A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Cesar R M]

Thanks @ParentsOf4

I just threw up in my mouth over this, I think this really illustrates better than everything else just how the stock price has been manipulated over the years, Disney has reduced the number of shares in circulation by about 1/3

What would be interesting to see would be a plot of the estimated share price and EPS based on 2006 onward - assuming all the funds used for repurchases went to cash instead and were not expended.

Just imagine Disney with a 40-50 billion war chest.

with that much money.. they would survive any gigantic recession that would kill giants like sony.

 

[Cesar R M]

Not sure I totally agree here.
I think Sony is hamstrung, because they could not do a long term tale as Disney/Marvel can.

When they first launched Ironman, no one was sure what would be next, and how it would grow, but yet Disney and Marvel did, as they had Easter eggs in the credits. We now know, they had a long term plan, and that plan involved Hero's we have not seen in Movies in the past. Plus long term plans to move to new series with Avengers as the climax.

Sony doesn't have that capability. They have X-men and Spiderman, and thats it. While Spiderman and Wolverine have interacted in the comics, X-men and spidey haven't. There is no long term direction to go.

Add to that, Sony basically admitted they blew it and completely retold the same stories in both series. Hitting fairly well with Xmen, not so much with Spidey. That to me is their biggest issue. They see superheros are hot, but only have limited availablity, so they are struggling to keep revamping what they have.

I wonder what happens with the Fantastic four remake as well, as I see this failing as the Spidey revamp did as well.

The spiddy franchise actually has a very big universe itself.
Thanks to the whole "multiverse", the variations, the amazing vs ultimate, the variants, the clones, the huge amount of enemies.
If they were smart, they could have played it well, they DIDNT.

 

[Rodan75]

I don't think that's really true. I mean, sure, Sony would sell the Spider-Man rights (just like Uni would sell the Mavel theme park rights) for the "right price". That price would be astronomical.

Sony knows that the Spider-Man movie franchise has gotten a bad rap. But they know it is still a valuable character. So, they want to find a way to retain and reinvigorate the brand while still making money off of it. Hence negotiations with Disney....

Disney/Marvel Studios would surely love to have creative control of Spider-Man and be able to use him in the MCU (and for solo films). Sony would like to make money with minimal downside. The obvious and likely outcome for an agreement would be for an agreement where Disney/Marvel uses Spider-Man but Sony gets some percentage of the box office. Which is something similar to the agreement Disney made with Paramount int he early years of the MCU.



I would totally disagree that Disney doesn't "want" to make Spider-Man movies. I think the folks at Marvel Studios would love to and the higher ups at Disney would encourage that since Spider-Man is a huge mover of merchandise -- having quality solo films with him (especially ones that integrate with the MCU) would be a huge boost.

They don't "need" Spider-Man back and they will be fine if they don't get him. But I'm sure Disney would be thrilled to work out a mutually beneficial deal to be able to make films with Spider-Man.



"Buying" outright at the price that Sony would be willing to sell them? No, I would not think so.

Getting back the rights? Yes, I would think Marvel would be extremely interested.

Remember that Sony gets $0 participation in any merchandising of Spider-Man and no piece of the $1.3B revenue he brings in each year through licensing. The only profit Sony gets from Spider-Man is from the films themselves. And those are relatively low margin in these 'Franchise Synergy' economics of modern day blockbusters.

 

[Cesar R M]

Comics are cyclical. The 90s were a time of boom and bust. The Death of Superman story you're referencing came at a time when comics (Superman aside) were selling like crazy. The speculators drove a huge boom in the business. Then they left and there was a bust later in the decade that nearly bankrupted Marvel. I don't have current numbers in front of me, but I understand current comic book sales are reasonably healthy again. Rumors of their death have been greatly exaggerated.

On the Marvel camp... x-men were huge in the end of the 80's and 90's too.

 

[lebeau]

Would you still set it in the 1930s-40s or move on from that as well?

40's all the way. With Nazis. Indy should fight Nazis.

I was thinking Armie Hammer would be the right age and look, but then...well...the Lone Ranger. But there are a number of actors who can thread the needle of being serious and fun without going parody. I think Pratt's performance in Jurassic World will probably tell us that he would be fine as Indy.

The only thing I remember seeing Hammer in was Lone Ranger and he was a charisma vacuum in that. He's got the look, but Indy needs charisma. Pratt has that in spades. The question is, is he too goofy.

