Disney just bought LucasFilm! - Will Disney release the Original Versions of Star Wars? (1 Viewer)

[SamT]

I wonder what this means for Rick McCallum.
Very happy to see Kathleen Kennedy stepping in to the executive producer role.

Rick McCallum should be fired and kept away from all things Star Wars. The guy has no creative talent at all. He is just a Yes Man.

 

[Todd J Moore]

Naturally, I had to blog about this:
http://todd3d.blogspot.com/2012/10/thoughts-on-star-wars-7-8-9.html

 

[Stephen_J_H]

My tongue-in-cheek comment above aside, I'm trying to see a downside to this acquisition, and it's not immediately apparent. Some will want to compare this to how Disney acquired The Muppets, but that was a long and tortuous process compared to more recent deals like Pixar, Marvel and the distribution deal with DreamWorks. This speaks to the difference in the managerial styles of Michael Eisner and Robert Iger; Eisner was very much a micromanager, while Iger seems to be more hands off in the creative department. I don't see that as a bad thing for LFL with Kathleen Kennedy at the helm. She's an experienced producer who has learned from her successes and her failures. I would expect her to be the first to pull the plug on the new Star Wars movies if she believes it will damage the brand.

 

[dpippel]

Personally, after the Prequels, I'm pretty much done with Star Wars. The "brand", for me, has been tainted beyond redemption. I can't see anything good at all coming out of MORE Star Wars films, particularly if they attempt to take on the Luke/Leia/Han story after "Jedi" with Disney at the helm. It'll just be more incessant marketing, marketing, marketing. The only somewhat promising development here (again, just speaking for myself) is the possibility of seeing the OT released on Blu-ray, but I won't be holding my breath on that one.

 

[Worth]

Also I doubt Fox has distribution rights in perpetuity.

It looks like Fox does have distribution rights to the first film in perpetuity, and rights to the rest until 2020.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tangled-rights-could-tie-up-384541

But Fox owns distribution rights to the original Star Wars, No. 4 in the series, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. And as for the five subsequent movies, Fox has theatrical, nontheatrical and home video rights worldwide through May 2020. While the rights on those five films eventually will revert to Disney, that "in perpetuity" pact for the first film appears to be an obstacle to Disney releasing a complete set -- unless a deal can be made.

 

[Worth]

Personally, after the Prequels, I'm pretty much done with Star Wars. The "brand", for me, has been tainted beyond redemption.

I'd just as soon they let it die, as well. On the other hand, Lucas has set the bar so low that anyone this side of Uwe Boll should be able to make a better film than The Phantom Menace.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

It would make sense then for Fox to repackage the films they have as many times as feasible in their license window then, which could include a proper OT release with the original version of Star Wars. With Lucas out of the picture as a controlling interest, I would hope the "hand off" would include the sensible release of what fans want most, the original, unadulterated versions of these films that built the empire.

 

[Mark Oates]

It occurs to me there's nothing to stop Disney remaking the original trilogy in its own image.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Originally Posted by Worth /t/324824/disney-just-bought-lucasfilm-will-disney-release-the-original-versions-of-star-wars#post_3995845
It looks like Fox does have distribution rights to the first film in perpetuity, and rights to the rest until 2020.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tangled-rights-could-tie-up-384541

Mountains out of molehills. Fox will wait and see how Episode VII does in theatres and on home video in order to properly assess what their "distribution rights in perpetuity" are worth, and then cut a deal with Disney, either in the form of a licence or selling the distribution rights outright. With the new films and other projects be handed off to a different generation of filmmakers, the possibilities have me more excited about Star Wars than I have been in a long time, since the properties were beginning to stagnate under GL's watch.

 

[Worth]

The other problem, of course, is that Disney is as revisionist in its approach to home video as Lucasfilm is.

 

[TravisR]

The other problem, of course, is that Disney is as revisionist in its approach to home video as Lucasfilm is.

I've said it in other threads but since George Lucas has gone to extremes to have only his preferred version available, I find it unthinkable that he didn't have some provision in the sale that still keeps the original versions out of circulation. I'd love to be wrong but it's not like he's going to hand everything over to Disney and just hope that they don't put out the originals.

