In 2011, George Lucas participated in the preparation of a Star Wars attraction in Disneyland. At the opening ceremony, Paul Eiger asked him if he was thinking of selling the company, and got it right. Lucas was 67 years old at the time, and he began to think about retiring. After the cold reception of the second trilogy of "Star Wars" he did not want to make new films. The question of who to leave the company, stood ribbed. Lucas told Eiger that since his grave will say "Star Wars creator", it's not so much a question of money as of preserving his heritage. He was afraid to imagine that someone could take away the universe he had created and start doing whatever he wanted with it. He trusted Eiger, in principle, because he saw how sensitive he was to another "his former company", Pixar.
Lucas decided to sell the company on the condition that they would withdraw another trilogy according to his scenario and leave his chosen CEO and some of his employees. He also wanted to have a say in everything he did with regard to the use of his brand. Eiger insisted that, although Lucas' opinion would be taken into account, it was Disney who would have the last word. Negotiations were going on for six months, Lucas was doubtful and nervous, and when the contract was finally signed, Eiger felt like Darth Vader, he said. He bought Lucas' company for $4 billion. On the day the deal was announced, someone tweeted: "I felt the excitement in the Force as if millions of geeks were screaming with horror at the same time.
When Eiger was just thinking about buying Lucasfilm, he reviewed all six episodes and recorded the heroes his company could get the rights to. Only then did he learn about the existence of "Holocrone" - a database on the universe of Star Wars, which contains information about 17 thousand characters. Each of them now belongs to Disney.
Summing up the results
To date, 55 feature films have been released. And at least half of them have been seen by every person who has seen a TV or movie theater:
1. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" (December 21, 1937)
2. "Pinocchio (7 February 1940)
3. "Fantasy" (13 November 1940)
4. "Dambo (23 October 1941)
5. "Bambi (8 August 1942)
6. "Fireworks, friends!" (24 August 1942)
7. "Three Caballeroes (21 December 1944)
8. "Play my music" (April 20, 1946)
9. "Funny and carefree" (27 September 1947)
10. "Time of melodies" (May 27, 1948)
11. "The Adventures of Ikabod and Mr. Toad" (October 5, 1949)
12. "Cinderella (15 February 1950)
13. "Alice in Wonderland" (26 July 1951)
14. "Peter Pan (5 February 1953)
15. "The Lady and the Tramp (16 June 1955)
16. "Sleeping Beauty (29 January 1959)
17. "101 Dalmatians" (25 January 1961)
18. "Sword in stone" (25 December 1963)
19. "The Jungle Book (18 October 1967)
20. "Aristocrats' Cats (December 11, 1970)
21. "Robin Hood (8 November 1973)
22. "Winnie's Adventures (March 11, 1977)
23. "Rescuers (June 19, 1977)
24. "Fox and Dog (10 July 1981)
25. "Black Cauldron (July 24, 1985)
26. "The Great Mouse Detective (2 July 1986)
27. "Oliver and Company (13 November 1988)
28. "The Little Mermaid (15 November 1989)
29. "Rescuers in Australia (16 November 1990)
30. "Beauty and the Beast (13 November 1991)
31. "Aladdin (11 November 1992)
32. "The Lion King (15 June 1994)
33. "Pocahontas (16 June 1995)
34. "Hunchback of Notre Dame (19 June 1996)
35. "Hercules (14 June 1997)
36. "Mulan (5 June 1998)
37. "Tarzan (12 June 1999)
38. "Fantasy 2000 (17 December 1999)
39. "Dinosaur (13 May 2000)
40. "Emperor's Adventures (10 December 2000)
41. "Atlantis: The Lost World (3 June 2001)
42. "Lilo and Stitch (16 June 2002)
43. "Treasure Planet (5 November 2002)
44. "Brother Bear" (20 October 2003)
45. "Don't hit with your hoof" (March 21, 2004)
46. "Chicken Chicken (30 October 2005)
47. "To visit the Robinsons" (March 23, 2007)
48. "Bolt" (17 November 2008)
49. "Princess and Frog (25 November 2009)
50. "Rapunzel: A confusing story. (24 November 2010)
51. "Pooh Bear Vinnie and His Friends" (6 April 2011)
52. "Ralph" (1 November 2012)
53. "Cold Heart (27 November 2013)
54. "City of Heroes (7 November 2014)
55. "Zveropolis" (3 March 2016)
What's your favorite cartoon?
Fairy tales can start in different ways, but they must end in the same way - happily. Walt Disney founded The Walt Disney Company, which is now the largest entertainment company and ranks 13th in the list of "Most Influential Brands" according to Forbes. But more valuable than all calculable physical awards, the popular recognition, which was awarded to Disney enthusiastic viewers, is appreciated.
P.S.: "I just hope we don't lose sight of one thing: it was all started with one mouse.
© Walt Disney.