 

[lebeau]

On the Marvel camp... x-men were huge in the end of the 80's and 90's too.

Yeah, I almost wrote a whole history of comics entry and decided against it. Late 80s early 90s, X-Men and Spider-man were huge. Then all the talent left and formed Image Comics which left Marvel in pretty poor shape for a while.

 

[flynnibus]

!!!!
http://deadline.com/2015/01/chris-pratt-indiana-jones-guardians-of-the-galaxy-disney-1201360637/

Like the casting... not so sure I like the idea of a re-make for IJ tho...

 

[Cesar R M]

Bob Iger is COB and no one gets on the BOD without Iger's approval.

so in short, he's pretty much a banana republic dictator on top of disney corp?
and can put/set yes-men anytime he pleases?

 

[Cesar R M]

I still don't want Marvel in any of the Disney parks. Let the ROBERT IGER COMPANY make the movies and rake in the dough...but keep the Hulk out of Disneyland PLEASE. Thank god WDW will be free of them. Yay lawyers! (Star Wars is already in DHS, which right now hasn't any particular character anyway, and so is Indy, sort of, so whatever, sigh, bummer. And of COURSE there will be more. But I bet most families who come to the parks still prefer to see Walt Disney over George Lucas any day - a rather pertinent assertion, perhaps, given the recent massive floppage of "Strange Magic", even though the ads touted that it was "from the mind of George Lucas"!!! Box office poison...?)

As for what you're hinting...I do believe that Iger feels that way. He sees the Disney classics and traditions as old stuff, and so he feels he needs to bring in new stuff (at least stuff that's new to the company). He is so completely tone-deaf to what made Disney DISNEY to most people that it'd be almost comical, if it weren't so tragic...

unless that ends being the supposed 5th gate.
"The SuperHero Park".

 

[Rodan75]

Like the casting... not so sure I like the idea of a re-make for IJ tho...

As a fan, I would love to see a new Indy. I agree with @lebeau that IJ can/should be like James Bond /Batman/ Superman. An iconic character that transcends actors. I have faith that Kathleen Kennedy can sheppard something that would be fun and respectful of history.

 

[Cesar R M]

The first Iron Man was the best. There have been some great movies recently but that movie started it all.

it was an amazing movie, because it didnt rushed.. went with a proper speed, explained most things...
it made all the parts right.

While other 'introduction" movies just totally destroyed the movie.
like the new TMNT.

 

[Cesar R M]

If Sony really wants to get Spiderman movies back on top again all they have to do is make him blond and include a cape as part of his costume.

Meh, I prefer if they entered the multiverse.. Amazing Spiderman along with Gwen Stacy Spiddy.

!!!!
http://deadline.com/2015/01/chris-pratt-indiana-jones-guardians-of-the-galaxy-disney-1201360637/

I hope they dont overburn Chris.
Anyone remembers how badly it went with Ryan Reynolds?

 

[Rodan75]

so in short, he's pretty much a banana republic dictator on top of disney corp and can put and set yes-men anytime he pleases?

Don't forget that he does have folks on the board, namely Ike, who aren't friendly to big spending CEOs. No body on this board compares Iger's salary or behavior to the other big media CEOs...and that is because he is mid-pack on pay and he isn't an egomaniac that has to get involved in every creative decision. (which has its benefits and drawbacks)

Through these acquisitions Iger has added a lot of new voices to the board and not all of those voices are friendly to Iger.

 

[Cesar R M]

Well it was announced some time ago that Marvel is no longer doing origin stories after Phase 2. So Dr. Strange will begin with Steven Strange already being Dr. Strange. Same with Black Panther, Captain Marvel, etc.

So Spider-Man wouldn't need a rehash of his origin story with Uncle Ben, gaining powers, etc in the MCU.

The way I thought they would integrate him for Captain America: Civil War would be a post-credit scene at the end of Avenegrs: Age of Ultron. They could have cast a young 18 year old Spidey, who wouldn't have had his powers yet for the New York battle in Avengers 1 because he was only a kid. That would make the chronology more effective. In the post-credits scene they could show Peter looking at the devastation of Ultron and telling himself that he has to do something. Hence get involved in a superhero civil war.

Idk, obviously that's not happening, but something like that could be in-store if a deal goes through in the future.

or they could just use a quick flashback to show their "intros".
not need to go all deep.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Thanks, that clears up the question I had. Seems kind of uh, incestuous. Can I use that word?

