Disney is at it again. The Walt Disney Company has acquired Lucasfilm for 4.05 billion in cash and stock. Kathleen Kennedy, the current co-chair of Lucasfilm, will become Lucasfilm's president and report to Walt Disney Studios chair Alan Horn.

In some ways, this makes sense. Disney already has a relationship with Lucas as Star Tours has been an attraction at both Disneyland and Disneyworld parks.

There is apparently also a new Star Wars movie in the works to be released in 2015. No other information is available. A new movie doesn't mean live-action. A CG Clone Wars movie was released before the TV show aired on Cartoon Network.

Other questions to be answered are what will happen to the Dark Horse Comics? Will Star Wars comics return to Marvel? What will happen to the Clone Wars TV show on Cartoon Network? Will everyone simply hate on both Disney and Lucasfilm over this announcement?

Update

Apparently some are reporting that the movie is "Episode 7." (Why aren't they using Roman Numerals?) Episodes 8 and 9 would follow.

Update 2

Mike Richardson, president of Dark Horse, said,

Star Wars' will be with us for the near future. Obviously, this deal changes the landscape, so we'll all have to see what it means for the future.

WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!?!?!?

I'm calling it: AvJ. Avengers vs. Jedi

This is awesome...

Maybe we'll see some good come from the Star Wars Universe.

:D

Damn... I'd guess that Star Wars comics are going to be coming back to Marvel once the current deal with Dark Horse expires. It'll be interesting to see what Star Wars turns into now that it's not independent. I'm betting Clone Wars is going to come to an end soon.

The movie is Star wars Episode 7 folks. It's in the official press release.

This is crazy news! I wonder whats going to come of this? I'll be VERY dissapointed if the Clone Wars is canceled though.

Oh yeah this means Avengers 2 Justice League and Star Wars Episode 7 will all be out in 2015! What an awesome year for moviegoers!!!

Isn't George Lucas dating the head of Pixar?

Disney wants to OWN EVERYTHING!!!!!!!

It makes sense, Lucas himself is pretty much in semi-retirement, and Lucasfilms has some of the most choice IP there is. Disney has seen the endless piles of cash being generated by their use of Marvel properties since the takeover and knows there are only so many of these top tier franchises around.

Disney has the scale to take Star Wars to another level and in many directions yet to be seen. I cannot say how well it will turn out but I am curious to see.

Haha... X-Men wielding the force and Sith with the Infinity Gauntlet... If only they could make it happen.... Now, they can ;) [BUT probably won't]

@BushidoBlack said:

The movie is Star wars Episode 7 folks. It's in the official press release.

I never thought I'd live to see the day...

How things change.

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney bought DC one of these days.

Funny. Lucas owned Pixar at one point.

This is the best thing to happen since things started happening.

@davelecave said:

@BushidoBlack said:

The movie is Star wars Episode 7 folks. It's in the official press release.

I never thought I'd live to see the day...

What will this mean for Star Wars?

That hopefully they keep Lucas as far away from Ep. 7 as much as possible. The last thing we need is a repeat of what happened with the prequels.

Holy moly, this is huge! I certainly hope that this means we'll get a new live-action SW movie.

First before watchmen, now this, hopefully it'll be decent...

When I read this I thought I having a heart attack, I really don't like the idea of disney owning everything I love.

For the first time I feel like maybe the Mayans might be right.....do I even want the world to keep on going?

Disney...put the property to good use please.

@SmashBrawler: I just had that thought

In related news. Luke Skywalker will then be appearing in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, and Wolverine will be added in an attempt to boost sales. We will finally get the answer to Adamantium vs. Lightsaber.

I love those figures of Stitch in that picture.

What does this mean for Star Wars comics? Probably nothing, just like it meant nothing for Marvel when Disney bought them.

Although I am surprised by this, does George Lucas really need the money.. or does he want to get away from Star Wars?

