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Bob Iger Talks to CNBC About ESPN, Disney Parks and the Future of Star Wars
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger on CNBC
Here is a video clip of Walt Disney CEO, Bob Iger discussing the latest financial results discussed in a recent shareholder conference call. In it he discusses the operating income at ESPN in a decline offset by higher affiliate revenue.
“In ESPN’s case, we had the largest program cost increase for the year in the quarter that we just announced,” Iger said. “We have new distribution deals coming online, but the revenue from those deals won’t hit until the second quarter… ESPN is running in the quarter around 7 percent above where they were last year and we feel much better about the advertising market now than we did during the quarter that was just announced.” – Bob Iger
Disney to Exapand Star Wars Mythos with Standalone Films
Bob Iger and George Lucas
Last night in an interview with CNBC Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger confirmed that work is currently underway to expand the Star Wars franchise by creating standalone films. The lends credence to rumors of a Yoda, Han Solo and Boba Fett solo adventures, however there are no confirmations from Disney or Lucasfilm regarding characters or what era of the saga they will be producing. It does look like they will be shooting the new trilogy as well as these standalone films at the same time which can maximize the results for the studio keeping some costs down. It also appears that we can see at least one Star Wars film a year. Wow! It’s a great time to be a Wars fan!
Here is the press release from Disney/Lucasfilm:
The Star Wars cinematic galaxy is about to experience a Big Bang. Lucasfilm is officially announcing new spinoff films that will expand the mythos and depths of the Star Wars universe in previously unexplored ways.
One of the standalone films will be written by Lawrence Kasdan, screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and co-writer of Return of the Jedi while the other will be penned by Simon Kinberg, writer of Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The movies will be separate from the upcoming Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, on which Kasdan and Kinberg are also consulting, and are expected to be released sometime after Episode VII. Each standalone film will focus on a specific character, and two spinoff films are currently confirmed.
In a call to investors, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, revealed while the original focus was on the highly-anticipated sequel trilogy, the idea of spinoff films was bandied about early and the additional films are now becoming a reality. “We are in development of a few standalone films,” he said, “that are not part of the Star Wars saga…there are now creative entities working on developing scripts for what would be those standalone films.”
For more of my thoughts regarding this news please check out my article on JediMouseketeer.com.
What Star Wars character do you think would be a good fit for a standalone film? Please reply to this article!
Star Wars Creator George Lucas and Mellody Hobson Get Engaged
Congratulations to “Star Wars” creator George Lucas for proposing to his girlfriend since 2007 Mellody Hobson. The 68-year-old director/Master Jedi will be wedding the 43-year-old investment firm president Hobson who also serves as chairman of DreamWorks Animation and is a financial contributor to ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
Lucas helped to launch the modern blockbuster age with his “Star Wars” sagas and “Indiana Jones” adventures. The original “Star Wars” still stands as the No. 2 film in terms of tickets sold domestically, behind only “Gone with the Wind.”
Lucas has three children: Amanda, Katie and Jett. He was previously married to film editor Marcia Lucas from 1969 to 1983.
Disney completed its acquisition of Lucasfilm and the “Star Wars” franchise from Lucas for $4.06 billion in cash and stock last month.
No other details have been given by Lucasfilm at press time. Congratulations from all of us from the Disney fan community!
Related articles
- Congratulations – Star Wars Maker George Lucas and Mellody Hobson of DreamWorks Get Engaged (jedimouseketeer.com)
- 15 Potential Directors for the New ‘Star Wars’ Films (jedimouseketeer.com)
2013 Dates Revealed for Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios
Gear up fanboys and fangirls for the triumphant return of Star Wars Weekends! Disney Parks just released the dates for set for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 17 – June 9 2013!
The celebrity guests who make appearances in parades, special programs and autograph signings have not been announced at press time however Disney has named two stars who will be there during the event’s duration. “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” voice actors James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano) are scheduled to return as celebrity hosts. Taylor will be the official emcee while Eckstein will reprise her role as host of “Behind the Force,” a live show that takes fans behind-the-scenes in the Star Wars universe.
2013′s Star Wars Weekends may be the biggest one yet with Disney’s recent acquisition of Lucasfilm and the announcement of new Star Wars Episode VII. Be sure to check back for more announcements regarding the various stars and special events taking place at this year’s Star Wars Weekends! May the Force be with you!
Related articles
- Star Wars Weekends 2013 Dates Announced (chipandco.com)
- Star Wars’ Weekends 2013 Dates Announced (jedimouseketeer.com)
Last Minute Star Wars Gift Guide – Top 5 Coffee Table Guides and Resource Books
Author Jason Fry with Aljon Go at Star Wars Celebration VI
Christmas is rapidly approaching and with life moving as fast as it does you may not have been able to nail down that perfect gift for that Star Wars geek in your life. If that’s the case take note of my TOP 10 Jedi Mouseketeer recommended books – specifically coffee table guides. I don’t know of a single Star Wars fan, of any age, that wouldn’t love to have these books in their collection. Having said that, you may want to do some recon to make sure you don’t purchase a book they already have. So go ahead and take shotgun as I plot a course through this TOP 5 list – in no particular order! Punch it!
#5 Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia
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