Did Disney buy Lucasfilm on October 30, 2012?

No. October 30, 2012 was the day Disney announced its intention to acquire Lucasfilm. The acquisition itself was not completed on that date.

When did Disney officially buy Lucasfilm?

The transaction officially closed on December 21, 2012. That is the date Disney legally completed the acquisition and took ownership of Lucasfilm.

Why do most websites say October 30 is the purchase date?

Because October 30 was the public announcement day. It received widespread media coverage and quickly became the shorthand date used in headlines and anniversary posts, even though the deal closed later.

What happened between the announcement and the closing?

After the announcement, the deal went through regulatory review and standard closing procedures. Only once those steps were completed could the transaction be finalized.

How much was the Lucasfilm acquisition worth?

The deal was valued at roughly $4.05 billion at the time of the agreement, structured as a combination of cash and Disney stock.

Disney Didn’t Buy Lucasfilm on Oct 30 — The Deal Closed Dec 21, 2012

This is one of those Star Wars facts that almost everyone gets wrong — including major news outlets.

Disney did not officially buy Lucasfilm on October 30, 2012.

That was the announcement day.
The deal itself came later.

And the distinction matters more than people think.

Why this matters now

“On this day” anniversaries tend to flatten history into a single headline. Over time, that headline becomes accepted truth, even when it skips important details.

The Disney–Lucasfilm deal is a perfect example. October 30 is remembered as the moment Star Wars changed hands — but legally and financially, that wasn’t the case.

What actually happened in 2012

On October 30, 2012, Disney announced its intention to acquire Lucasfilm in a deal valued at roughly $4.05 billion. The news dominated entertainment coverage and instantly reshaped expectations for the future of Star Wars.

But announcing a deal isn’t the same as completing one.

After the announcement, the acquisition still had to clear regulatory approval and meet the conditions laid out in the merger agreement.

That process took several more weeks.

When Disney officially owned Lucasfilm

The transaction officially closed on December 21, 2012.

That’s the day Disney completed the acquisition, issued stock, transferred cash, and formally took ownership of Lucasfilm and its subsidiaries — including Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and the Star Wars franchise itself.

By that point, the deal’s final value had settled at just over $4 billion, based on Disney’s share price at closing.

From a legal and corporate standpoint, December 21 is the real acquisition date.

Why October 30 is still remembered

So why does October 30 keep showing up in headlines and anniversary posts?

Because that’s the day the story broke.

It’s when the public learned George Lucas was stepping away, when Disney confirmed plans for new Star Wars films, and when the franchise’s future suddenly felt immediate and real.

In cultural terms, that was the shockwave moment.

In business terms, ownership hadn’t changed yet.

A familiar Star Wars pattern

There’s a certain poetry to how this misconception stuck.

Star Wars itself is celebrated on May the 4th, even though the franchise’s actual beginning dates back to May 25. The symbolic date wins out over the technical one because it feels right.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows the same pattern.

October 30 feels like the turning point — even if December 21 is the date that actually counts.

The bigger takeaway

Remembering October 30 as the day the Disney era began isn’t wrong in spirit. That’s when the future of Star Wars was revealed to the world.

But if we’re talking about when Disney truly bought Lucasfilm — when the deal closed and ownership transferred — the answer is clear.

That moment came quietly, weeks later, on December 21, 2012.

And sometimes, Star Wars history works exactly like that: the moment we remember isn’t always the moment that technically happened.

Stay connected with the galaxy’s latest updates!

Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for exclusive content, mod guides, Star Wars gaming news, and more. Your support helps keep the Holonet alive—one click at a time