship law in northern India
国际英语资讯:Western Balkans leaders discuss steps to accelerate regional cooperation
国际英语资讯:Manuel Marrero becomes new PM of Cuba
体坛英语资讯:Flamengo held to 4-4 draw by Vasco
50岁后减肥或降低患乳腺癌的风险
国际英语资讯:Yearender: U.S. environmental regulatory rollback a breakdown of the year
国际英语资讯:First British flight arrives in Egyptian resort city after 4-year ban
国内英语资讯:NE China port sees record-high cross-border tourists
国内英语资讯:China, India agree to enhance mutual political trust to properly handle border issues
国际英语资讯:Death toll in protests against Indias controversial citizenship law rises to 22
国内英语资讯:Economic Watch: Smart economy fledging in China as AI empowers industries, individuals
国内英语资讯:Chinese, Russian FMs hold phone conversation over bilateral coordination
国际英语资讯:Russian Navy to receive 5 nuclear submarines next year
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Libya approves controversial maritime MoU with Turkey
体坛英语资讯:Germany book EURO 2020 berth with 4-0 win over Belarus
为什么冬天总要上厕所?
体坛英语资讯:Thiem dethrones Zverev for final against Tsitsipas at ATP Finals
国际英语资讯:Thousands protest against appointment of new Lebanese PM
国际英语资讯:UK lawmakers give massive backing to PMs new Brexit bill
体坛英语资讯:CBA Roundup: Beijing win 4th straight, Bayi end winless streak
体坛英语资讯:Chinas football academy, veteran coach awarded by AFC for youth development