13 Years Ago Today, George Lucas Did the Unthinkable to a Galaxy Far, Far Away (But Was It the Right Call?)

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When Star Wars premiered in 1977, it was a massive success right away. It essentially became the model for many of the film franchises and series we see today. Created by George Lucas and drawing inspiration from Joseph Campbell’s book The Hero’s Journey, the story of the Jedi has become a modern myth. For decades, dedicated fans have meticulously tracked the details of the Star Wars universe and celebrated everything about it.

On October 30, 2012, Lucas announced a surprising decision: he was selling Lucasfilm – and all rights to Star Wars – to The Walt Disney Company for around $4.05 billion. While some fans were excited about Disney’s potential to support the franchise, others worried it signaled a decline. No matter how you felt, the news was undoubtedly a shock.

Lucas Sells Star Wars to Disney and Faces Fan Fallout

According to the Star Wars Archives: Episodes I-III, George Lucas found selling his creation to Disney to be a difficult experience, despite the massive payout. Reports indicate Disney paid around $2 billion in cash, plus approximately 40 million shares of Disney stock. The sale immediately sparked debate among fans online, with many questioning whether Disney would respect Lucas’s original intentions or simply exploit the franchise for profit. Some dedicated fans strongly objected to the idea of Disney’s influence, fearing changes to the beloved universe, and accused Lucas of abandoning his creation.

Although many fans were outraged by the sale, others thought George Lucas had a plan and even hoped Disney could improve the series after the prequel films. Once the deal was finalized, Disney fully committed to bringing the franchise back to life, announcing a new movie for 2015 and plans for regular releases moving forward. The last film, Revenge of the Sith, had been released in 2005, creating a ten-year gap that was about to be filled. As production on new projects began, fans became incredibly excited.

The Failures and Successes of the Disney Era

Since acquiring Star Wars, Disney has delivered a new trilogy of films – The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. They’ve also released standalone movies like Rogue One and launched numerous Star Wars TV series on their streaming service, including The Mandalorian. In 2019, Disney opened Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a large-scale expansion at its Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks, and had already earned back the $4.05 billion they initially invested.

Whether the Disney-era Star Wars was truly successful was a point of contention among fans and critics. While The Force Awakens and The Mandalorian were huge hits, The Rise of Skywalker proved divisive and raised worries about the future of the franchise. Compared to when George Lucas was in charge, the Disney era felt less focused and more haphazard. Lucas had a clear vision, but the newer films seemed to lack direction, with different voices and writers leading to an unclear path forward.

Dedicated fans were upset when the company removed years of existing stories – novels, comics, and games – from official continuity, relabeling them as “Legends.” Adding to this, Disney released a lot of new content very quickly, which led to many fans feeling overwhelmed and losing interest. As discussions continued about what was officially part of the story and what wasn’t, a common feeling arose that the franchise had lost its originality, becoming bland and overly focused on appealing to the widest possible audience.

The Future of the Galaxy Rests in the Hands of Disney

The purchase of Lucasfilm by Disney has been a complicated success. While some fans feel Disney breathed new life into the Star Wars franchise, others believe it damaged it over the last 13 years. George Lucas recently told the Wall Street Journal he’s moved on from Star Wars, stating, “I’ve got a life,” effectively ending speculation about him returning to lead the franchise. However, Disney appears to be listening to fan concerns. The company has recently started scaling back its ambitious plans for Star Wars, canceling several projects and prioritizing quality over simply making more content.

The series Andor, which recently finished its run, was a critical success and showed what the Star Wars franchise could become. New projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu, and films such as Star Wars: Starfighter, are giving fans hope for the future. Considering the huge amount of money the studio originally spent to acquire Star Wars, and the billions more they’ve invested since, they’re almost certainly committed to keeping the franchise alive and thriving.

Looking forward to the new releases, especially Starfighter? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-30 16:45