Future of Star Wars Comics and Book Licenses Uncertain After LucasFilm Sale to Disney

Posted on November 3, 2012

The announcement that Disney is buying LucasFilm and the Star Wars franchise has generated a great deal of press this week. Publisher's Weekly reports that the $4.5 billion purchase has left a question mark over the future of the Star Wars comics rights which are currently held by Dark Horse.

For more than 20 years, Dark Horse has published expanded universe Star Wars comics. But Disney already has its own comics division: Marvel. That has many in the industry wondering if Dark Horse is going to lose the Star Wars license, which make up 20% of the line.

After the purchase was announced, Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson had this to say in a statement: "Dark Horse and LucasFilm have a strong partnership which spans over 20 years and has produced multiple characters and story lines which are now part of the Star Wars lore. Star Wars will be with us for the near future. Obviously, this deal changes the landscape, so we'll all have to see what it means for the future."

LucasFilm also has deals with major publishers such as DelRey, Scholastic and Chronicle which publish novels and other content in the Star Wars universe. It's too soon to tell where the book and comics licenses will end up, but you can be sure everyone is readying their pitches to Kathleen Kennedy.