 

[Doctorossi]

With the new films and other projects be handed off to a different generation of filmmakers, the possibilities have me more excited about Star Wars than I have been in a long time, since the properties were beginning to stagnate under GL's watch.

Beginning?!

 

[cafink]

I've said it in other threads but since George Lucas has gone to extremes to have only his preferred version available, I find it unthinkable that he didn't have some provision in the sale that still keeps the original versions out of circulation. I'd love to be wrong but it's not like he's going to hand everything over to Disney and just hope that they don't put out the originals.

The original versions were released on DVD in 2006. The minimum possible effort went into the release (they were old 4:3 transfers originally created for laserdisc), but he certainly hasn't kept them out of circulation completely.

 

[kenkraly20212]

Even with this new deal I don't see the original versions of the star wars films coming out on blu-ray or any other format any time soon but things could change.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I've said it in other threads but since George Lucas has gone to extremes to have only his preferred version available, I find it unthinkable that he didn't have some provision in the sale that still keeps the original versions out of circulation. I'd love to be wrong but it's not like he's going to hand everything over to Disney and just hope that they don't put out the originals.

But Disney isn't getting the originals, Fox still has the rights to them. Now that it is clear that there is no way that Fox will have access to any more Lucas properties, there is a chance that they could see their way to releasing the original version intact - they already did, albeit in low quality.

 

[TravisR]

The original versions were released on DVD in 2006. The minimum possible effort went into the release (they were old 4:3 transfers originally created for laserdisc), but he certainly hasn't kept them out of circulation completely.

Fair point but I can't see Lucas giving Disney free reign to release whatever version they want.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Originally Posted by Jeff Ulmer /t/324824/disney-just-bought-lucasfilm-will-disney-release-the-original-versions-of-star-wars/30#post_3995909
But Disney isn't getting the originals, Fox still has the rights to them. Now that it is clear that there is no way that Fox will have access to any more Lucas properties, there is a chance that they could see their way to releasing the original version intact - they already did, albeit in low quality.

Fox would still have to deal with Disney/Lucasfilm to do it, though. I just don't see that happening.

 

[Kyle_D]

Fair point but I can't see Lucas giving Disney free reign to release whatever version they want.

Lucas assigned Disney all rights to the existing film, except distribution. If he attempted to limit Disney's exercise of those rights by contract, the assignment wouldn't effective. In theory, Disney should be able work with Fox to release whatever they want. On the other hand, if Disney wants Lucas to cooperate as a consultant on future films, it may be in their best interest to keep him happy. Lucas can always ask Disney not to release the OOT in consideration for his services as a consultant.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

But Disney isn't getting the originals, Fox still has the rights to them. Now that it is clear that there is no way that Fox will have access to any more Lucas properties, there is a chance that they could see their way to releasing the original version intact - they already did, albeit in low quality.

Yes, Disney IS getting all the originals - they will own the movies, but Fox will own the distribution of them, two separate things.
Just as Fox sold out the ownership of the first film back to Lucas to get the rights to distribute the prequels, Disney could work some similar deal with Fox for the next three - give Fox distribution (for a fee, or portion of the gross) on 7/8/9, in return distribution on the other 6 movies reverts to Disney at a certain point.
Disney has done deals like this before - Like getting Walt's Oswald cartoons back from Universal.

 

[EdReedFan20]

Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/324824/disney-just-bought-lucasfilm-will-disney-release-the-original-versions-of-star-wars/30#post_3995950
Yes, Disney IS getting all the originals - they will own the movies, but Fox will own the distribution of them, two separate things.
Just as Fox sold out the ownership of the first film back to Lucas to get the rights to distribute the prequels, Disney could work some similar deal with Fox for the next three - give Fox distribution (for a fee, or portion of the gross) on 7/8/9, in return distribution on the other 6 movies reverts to Disney at a certain point.
Disney has done deals like this before - Like getting Walt's Oswald cartoons back from Universal.

Maybe, if Fox REALLY wants to retain distribution rights, they could as payment give the movie rights of X-Men and Fantastic Four (and whatever else they own) completely to Disney/Marvel.