BREAKING NEWS: Disney Buys Lucasfilm For $4B; STAR WARS: EPISODE VII Set For 2015 Release

You did read that headline right. The absolutely gargantuan bombshell that Disney have acquired Lucasfilm for $4B (the same amount that they paid for Marvel) just dropped out of the sky, and the best news of all? Along with The Avengers 2 and Justice League, STAR WARS EPISODE VII has been slated for a 2015 release!

Excuse me, I need to pass out again.

In all honestly, this is the happiest and best news I have received in a VERY  long time. Excuse me for all the caps lock, but I think I speak for myself and the rest of the population of the planet when I say that we are all extremely excited. Want some more great news? George Lucas will not be directly involved in the movie.

A conference call held by the studio and Bob Iger is going on as we speak, where he revealed the plans. Long-time producer and current co-chairwoman Kathleen Kennedy will become President of the studio, with George Lucas taking on a ‘Creative Consultant’ role. Additionally, this movie will be the first in a trilogy of new movies, and the studio plan to release a new movie every 2-3 years. The deal has been over a year and a half in the making and because of that they already have a “lengthy treatment” for the trilogy.

And if my laptop screen couldn’t get any messier, Disney does indeed now own the rights to Indiana Jones, Skywalker Sound and ILM, so expect an announcement soon regarding a new movie for the former. And if there is, I may have a heart attack. Read some official stuff below:

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” Lucas is quoted in Disney’s press release. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. 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. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”

You can watch the official video announcement from George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy below, where Kennedy reveals that they are already meeting with writers to discuss story ideas.