Does this mean that marvel get rights to the star wars comics?

Disney bought Marvel AND Lucasfilm?!

I gotta go into rehab

Episode 7 in Pixar Animation?

What I'm curious to know is if this deal also includes Disney acquiring THX and ILM...and if Georgie-Boy still gets to keep his licensing rights.

MARVEL INDIANA JONES COMICS

Indy teaming up with Cap. They lived around the same time, right?

Film Confirmed as star wars episode 7 in original press realise. I am kinnda confused on to rage or not

NO!!!!

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kill me

What will happen to the Dark Horse Comics?

I'd imagine that Marvel will get preferential treatment to the rights, although it sounds like Lucasfilm will be a separate division of Disney and will make its own decisions (those rights still belong to Lucas, not Disney). While possible that Lucasfilm could give that contract to someone other than Marvel, it's not likely.

Will Star Wars comics return to Marvel?

Most likely.

What will happen to the Clone Wars TV show on Cartoon Network?

It's very unlikely to continue due to the rivalry between Disney and Warner. Possible, if Lucasfilm retains control over those rights after the merger, but even then, not very likely.

Will everyone simply hate on both Disney and Lucasfilm over this announcement?

Undoubtedly.

how is this a bad thing though?

I'm not saying it's good,but I don't really know what the complaint exactly is......

Oh god..... I hate everything right now.....

Hopefully something good comes from this. Maybe a remake of the prequels where they aren't crap.

Holy crap we are finally getting sequels, maybe they can keep George Lucus away from these.

2018- Star Wars episode 7 REBOOT!

Mark Hamill is brushing up on his skills for his eventual role as Master Jedi. and Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are brushing up on their acting skills for the eventual cameo appearances.

@Nova`Prime` said:

What does this mean for Star Wars comics? Probably nothing, just like it meant nothing for Marvel when Disney bought them.

You do remember that all the Disney comics, Pixar characters and Muppets were put out by Boom! Studios? When that deal expired (if it wasn't bought out), the characters went back to Disney and we've had some put out by Marvel.

I wonder if the recent catastrophic failure of John Carter gave Disney the nudge it needed to pull the trigger on this deal...?

Wow. Not hating at all. Dang, George Lucas continues to ring in the Cha-Cha-Ching!

Interested to see where this goes. Wished the news pertaining a new Star Wars movie was a bit more specific, at least in terms of live action or not.

@TheMadMonkey said:

I wonder if the recent catastrophic failure of John Carter gave Disney the nudge it needed to pull the trigger on this deal...?

Deals of this magnitude take time, this was likely being discussed long before John Carter came out. Either way I think that disaster had little if any influence on the deal

That is the big question? I don't think that is even a question. This won't have much if anything to do with Marvel.

Anyway, I hate Star Wars and was hoping it was over. Who knows, maybe Disney's version will be good but I just don't care.

Absolutely terrified.

The Avengers 2, Ant-Man, and now Star Wars: Episode VII.....

All hail Overlord Mickey.

Since Clone Wars was inhouse at Lucas I doubt anything will happen to it. The problem with EMH and Spectacular is that they were run by Film Roman and Sony Animation and as we know Disney wanted to cut out the middlemen. For one reason or another this announcement is a bit unsettling but I'm sure that feeling will pass. Its simply the notion that on top of what Disney got with Marvel now it has its grip on the Star Wars universe as well. I wonder if Lucas knew about this buyout it wasn't too long ago that he stepped down to long ago and now this. He always seemed to pride himself on his independence and answering to no one I doubt he would have been in favor of this. Either way it will be interesting to see how this plays out; the way Disney has handled its new marvel animated series has been nothing but a disappointment so far. Hopefully that trend doesn't continue.

@Scarlet_Rogue: With the sith coming out to be like the Phoenix Force! I would totally read that!

Will this mean we can get to see Bucky shoot siths in the head?

So Princess Leia is now a Disney Princess right?