"Star Wars: Episode 7" in Theaters 2015; Disney Planning Further Movies
The "Star Wars" legacy will continue with a new series of movies that take place after the original trilogy.
George Lucas, the creator of the science-fiction mega-series, sold Lucasfilm on Tuesday to the Walt Disney Co. for $4.05 billion.
Disney plans to use the purchase of Lucasfilm to further production of the film series sequels starting with "Star Wars: Episode 7."
Lucas originally dreamed of making three separate trilogies spanning nine movies over the course of 20 to 40 years. However, the 68-year-old filmmaker will now only be used as a creative consultant while all other production decisions will be made by Disney and Kathleen Kennedy, the current co-chairman of Lucasfilm.
The latest film of the intergalactic saga is due in theaters in 2015.
According to the Associated Press, Disney is already planning "Episode 8" and "Episode 9" that will come out a year or two after the latest film hits theaters.
"I'm doing this so that the films will have a longer life," said Lucas. "I get to be a fan now ... I sort of look forward to it. It's a lot more fun actually, than actually having to go out into the mud and snow."
Lucas had previously stated that 2005's "Revenge of the Sith" would be the last "Star Wars" film he would make and instead wants to work on other projects.
During an interview with the New York Times in January, veteran filmmaker Lucas talked about getting out of the blockbuster industry as he found difficulty trying to get financing for his WWII film "Red Tails."
"I'm retiring," said Lucas. "I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff."
