Tag Archives: Star Wars

Disney acquires Lucasfilm Ltd., ‘Star Wars’ universe to expand in future films

Hold on to your lightsabers. The house of Mouse is acquiring Geroge Lucas’ production company. In a deal that went down today, The Walt Disney Company agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction valued at $4.05 billion. In addition to acquiring Lucasfilm and all of its operating businesses including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, Disney now also owns the rights to popular franchises like Indiana Jones and Star Wars.

In fact, what really shook people today is that Disney already has plans to expand the Star Wars universe by producing at least three more films in the saga. Kathleen Kennedy from Lucasfilm will transition into becoming the President of Lucasfilm and will report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn; at her post she will serve as brand manager for Star Wars and executive producer of future Star Wars films. Star Wars Episode 7 is being targeted with a 2015 release. Disney CEO and Chairman Robert Iger lays out the framework: “In 2015, we’re planning to release Star Wars Episode 7 – the first feature film under the “Disney-Lucasfilm” brand. That will be followed by Episodes 8 and 9 – and our long term plan is to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years.” In addition handpicking Kennedy to run Lucasfilm under Disney, Star Wars creator George Lucas will serve as creative consultant on future films.

In a press release, Lucas discussed his decision to sell his production company and how important it is to him that Star Wars continues on into the future. “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next. 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.”

Production on Episode 7 is already in the early stages. Kennedy and Lucas are sitting down with writers and discussing the direction they want Star Wars to go next. Jump after the break to hear what they have to say on the matter.

Instant reactions to the news on Twitter are mixed. Some say they feel betrayed by Lucas for letting his prized franchise fall into different hands. Others express their sheer excitement and think it’s about time the franchise was injected with fresh ideas from new filmmakers. No matter where you stand, Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm Ltd. is huge news–from the development of new propertied media to merchandising new collectable products–and the acquisition is sure conjure up major fanfare in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

[Via Disney] Continue reading Disney acquires Lucasfilm Ltd., ‘Star Wars’ universe to expand in future films

Kinect ‘Star Wars’ Xbox 360 bundle gets a spring release date

Star Wars fans and gamers alike have been waiting patiently for Microsoft to stamp an official release date for the movie themed hardware and software bundle. Well, the time has finally come. According to Xbox Live’s Major Nelson, the bundle–which includes an R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 console with custom sounds, a C-3PO-themed golden wireless controller, a white Kinect sensor, a 320GB HDD, a wired headset, and copies of Star Wars Kinect and Kinect Adventures–launches into the marketplace this spring on April 3. It is being valued at $449.99 and can be preordered today at Amazon and Gamestop. Take a gander at the sleek packaging above and mark your calendars appropriately.

[Via Major Nelson]

Jedis, ninjas, and Sith lords, oh my!

Check out this kick-ass viral video starring Team 2X, a collective group of professional martial arts performers. Watch as a lone Jedi takes on a hoard of ninjas and a vengeful Sith Lord. Stay for the end–it’s unexpected and absurdly humorous.

Jedi Ninjas was developed as a passion project to recreate the current style of Star Wars action seen in video games into live action. This style often combines elements of Force powers with the use lightsaber combat. As there are no upcoming live action Star Wars movies to this date, this was a project to make many of the fans’ dreams into a reality.

3D re-release trailers: ‘Titanic’ & ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace’ [Update: ‘Beauty and the Beast’]

Two classic movies are being re-released in 3D. First up is James Cameron’s 1997 emotional roller coaster Titanic. The director who imagined Avatar is re-releasing the tragic love story in 3D on April 6, 2012. This date falls right around the 100 year anniversary of the sailing of the ship. Titanic is considered one of the greatest movies of all time, but do you feel comfortable watching all those people lose their lives in eye-popping 3D? Tough call.

Next up is the re-release of The Phantom Menace, the first prequel movie from George Lucas’ famed Star Wars franchise. Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic special FX company is converting all six Star Wars films to play in 3D. Episode 1 comes back to theatres on February 10, 2012, and the remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years. Watch the new trailer after the break.