I can think of a number of other words for it, but, that would get me banned for life, so I think that your word pretty much tells the whole story and is one of the worst ways to run a company, in my opinion. There are no checks and balances in that system and it is OK as long as the BoD just want to be figure heads with no real say in the matter. They like every other high level in Disney are only there for the pay and benefits. Also to be able to say that they are on the Board of Directors for the Disney Company. That would impress many that do not realize that their position is nothing more then just puppetry.

 

[lebeau]

or they could just use a quick flashback to show their "intros".
not need to go all deep.

Origin stories have been done to death. See Amazing Spider-man. And they are usually the least interesting part of the super hero mythology. Usually, you can tell everything you need to know about a super hero by his or her name and costume. A few lines of exposition here and there should be plenty.

 

[twebber55]

Again I can agree with this.

I do think though, that Disney feels they are missing a key consumer in the young adult males. So by getting the Star Wars franchise and Marvel franchise they are looking to gain in that catagory. While I agree, I for one don't want Marvel in MK or Epcot or AK, I don't have an issue if they added some attraction in DHS. But then again, I hate there is not recognition in DHS for all the really key early movies like Davey Crockett, Herbie, Bed Knobs and so on. I would be all for DHS being a big TOOT The Disney movie horn and have a section for Animation(classic disney ie Mickey and co.), Pixar ( toy story et. al.), Star Wars and then Marvel, but realize the Marvel won't happen due to US.

I ve said this before I do not think star wars is that big amongst 12-18 year olds.....HP and even marvel are bigger..now if you talk under 10 crowd star wars is king

 

[Steel City Magic]

Who produced X-Men: Days of Future Past again? Disney? or Fox? I think she was talking about the movies not comics. So no Disney does not own the entire Marvel Universe.

Disney owns marvel, and thus the entire marvel universe. What disney does not own at the moment are all the film rights and theme park rights that were contracted out prior to the sale of marvel. Though if ever those contracts were to be violated or not upheld, ( i don't see that happening in this day and age) the rights would revert back to marvel and thus disney. So yes disney does own all of marvel, they are just required to honor previous contracts which will sooner or later revert back to the parent company.

 

[spacemt354]

Disney owns marvel, and thus the entire comic marvel universe. What disney does not own at the moment are all the film rights and theme park rights that were contracted out prior to the sale of marvel. Though if ever those contracts were to be violated or not upheld, ( i don't see that happening in this day and age) the rights would revert back to marvel and thus disney. So yes disney does own all of marvel, they are just required to honor previous contracts which will sooner or later revert back to the parent company.

It's a point that's been hammered to death. The OP was talking about the Marvel films. Not the comic universe.

 

[Mike S]

I was about 5 pages behind in this thread due to other responsibilities. Didn't take long at all to catch up when skipping all the Marvel talk Now some thoughts.

I still don't want Marvel in any of the Disney parks. Let the ROBERT IGER COMPANY make the movies and rake in the dough...but keep the Hulk out of Disneyland PLEASE. Thank god WDW will be free of them. Yay lawyers! (Star Wars is already in DHS, which right now hasn't any particular character anyway, and so is Indy, sort of, so whatever, sigh, bummer. And of COURSE there will be more. But I bet most families who come to the parks still prefer to see Walt Disney over George Lucas any day - a rather pertinent assertion, perhaps, given the recent massive floppage of "Strange Magic", even though the ads touted that it was "from the mind of George Lucas"!!! Box office poison...?)

As for what you're hinting...I do believe that Iger feels that way. He sees the Disney classics and traditions as old stuff, and so he feels he needs to bring in new stuff (at least stuff that's new to the company). He is so completely tone-deaf to what made Disney DISNEY to most people that it'd be almost comical, if it weren't so tragic...

I don't really share this opinion. The ship of Disney theme parks only being for Disney made properties sailed when Star Tours opened. I would love to see what Disney can do with Marvel in the parks (not just a RnRC retheme!!!) as long as they were appropriate. Marvel land in DHS? Even though there's about a 99.9% possibility of Disney not caring at all about the rights in Florida at this point in time, count me in.

!!!!
http://deadline.com/2015/01/chris-pratt-indiana-jones-guardians-of-the-galaxy-disney-1201360637/

I swear I just suggested Pratt for Jones the other day on my site!

He definitely has the right look imo

And who knows, if an Indiana Jones reboot is successful we might finally get an Indiana Jones Adventure in WDW!!! Here's the perfect spot for it too.

Lost Expedition anyone?