The studio has revealed the exciting news that Star Wars: Episode VII is planned for a 2015 release. Lucas founded Lucasfilm in 1971, but it wasn’t until 1977 that the first part in the filmmaker’s six-film franchise was released. In that time, Star Wars became one of the most successful film-related franchises in the world, pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars every year. It was 100 per cent owned by Lucas, who acted as Lucasfilm chairman.
But in a press statement today, Lucas explained his reasoning for giving up the keys to his sci-fi kingdom, saying that “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers,” adding that he “thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.”
Lucas appears to be very happy with this decision to sell Lucasfilm to Disney, stating that “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.” ~Brandon Bastaldo