Disney Acquires Lucasfilm for $4 Billion, Announces Star Wars: Episode VII, VIII and IX

In a move that could only be described as

and

, famed Star Wars creator and director George Lucas has sold his company -- and all of its properties -- for $4 billion.

The buyer, Disney

, is equally as shocking. The house that built Mickey Mouse will pay roughly half in cash and issue approximately 40 million shares at closing. "For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm, said in a

. "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." This is arguably the strangest acquisition to come out of Hollywood. While it was inevitable that Disney would acquire Pixar, and while it was interesting to see the company expand its reach by obtaining Marvel, the Lucasfilm purchase will go down in history as one of the most baffling of all time. It is not Disney that will baffle investors. The company made a smart (if not brilliant) decision in acquiring the Star Wars brand. This will usher in a whole new era of Star Wars films and provide Disney with billions in movie and merchandise revenue for years to come. Disney and Star Wars already work well together. At Disney World, the company's largest amusement park, guests can walk through life-size Star Wars-themed environments before riding Star Tours, the first and only ride that's based on the two Star Wars trilogies. By acquiring Pixar, Marvel and now Lucasfilm, Disney has positioned itself to become the most powerful corporation in Hollywood. Still, from now until the end of time, fans and investors alike will wonder: why did Lucas decide to sell his prized company? Lucas has had numerous opportunities to sell out. He never took them. Instead, he used his earnings to buy his film back from a major studio more than 30 years ago. This allowed him to maintain control of the franchise. Lucas repeatedly told the press that he would do whatever it took to maintain his control. He made no effort to hide his disgust and distrust of Hollywood studios. During an interview with 60 Minutes, he even indicated that he had it set up so that no one could touch the Star Wars properties when he passed away. For existing Star Wars fans, this is an end of an era. It may be

for some, particularly Disney and the lucky director who gets to replace Lucas for Episode VII. But Star Wars as we know it is over. Star Wars: Episode VII is expected to be released in 2015, followed by additional Star Wars films every two to three years.