Update: Disney has released a trailer promoting their next foray into 3D. After re-releasing The Lion King in 3D into the wild, Disney is reaching its hand into the vault again and this time they’re sharing Beauty and the Beast with the world again. Skip after the break to watch new trailer. The Disney classic returns January 13, 2012. Continue reading 3D re-release trailers: ‘Titanic’ & ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace’ [Update: ‘Beauty and the Beast’]

Microsoft outs new Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle, wireless headset, media remote & Avatar Kinect

Let’s start with the coolest bit of news straight from Redmond. Microsoft is pushing out a Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle to celebrate to release of Star Wars Kinect. The Xbox 360 Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars bundle includes an R2-D2-themed Xbox 360 console with custom sounds, a C-3PO-themed golden wireless controller, a white Kinect sensor, a 320GB HDD, a wired headset, and copies of Star Wars Kinect and Kinect Adventures. The bundle’s price: $449.99. It’s available for preorder today, comes out this fall.

Next up is the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth. The sleek new headset connects to the Xbox through the console’s standard radio frequencies, and since it packs Bluetooth functionality it can double as a regular old BT headset and pair with your mobile phone and computer. The communication device goes on sale early November 2011 and will cost $59.99. Jump after the break to watch Major Nelson give a quick tour of the packaging.

Also announced was the Xbox 360 Media Remote. Media playback controls include play/pause, skip forward, fast forward, skip back, fast back, and display to control DVD, CD, or streamed media. The TV controls include power on/off, volume up/down, mute and TV input. The Xbox 360 Media Remote’s menu navigation controls include A, B, X, Y buttons, D-pad navigation, back and select. Live TV, if provided on the Xbox 360 by your TV service provider, can also be controlled with the remote. It’ll cost $19.99 when it comes out alongside the wireless headset this November.

And last, but certainly not least, is Avatar Kinect. Explains Microsoft: “Avatar Kinect is a new social entertainment experience that brings your avatar to life. Avatar Kinect captures your facial expressions and voice so when you smile, nod or speak, your avatar does the same. Invite up to seven friends to join you in 24 imaginative virtual stages – discuss the latest celebrity gossip or news on the Talk Show Stage, try out your hysterical comedy routine on the Performance Stage, or wager who will win the big game in the Sports Party Stage.” The experience gets even more social as the Kinect sensor can record your sessions and you can upload them to KinectShare.com, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. After the break you’ll find a short video demonstrating the software’s abilities.

Also out is Kinect Sparkler, a fun Kinectified app that “transforms simple finger painting into an aerial light show” using advanced finger tracking. Kinect Avatar and Kinect Sparkler  are out now; the former is free to all Xbox LIVE Gold members (it is unlocked for all Xbox LIVE members (Free or Gold) to enjoy from 7/25 to 9/8) and the latter costs 240 Microsoft Points. Both can be found in Kinect Fun Labs section in Xbox LIVE.

[Via Engadget 1, 2, 3] Continue reading Microsoft outs new Star Wars-themed Xbox 360 bundle, wireless headset, media remote & Avatar Kinect

Star Wars comes to Blu-ray September 16, with bonus content galore

On May the 4th Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox outed a press release detailing the impending Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray. The nine-disc ultimate collection releases September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America. All six films can be viewed in 1080p high definition and 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. The collection includes over 40 hours of bonus content like “vintage documentaries, audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, prop and costume turnarounds, retrospectives and more.” Jump after the break to find the aforementioned PR to get the full lowdown. Also, make sure you open up the gallery below to get a look at the fantastic box art for the original and prequel trilogy Blu-ray bundles. Oh, and May The 4th be with you!

