OSWCC.com

Disney buys LucasFilm for $4B

Oswcc South — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:36:29 +0000

Press release from Disney:
DISNEY TO ACQUIRE LUCASFILM LTD.
Global leader in high-quality family entertainment agrees to acquire world-renowned Lucasfilm Ltd, including legendary STAR WARS franchise.

Acquisition continues Disney’s strategic focus on creating and monetizing the world’s best branded content, innovative technology and global growth to drive long-term shareholder value.

Lucasfilm to join company’s global portfolio of world class brands including Disney, ESPN, Pixar, Marvel and ABC.

STAR WARS: EPISODE 7 feature film targeted for release in 2015.

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. “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.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media, and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of over $40 billion in its Fiscal Year 2011.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Founded by George Lucas in 1971, Lucasfilm is a privately held, fully-integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company’s global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual-effects and audio post-production; LucasArts, a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide; Lucas Licensing, which manages the global merchandising activities for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties; Lucasfilm Animation; and Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm’s entertainment properties and businesses. Additionally, Lucasfilm Singapore, produces digital animated content for film and television, as well as visual effects for feature films and multi-platform games. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

OSWCC heading to Cincinnati Comic Expo & Wizard World Ohio Comic-Con!

Oswcc South — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:41:09 +0000

We will be exhibiting at two more great conventions right here in Ohio over the last two weekends in September!

First up is the Cincinnati Comic Expo on September 22 & 23, at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati. This con is in its third year, and seems like it gets bigger and better every time. Nick Gillard, Star Wars stunt coordinator will be on-hand, so come on out to say hello to him. His lightsaber choreography has to be seen in person! Cincinnati Comic Expo information can be found here.

The following weekend, we will be at the Columbus Convention Center for the Wizard World Ohio Comic-Con, which runs from September 28-30. This show has also grown to become one of the best shows in the Midwest. Although not Star Wars related, comics legend Stan Lee will be on-hand to meet fans and sign autographs. Also, William Shatner, of Boston Legal, TJ Hooker, and some other 60s TV show will be there.

Please stop by our booth and say hello if you are attending this show. Information on the Ohio Comic-Con can be found here.

Star Wars Celebration VI is a wrap!

Oswcc South — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 02:26:48 +0000

We’re back in the Buckeye State, and had a great time meeting thousands of fellow fans in Orlando at C VI. If you stopped by the table and were interested in the club, please fill out our online registration form here. A member of the club will get back to you with more information.

We will share our C VI photos on the club’s Flickr page at flickr.com/oswcc.

OSWCC Celebration VI Patch Giveaway Rules

Oswcc South — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 06:07:07 +0000

· We will be handing out 115 patches each day of the show.

· The club will be handing out free raffle tickets for a chance to win our piece of the patch.

· Tickets are limited to one per attendee per day.

· We will draw winning tickets at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. (there will be no 5pm drawing on Sunday)

· Winning ticket numbers will be posted on Twitter at #OSWCC, as well as at our booth.

· Winners must claim their patch before the end of the same day.

· Tickets are only good the same day they are issued.

· Any unclaimed patches may be available at the end of the show on Sunday and will be given away.

· We will also have OSWCC representatives with 40 of our patches at the Star Wars Patch Collecting and Trading Panel at the Collector’s Stage. Check your C VI Schedule for the time and place. These will be given away first-come, first-served while supplies last.

OSWCC is headed to Celebration VI with an exclusive giveaway!

Oswcc South — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:05:47 +0000

We’re packing the van for Orlando, and will be making the 900 mile drive early next week! We can’t wait to meet thousands of like minded fans and celebrate Star Wars at the biggest party of the year.

We are participating with five other collecting groups in a puzzle piece patch giveaway, and the details of how OSWCC will be distributing patches will be posted right here on OSWCC.com very soon, so stay tuned.

PATCH GIVEAWAY PRESS RELEASE

Six Groups Celebrate CVI with an Exclusive Patch Set

Five Star Wars collecting clubs along with the Celebration VI Collecting Track will mark Celebration VI by giving away sections of an exclusive 6-piece patch set. When assembled, the pieces form a Clone Wars themed movie poster. The poster features characters from all six movies of the Star Wars saga along with characters from The Clone Wars TV series. The clubs participating in this project are the Washington DC Area Star Wars Collecting Club (DCSWCC), the Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club (OSWCC), the Pennsylvania Star Wars Collecting Society (PSWCS), the Star Wars Grand Florida Alliance (SWGFA), the Seattle ARea Lucasfilm Artifact Collectors Club (SARLACC) and the Celebration VI Collecting Track. Lead designer Bill Cable of PSWCS conceived the idea for the patch, and completed the design with substantial assistance from leaders of the participating groups.

All six patches will be available exclusively at Star Wars Celebration VI and will be free to attendees. Because quantities are extremely limited, the patches will be given away one per person. Four clubs will be distributing their patch pieces at their Fan Group booths on the convention floor. Please visit their web sites for additional information about the clubs.

DCSWCC, booth 548 - http://www.dcswcc.org/
OSWCC, booth 453 - http://www.oswcc.com/
PSWCS, booth 451 - http://www.pswcs.com/
SWGFA, booth 449 - http://www.swgfa.com/

The other two groups will be giving away patches in the Collecting Track Social Area in room W304CD. Please visit the room for schedules and additional distribution information.

SARLACC - http://www.sarlacc.org/
Celebration VI Collecting Track

If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Martin Thurn of DCSWCC at press@dcswcc.org.

Save the Date! OSWCC Summer Social - 7.14 in Columbus

Oswcc South — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:47:26 +0000

Ralph McQuarrie - June 13, 1929 - March 3, 2012

Oswcc South — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:55:47 +0000

OSWCC would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Star Wars conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie. He was responsible for the look and feel of many classic designs from Star Wars, and his influence can still be seen today. In fact, Mr. McQuarrie’s artwork helped convince 20th Century Fox to take a gamble on George Lucas’ dream, making him a key component in one of the most beloved franchises of all time.

Rest in peace, Mr. McQuarrie.

2012: An exciting time for OSWCC!

Oswcc South — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:35:06 +0000

This year is a very exciting one for OSWCC! We have a number of great things to look forward to in 2012:

The launch of the Star Wars: The Old Republic online game
Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D
The fifth season of the Clone Wars cartoon
New Hasbro product and packaging now arriving in stores
New deluxe offerings from ArtFX, eFX, Gentle Giant and Sideshow
The 15th Annual Summer Social being held in Central Ohio
Another successful charity auction
Representing the club at Star Wars: Celebration VI in Orlando, FL
Setting up our traveling booth at regional pop culture shows

and finally, we are celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Ohio Star Wars Collectors Club all year long!

Our club theme will reflect all the best the club has had to offer over the years, and relate to all of the planets of Star Wars. Artwork, giveaways, the Social and the membership kits will reflect our anniversary. It’s going to be a great year for OSWCC, and we can’t wait to get it started!

Join us…and forever will we dominate your destiny…

OSWCC South Holiday Party

Oswcc South — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:44:21 +0000

Coming Up: OSWCC goes to Mid-Ohio Con

Oswcc South — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:50:47 +0000

OSWCC is heading up to Columbus in October for the biggest con in our home state, Mid-Ohio Con! This show has always been great to promote our club. If you are planning to attend the show, please stop by our booth and say hello. This year, you have the opportunity to meet Lando himself, Billy Dee Williams at the show. He will be appearing and signing autographs. Check out the Mid-Ohio Con site for details. The show runs October 22-23, 2011.