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May the Rights Be With You: Which Studios Own Which Franchise Characters?

News

In the wake of Disney's major purchase of LucasFilm for $4.05 billion, EW asks the pertinent question: Which studios own which major franchise characters? Disney's Robert Iger made clear during a conference call after the announcement that he'd rather pay through the nose for an established brand than risk creating anything new. He's making the smart bet that longtime Spielberg producer Kathleen Kennedy, president of LucasFilm, will be able to take consultant Lucas's blueprint for new "Star Wars" episodes and reinvent the series with fresh writers and directors. ("The Empire Strikes Back," directed by Irvin Kershner, is widely considered the best of the saga.)

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
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November 1, 2012 1:44 PM
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News

In EW's Holiday Movie Preview, actors from several hot titles speak out on their roles, including Jessica Chastain on the mysterious "Zero Dark Thirty," Bradley Cooper in the feel-good festival favorite "Silver Linings Playbook," Daniel Day-Lewis' method acting during "Lincoln" and Hugh Jackman on why the epic "Les Miserables" is still relevant.

By Sophia Savage
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November 1, 2012 1:26 PM
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Awards

The Hollywood Foreign Press has not only chosen two funny women to host the Golden Globes (Tina Fey and Amy Poehler) but are honoring Jodie Foster with the HFPA board of directors' Cecil B. DeMille Award honoring Foster's impact on the world of entertainment as both actress and director.

By Anne Thompson
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November 1, 2012 12:57 PM
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News

A new poster for Sam Raimi's "Oz: The Great and Powerful," with the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West making a full-body appearance, asks the question: Who plays the notorious Witch -- Mila Kunis or Rachel Weisz?

By Beth Hanna
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November 1, 2012 12:54 PM
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News

Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to play Brian Epstein in a biopic about the Beatles' longtime manager. Paul McGuigan, who's directed Cumberbatch in a number of "Sherlock" episodes, will helm the Epstein project.