News Disney and Fox come to terms -- announcement soon; huge IP acquisition

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

As for Deadpool & X-Force?

DP 1 and 2 have grossed over 300MM domestic and 700MM each WW. That's moving forward.

That’s definitely moving forward, I’m interested in seeing whether they keep Deadpool and some other characters in an R-Rates Universe or something like that.

One thing, I think Disney should consider, is doing a The Sound of Music remake/sequel ala Mary Poppins Retuns...

Marvel would be wise to use the MAX label for its R-rated affairs. That will tell the audience that it's still in the MCU, but for a more mature audience. It'll also allow characters to go to the regular label (for ensemble movies for example).

 

[BrianLo]

I know it was formerly business as usual, but I wonder at what point that stops being the case. Especially now with domestic approval and the shareholder vote in the bag.

I imagine at some point there is going to be a strong suggestion of hold-off on further Marvel development as the integration date nears. If that's not already begun. New Mutants and Dark Phoenix being already too far along to ignore.

 

[Princess Leia]

Okay, for the record- Dark Phoenix is scheduled to come out on Feb. 14, 2019 (... happy Valentine’s Day??), and New Mutants is coming out August 2, 2019. These are the dates that Fox had set aside back in 2017 for ‘Untitled Fox Marvel Movies’

• June 7, 2019
• November 22, 2019
• March 13, 2020
• June 26, 2020
• October 2, 2020
• March 5, 2021

I have no idea what those would have been, but if X-Force starts production soon (and on a similar time budget as Deadpool 2), it could be released in the June or October 2020 spots, and not have an effect the rest of the MCU as planned.

For the record, this is what the MCU has planned for the next 4 years-

• March 8, 2019- Captain Marvel
• May 3, 2019- Avengers 4
• July 5, 2019- Spider-Man: Far From Home

And then the following untitled MCU films

• May 1, 2020
• July 31, 2020
• November 6, 2020
• February 12, 2021
• May 7, 2021
• November 5, 2021
• February 18, 2022
• May 6, 2022
• July 29, 2022

At the very earliest, I think 2021 (using the Fox Marvel March slot) is the best time for Fantastic 4, and 2022 would be the year to bring back X-Men, but I don’t know what else Disney and Marvel have planned- outside of Black Widow, Eternals, and sequels for Guardians, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and probably Ant-Man & the Wasp and Captain Marvel. I just named 8 films that are in pre-production or will be within the next 2 years.

The best thing Disney and Marvel could do is to wait on merging the X-Men into the MCU. Release Dark Phoenix and New Mutants, and put X-Force into production soon. If the first two aren’t great (like half of the existing X-Men movies), fine. It will make people even more excited to see how the classic characters are woven into the MCU (it’ll have to be through Scarlet Witch, unless someone goes nuts with a couple of Infinity Stones next movie). X-Force could be away for the Fox franchise to go out on a high note. A highly graphic, hilarious high note.

If some delayed gratification happens, it will be 5 years since Wolverine would be on the big screen, which I think is ample time for someone to fill the role. Comparisons will happen, but it happens all the time with our various Spider-Men, so there’s nothing we can do there (even happens with the X-Men films since we’ve had doubles with 90% of the characters).

There should be no rush for X-Men to join the MCU at this time. Let the next batch of MCU films run their course, and then let loose and go crazy. Let T’Challa fall in love with Storm in Black Panther 3. Have an X-Men/Avengers fight. Let Scarlet Witch have a meltdown and change reality, bringing in a wave of mutations (Xavier can be written in as a rare gifted individual who was born with his powers, and taught the few others like him, but everyone’s powers were enhanced after SW goes nuclear or something). Something very big is going to have to happen in the MCU, because no one is born with any powers, except for Quill. Everything is based in science experiments.

This ended up being a longer tangent than planned, but it boils down to me wanting Marvel to take their time developing this.

 

[MisterPenguin]

There's precedent for not releasing a finished film...

 

[Princess Leia]

There's precedent for not releasing a finished film...

View attachment 299175

I think the X-Men movies are a little different though. They have well known casts (Phoenix more than New Mutants) and a much higher production budget. I think it’s probable that the films will be released. Phoenix will for sure in theaters, and if Mutants doesn’t get a theatrical release, it will be released on one streaming service or another. But I think it will still get whole theatrical release

 

[MisterPenguin]

My guess: Disney will see the finished product for Dark Phoenix and give it a thumbs up or down depending on how good it is. I'm thinking 60% thumbs down likely.

And WRT New Mutants: Disney will kill that abomination with fire. A movie in trobuled production that keeps changing tone, script, genre, and actors/characters with no link to the MCU? Exterminate!

 

[Rodan75]

My guess: Disney will see the finished product for Dark Phoenix and give it a thumbs up or down depending on how good it is. I'm thing 60% thumbs down likely.

And WRT New Mutants: Disney will kill that abomination with fire. A movie in trobuled production that keeps changing tone, script, genre, and actors/characters with no link to the MCU? Exterminate!

They could end up like Mowgli and become Hulu or DisneyFlix originals. New Mutants, to your point, may just end up dead.

Isnt the Fox - Disney partnership still under the comics/tv side of the Marvel business and not part of Marvel Studios? Feige may have no idea how good or bad they are yet.

