Disney Shopping Star Wars Rights To TV
For decades, the only way to view the cinematic masterpiece that is the Star Wars Saga was to purchase a copy of the two trilogies on VHS, DVD, or Blu-Ray (Han shot first). But with the marketing overhaul Disney is rolling out for their newest acquisition, it comes as no surprise that execs from Disney/ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution have been shopping their property around.
According to Variety.com the company seeks to snatch at least $30 million for The Force Awakens as well as the subsequent Episodes VIII and IX. The price Disney is asking for the vintage Episodes I-VI is unclear but is rumored to be very high as well. There has been speculation if this deal will include other non-Star Wars properties, but it is certain that the space drama will be the main event. Some of the companies being considered are Viacom, FX Networks, AMC, Turner, A+E Networks, and NBC Universal’s USA Network and SyFy. Turner would seem to be the logical choice seeing as Disney already has their sponsorship on the Hollywood Studios classic The Great Movie Ride. However, this could all just be a play to see how much the company could make in a licensing pact with one it’s more internal channels, ABC or FreeForm.
Variety also points out that the biggest speed bump in this TV explosion of Star Wars availability would be the film’s appearance on Netflix. In 2012, Disney struck a deal with Netflix to stream their blockbuster titles starting in 2016, which would most certainly include The Force Awakens. This could prove to be problematic for free/cable TV companies due to the swift decline in cable movie viewership with the introduction of movie streaming, VOD or otherwise. The purchase would certainly be a huge acquisition for whichever company decides to pay the most, but would it be worth the enormous price tag ? The rumors and speculations run rampant, but one thing is certain: the Star Wars Saga will soon be available on virtually every entertainment platform the human race has invented. Does Disney showering the entertainment world with Star Wars a bit of overkill or does it add to your enjoyment?
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