Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger said Rupert Murdoch, the former head of 20th Century Fox, was upset about Disney’s acquisition of the “Star Wars” franchise and Lucasfilm.
Context: Before Disney bought Fox earlier this year, Fox had distribution rights to the “Star Wars” saga, including the original and prequel trilogies. Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in 2012, which means Disney bought the rights to a franchise that Fox basically had the rights to distribute.
Now: Iger told The New York Times that Murdoch wasn’t happy over the purchase.
- “Rupert was crazed that we bought Lucas. They were the distributor of all of George’s movies, and he was very disappointed in his people. ‘Why didn’t you think of this?’”
Earnings: Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm has done well for the company. Though purchasing Lucasfilm for about $4 billion, the most-recent films have earned much more than that at the box office:
- “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — $2.06 billion
- “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — $1.33 billion
- “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” — $1.05 billion
- “Solo: A Star Wars Story” — $392 million
Correction: This article previously said Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4.05 million. It was actually $4.05 billion.