Wednesday, October 31, 2012

BREAKING. Star Wars coming to Disney XD; Disney acquiring Star Wars sees the franchise as a TV property on this Disney channel.


Star Wars is coming to Disney XD (DStv 304).

My instantly big and perplexing question regarding what happens TV wise with Star Wars - with Star Wars The Clone Wars currently on the Cartoon Network but the Star Wars franchise being bought by Disney for $4,05 billion, has now also been answered a few hours later: The Walt Disney Company wants George Lucas' Star Wars for the Disney XD channel.

The only Star Wars currently on television is Star Wars The Clone Wars on the Cartoon Network (DStv 301) - but the Cartoon Network is part of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) which is Disney's big rival. Clearly Disney is not going to keep Star Wars in the future anywhere else than on Disney.

Now, hours after the very surprising announcement that Disney is acquiring LucasFilm Ltd from George Lucas and announcing that the Mouse house is set on making new further Star Wars films, is also the news that Disney wants Star Wars as a property for Disney XD - aimed at young boys.

Star Wars The Clone Wars, nearing 100 episodes on the Cartoon Network will probably conclude soon on that channel, because of the massive Disney deal with LucasFilm Ltd.

Disney will then start up at least one new Star Wars TV project for Disney XD (besides the long gestating live action TV drama series George Lucas keeps promising but hasn't so far done anything with, citing budgetary constraints).

After the big announcement, during Disney's conference call with investors, Disney CEO Bob Iger said besides building a stronger Marvel block on Disney XD, Disney also wants to bring Star Wars to this TV channel soon.

This means that the days of Star Wars The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network are numbered. Or it is also a possibility that future season(s) of Star Wars The Clone Wars could move to Disney XD.

"We really like Star Wars' potential on TV as well and we think Disney XD will be a strong home for that," Bob Iger said who didn't go into any further detail of what exactly the Star Wars programming on the channel would look like.