 

[doctornick]

Isnt the Fox - Disney partnership still under the comics/tv side of the Marvel business and not part of Marvel Studios? Feige may have no idea how good or bad they are yet.

Feige should be pretty familiar with Fox and their Marvel productions -- he was a producer or executive producer on Daredevil, Elektra, the first FF films and the original X-men trilogy.

 

[sedati]

They will now own the rights to this Fox film- seems Magic Kingdom had more IP based attractions than I had thought:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder_Mountain_(1935_film)

 

[Rodan75]

Feige should be pretty familiar with Fox and their Marvel productions -- he was a producer or executive producer on Daredevil, Elektra, the first FF films and the original X-men trilogy.

Right. But Marvel studios and Marvel Entertainment are two different subsidiaries within Disney. Feige has had nothing to do with the Fox productions for years.

 

[sedati]

Am I the only one that wants to see New Mutants?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Disney animated films that never get released like “Giganic” or Pixar’s “The Shadow King” are written off.

Fox really hasn’t marketed these films and it might be better in the end to write them off and not spend any more money on production and marketing/advertising.

 

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

Right. But Marvel studios and Marvel Entertainment are two different subsidiaries within Disney. Feige has had nothing to do with the Fox productions for years.

Feige and friends have seen the scripts. Highly likely that they have seen rough cuts of the movies as well.

Remember that Marvel was always in partnership with the licensees. And though they couldn't veto any creative decisions (unless specified in the contract, i.e. if Sony wanted to make Peter Parker non white or non heterosexual, Marvel could veto) they still had access to what's going on. The leaked emails from Sony showed Feige going over and pretty much telling Sony everything that was wrong with Amazing Spider Man 2. Sony thought they knew better and we know how that turned out. Point is, Marvel has access to what the licensees are doing.

 

[Rodan75]

Feige and friends have seen the scripts. Highly likely that they have seen rough cuts of the movies as well.

Remember that Marvel was always in partnership with the licensees. And though they couldn't veto any creative decisions (unless specified in the contract, i.e. if Sony wanted to make Peter Parker non white or non heterosexual, Marvel could veto) they still had access to what's going on. The leaked emails from Sony showed Feige going over and pretty much telling Sony everything that was wrong with Amazing Spider Man 2. Sony thought they knew better and we know how that turned out. Point is, Marvel has access to what the licensees are doing.

When Feige and Marvel Studios moved to Horn’s org, he is no longer engaged with Marvel Entertainment that works with Fox on the X movies.

So yes. Marvel Entertainment is closely engaged with Fox. Marvel Studios is not. Feige made that clear after Apocalypse. That isn’t to say he hasn’t seen the movies at this point, but it isn’t a guarantee. With Spider-Man, Marvel Studios took over for production, but that is a deal that had to be negotiated.

IMHO at this point Feige should be running all of Marvel. Just like Kennedy is running all of Lucasfilm. But that isn’t how things are structured currently.

 

[larryz]

Am I the only one that wants to see New Mutants?

Yes.

 

[DisneyJayL]

 

[mab7689]

So what do people think will happen regarding Sky this week? Disney/Fox have until August 8th to counter the last Comcast offer because of our 28 day rule. Will they bid again within the next week or will we see them concede it?

 

[TwilightZone]

So what do people think will happen regarding Sky this week? Disney/Fox have until August 8th to counter the last Comcast offer because of our 28 day rule. Will they bid again within the next week or will we see them concede it?

Probably nothing since it seems that Comcast backed out.

 

[mab7689]

Probably nothing since it seems that Comcast backed out.

They backed out of the contest for 21st Century Fox to focus on Sky separately. The 61% 21CF don't own is subject to a bidding war between them and Comcast. Comcast currently have the leading bid. Either Disney support Fox gaining 100% control, or they allow the 61% to go to Comcast and maybe sell their 39% once the 21CF deal closes.
It's up in the air with Disney at the moment as there are valid arguments on both sides. If they choose to continue the pursuit for Sky they are demonstrating they want to expand their international presence, and are willing to take on the extra cost and debt for that property. If they don't it shows they aren't willing to take that cost and debt on and a sale of their 39% will bring in money they could put towards repaying the financing they got for the 21CF deal.

 

[seascape]

So what do people think will happen regarding Sky this week? Disney/Fox have until August 8th to counter the last Comcast offer because of our 28 day rule. Will they bid again within the next week or will we see them concede it?

I hope they bid again. I have read different analysts reports on the value of Sky and they range all the way from Disney £14.00 offer all the way to £18.00 a share. Now if Comcast is correct and the value is £14.75 a share and the UK merger panel says Disney is paying £14.00 for 39% via the Fox merger they can easily increase their offer for the 69% they don't own and still be slightly below the total cost they end up paying for Sky.

So what outcome do I want for Sky? Do I want a complete a friendly resolution of lots of issues or for Disney to end up with Sky? I do not think the themepark rights to the Marvel Characters and even the Marvel name for themepark attractions are worth much. People don't care if Disney uses Super Hero or Marvel when talking about specific characters. I want Disney to end up with Sky and for Comcast to buy something else. BTW, for those who haven't read the cable television news, Comcast could buy Spectrum's New York State business as the State of New York ruled they have broken their agreements with the State and must sell.