Star Wars is completely a member of the Disney brand, so the franchise needs the full presence at the theme parks that other franchises get. At the moment, the only attraction in Orlando and Anaheim is Star Tours, but that should change soon, Disney CEO Bob Iger teased.
Iger spoke with analysts to go over Disney’s record third quarter profits Tuesday. According to Variety, Iger made it clear that Star Tours will soon not be the only Star Wars-themed attraction at the parks. Iger admitted that, from now on, Disney looks to build attractions already based on a beloved brand so there is a better chance of their immediate success.
“When we grow Star Wars presence, which we will do significantly, you will see better bets being made that will pay off for us than were made in the past,” Iger said. Using brands for rides will yield “better returns than we saw in the past.”
Iger had no specifics to offer, but Reuters notes that he hopes to announce plans in 2015.
He did not give any significant updates on J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII. Entertainment Weekly notes that he did say that production is “on track,” despite Harrison Ford’s injury.
“The footage we’ve seen so far is spectacular and certainly worthy of the fan frenzy and excitement this movie is generating around the world,” Iger said.
Episode VII opens on Dec. 18, 2015, but Rebels debuts on the Disney Channel this October.
image courtesy of Tina Kaawaloa/INFevents.com