In 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, gaining the Star Wars franchise.
Disney announced the agreement on October 30, 2012, with the price divided approximately equally between cash and Disney shares. George Lucas, Lucasfilm’s founder and controlling owner, planned to donate much of the proceeds to educational charities. The transaction made Lucasfilm a wholly owned Disney subsidiary on December 21, 2012.
The purchase included more than Star Wars. Lucasfilm also brought the Indiana Jones franchise, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound. Kathleen Kennedy became Lucasfilm’s president and oversaw the company’s film and television production under Disney’s studio structure.
A common mix-up is confusing Lucasfilm with Pixar or Marvel, which Disney had acquired earlier. Disney later acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, but that was a separate deal involving assets such as 20th Century Fox and FX. The acquisition also did not immediately give Disney every historic Star Wars distribution right; some rights remained with 20th Century Fox until later.