Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. • Hacker News Board

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#151

Post by philwelch » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:04 PM UTC

malandrew wrote: post #143

macspoofing wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a feeling they will completely ignore the expanded universe.

I've been really disappointed that the expanded universe hasn't been explored more. There is so much more to Star Wars than just the stories surrounding Luke and Anakin as the protagonist. I have fond memories of reading some of the expanded universe books as a kid and I'm disappointed that none of them have gotten attention as potential future movies.

> I have fond memories of reading some of the expanded universe books as a kid

Yeah, I did too. Piece of advice: don't go back and reread them. They're awful. At least the ones by Kevin J. Anderson.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#152

Post by mariaslickflick » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:04 PM UTC

colonel_panic wrote: post #83

tptacek wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Marvel, Pixar, LucasArts, ABC, ESPN, A+E, Disney Channel, and associated merchandising. I'm not sure how much "control" over our "public dialog" this really implies. I'm the parent of two very normal middle aged children and, while they're certainly exposed to some of this IP, I'd contest that it has much "influence" over them. Google has much more control over our public dialog than Disney does.

Google doesn't teach your kids the narrative structure against which they measure their own lives.

the narrative structure that people respond to is objective and possibly derived from ancient myths. disney follows this structure rather than invent it.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#153

Post by richardkmichael » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:08 PM UTC

stevewillows wrote: post #51

marshallp wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hopefully he invests in immortality research. The trend of billionaires dying without even trying to engineer a solution is retarded. He should start with focus ultrasound. It allows to grow/shrink any part of the body and so essentially reach immortality.

There's that carbonite process he looked into a long time ago.

Not sure it's applicable, it was in a galaxy far, far away.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#154

Post by malandrew » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:09 PM UTC

ginko wrote: post #102

Uchikoma wrote: post #60

Jar Jar Binks and Donald Duck. How fitting.

How is this fitting? Donald Duck is a great character. Duck comics still go strong over here in Europe.

How about Howard the Duck? How did he do in Europe?

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#155

Post by enraged_camel » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:10 PM UTC

philwelch wrote: post #122

enraged_camel wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

News Corp, owned by Rupert Murdoch. Koch Industries, owned by Koch brothers. I could go on...

News Corp owns Fox News, which is stridently right-wing, but also the Fox network, which broadcasts more left-leaning shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad. In fact, Fox's prime time cartoons regularly mock Fox News. Koch isn't a media company. Try again.

>>News Corp owns Fox News, which is stridently right-wing, but also the Fox network, which broadcasts more left-leaning shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad. In fact, Fox's prime time cartoons regularly mock Fox News.

Except for the fact that Fox News is (unfortunately) taken seriously by millions of Americans and therefore has much more power over political discourse, whereas shows like Simpsons and Family guy are satire.

>>Koch isn't a media company.

It literally doesn't matter. If you think a corporation has to have media outlets in order to affect cultural and political discourse, you are either living under a rock or just hopelessly naive.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#156

Post by mixmastamyk » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:12 PM UTC

bonzoesc wrote: post #35

edgesrazor wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's not forget they paid that 7 billion in 2006. I can almost see this as Disney trying to replace the eye for talent and negotiating power they lost in Steve Jobs' passing, along with an amazing IP acquisition. Edit: Thought of better terms than "creative force".

Steve Jobs wasn't ever really a "creative force" at Disney.

I'd say the focus on quality product ended up being a creative force of its own.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#157

Post by jonnathanson » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:12 PM UTC

robbiet480 wrote: post #7

This means that Disney now controls Marvel, Pixar, LucasArts, ABC, ESPN, A+E, Disney Channel plus all their own original content and of course the parks and merchandising rights for everything stated above. Those businesses most likely control the top 10 film franchises of the last few years. This is a pretty insane acquisition.

Disney has always been a merchandizing company at heart. It understood, and understands, the value of brands better than any other entertainment company on the planet. LucasFilm is the same way; George Lucas has always been a savvy merchandizer. This is not only a good portfolio acquisition for Disney, but also a good cultural match.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#158

Post by mulletbum » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:13 PM UTC

brc wrote: post #132

robbiet480 wrote: post #7

This means that Disney now controls Marvel, Pixar, LucasArts, ABC, ESPN, A+E, Disney Channel plus all their own original content and of course the parks and merchandising rights for everything stated above. Those businesses most likely control the top 10 film franchises of the last few years. This is a pretty insane acquisition.

I recently visited the Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida. There they have a Indiana Jones live action show as well as a Star Wars exhibit of some kind, I saw little kids dressed in Padawan outfits and getting to fight Darth Vader with a lightsaber (yes, looked pretty cool). I was surprised at seeing Lucasfilm licensing these valuable properties to Disney for use in a theme park. I guess the two companies have been…

I remember when I was 8, going there and seeing a HUGE walker. One of the most exciting things to see when I was a child.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#159

Post by MartinCron » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:14 PM UTC

macspoofing wrote: post #137

m_d wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as the idea of Ep. 7 pains me, I wouldn't mind seeing Brad Bird direct it. He took another classic franchise that I had grown to hate (Mission: Impossible), and made it fun again. He also has close ties to Disney/Pixar.

I thought M:I Ghost Protocol was pretty mediocre. To each his own.

M:I Ghost Protocol was probably the most cartoonish thing that Brad Bird has done. I recently re-watched The Incredibles and... yeah, I can totally see him making a redemptive Episode VII.

Re: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

#160

Post by enraged_camel » Tue, Oct 30, 2012, 10:15 PM UTC

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #121

enraged_camel wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

News Corp, owned by Rupert Murdoch. Koch Industries, owned by Koch brothers. I could go on...

Does Koch Industries own any media companies to speak of? Pretty sure they're not a media conglomerate... News Corp is a better example.

Like I said in my response to the parent, a corporation does not need to have media outlets in order to have an influence on political discourse. This is especially true for mega-corps with CEOs whose net worth are in the billions.