[Via StarWars]

Continue reading Star Wars comes to Blu-ray September 16, with bonus content galore

‘Star Wars: Episode I’ in 3D coming to theatres February 10, 2012

This week Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox announced when the Star Wars re-release in 3D is going to begin. Star Wars: Episode The Phantom Menace will be the first in the franchise to receive the 3D conversion treatment, landing in theatres February 10, 2012. The remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years. Reads the press release:

Set against the thrilling and exotic backdrop of a “galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars is perfectly suited to the immersive 3D theatrical experience, and Episode I delivers some of the Saga’s most stunning and spectacular sequences – from the Naboo invasion to the Tatooine Podraces to the climactic lightsaber battle between Darth Maul and the Jedi. Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous conversion is being done with utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions.

Do we really have to experience Jar Jar Binks in three dimensions? I might skip out on this one and wait for the original trilogy to come back; I advise you to do the same. And for all you couch potatoes out there, don’t forget that the franchise is coming to Blu-ray in September.

[Via Deadline]

Star Wars saga coming to Blu-ray in September with over 30 hours of bonus content

George Lucas announced that the entire Star Wars saga was coming to Blu-ray in fall 2011, and this week he made good on that promise.  On September 30, 2011 you’ll be able to purchase the Blu-ray collection in one of three ways: (1) The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) for $139.99; (2) The Original Trilogy for $69.99; (3) The Prequel Trilogy for $69.99.  The Complete Saga set will come bundled with “more than 30 hours of extensive special features including never-before-seen deleted and alternate scenes, an exploration of the exclusive Star Wars archives, and much more.”  Full PR after the break.

The three sets are available to preorder at Amazon today at prices lower than the specified MSRP: Complete Saga ($89.99); Original Trilogy ($44.99); Prequel Trilogy ($44.99).  See what I did there?

[Via Gizmodo] Continue reading Star Wars saga coming to Blu-ray in September with over 30 hours of bonus content

Star Wars franchise is going 3D in 2012

Early this week it was reported that George Lucas is very much interested in rereleasing all six Star Wars films in 3D.  For years Lucas publically denounced 3D technology in film.  According to various sources it was James Cameron’s Avatar that brough him over to the stereoscopic side.  Here’s the plan.  Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace will undergo the 3D conversion process first, which takes at least one year to complete, with a planned release date in early 2012.  The remaining five films will follow suit over the course of consecutive years.  Why the long wait?  Purportedly Lucas has been waiting for the 3D front to explode, both in cinema and at home.  Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic special FX company will oversee the 3D conversion, and 20th Century Fox is backing the rereleases.

Though 3D converted films have been panned in the past (I’m thinking about you, Clash of the Titans), as compared to movies shot in 3D (like Avatar), the Lucas and the conversion house promise to deliver a worthy 3D experience come 2012.  “Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right,” says John Knoll, ILM visual effects supervisor.  “It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful.  It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results.  For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience.”  We shall see.  Are you an impacient Star Wars fanboy/girl?  Don’t forget that the franchise is coming to Blu-ray next year.  Or you can get yourself a Star Wars branded Droid R2-D2 smartphone.  Go nuts!

[Via THR; LATimes]

Star Wars coming to Blu-ray in 2011

At this year’s Star Wars Celebration V, George Lucas himself was on hand to announce that the entire Star Wars saga is coming to Blu-ray in Fall 2011.  Here’s what you can expect from the box set:

The Star Wars Blu-ray Box Set will feature all six live-action Star Wars feature films utilizing the highest possible picture and audio presentation, along with extensive special features – including documentaries, vintage behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, retrospectives and never-before-seen footage from the Lucasfilm archives.

In an interview with The New York Times, Lucas said that the first three original Star Wars films (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) included in the Blu-ray box set will be the re-released special edition versions of the films that were digitally restored a number of years back.  To release the original versions of these films on Blu-ray would be too costly, Lucas explained.  Feeling down about this last bit of news?  Well I have just the thing to cheer you up again.  Sitting after the break is a “missing lightsaber scene” from Return of the Jedi!

The press release (also after the break) does not specify price, a hard release date, and if movies will be available to purchase individually on Blu-ray.

[Via Engadget; NYT] Continue reading Star Wars coming to Blu-ray in 2011