Rumor Disney Looking To Trade The Theme Park Rights of Alien with Universal in exchange for Black Panther to Build a Wakanda Pavillion at Epcot

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capsshield

Active Member
Universal never used the Defenders so I believe that family of characters is open. However Universal used the Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Namor the Submariner, so in essence they used the Defenders, if not in name. Dr. Strange has appeared in the parks so we know he is open. Dr. Strange was also an Avenger years after the contract was signed. So we do know there are limits to the characters inclusion in so called families use in the parks.

I would imagine this means that characters that became Avengers, X-Men or Fantastic Four members after 1994 are possibly usable in the parks. We also know that Universal has used less than 1% of Marvels characters. Maybe a total of 30 to 40 of them.

I don't believe the contract mentions the places of the Marvel Universe either, so could Disney build Wakanda? I think they can. Can they use Black Panther family characters? I would have to say yes, if the characters were created after 1994, or not a major character in the "in use families".
Would Disney build Wakanda without the Black Panther? I seriously doubt it. Would Disney build the 100 acre woods without Pooh? I really doubt it.
Now if Disney wanted they could use a character like Kazar and build the Savage Land unless he is included in one of the "in use families". I suspect he was not on the list and if he was, he shrank off of the list due to non use.

Marvel was in dire straights at the time of the contract however I do believe they knew the value of their IP and that the list of usable characters was not unending and MCA at the time probably didn't see value in more than 30 to 40 characters anyway. So I suspect the list is shorter than most would think and also longer than most Marvel fanboys would like.
I would bet there are characters connected to Thor like the Warriors three or Odin that are not on the list and that each of the Avengers has a list of supporting characters not in the Avengers that are usable.

In all honesty I was extremely disappointed in Marvels Superhero Island. I thought it was very cheaply done and a huge cheat. Two of the rides can be found almost anywhere and the theming is a joke. Those rides really don't meet the standards of local theme park attractions.
The Hulk is one step ahead and Spiderman is now very dated. Painted plywood signs make the area look like it was never meant to be more than a placeholder. By building better and better more themed attractions Disney and Universal have almost caused this land to be a breach of contract. If you have been there can you honestly say it meets the standards of Potter, Suess, Pandora, TSL, or Galaxies edge.

Disney should demand that they improve the areas and attractions or loose the rights.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
capsshield said:
Universal never used the Defenders so I believe that family of characters is open. However Universal used the Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Namor the Submariner, so in essence they used the Defenders, if not in name. Dr. Strange has appeared in the parks so we know he is open. Dr. Strange was also an Avenger years after the contract was signed. So we do know there are limits to the characters inclusion in so called families use in the parks.

I would imagine this means that characters that became Avengers, X-Men or Fantastic Four members after 1994 are possibly usable in the parks. We also know that Universal has used less than 1% of Marvels characters. Maybe a total of 30 to 40 of them.

I don't believe the contract mentions the places of the Marvel Universe either, so could Disney build Wakanda? I think they can. Can they use Black Panther family characters? I would have to say yes, if the characters were created after 1994, or not a major character in the "in use families".
Would Disney build Wakanda without the Black Panther? I seriously doubt it. Would Disney build the 100 acre woods without Pooh? I really doubt it.
Now if Disney wanted they could use a character like Kazar and build the Savage Land unless he is included in one of the "in use families". I suspect he was not on the list and if he was, he shrank off of the list due to non use.

Marvel was in dire straights at the time of the contract however I do believe they knew the value of their IP and that the list of usable characters was not unending and MCA at the time probably didn't see value in more than 30 to 40 characters anyway. So I suspect the list is shorter than most would think and also longer than most Marvel fanboys would like.
I would bet there are characters connected to Thor like the Warriors three or Odin that are not on the list and that each of the Avengers has a list of supporting characters not in the Avengers that are usable.

In all honesty I was extremely disappointed in Marvels Superhero Island. I thought it was very cheaply done and a huge cheat. Two of the rides can be found almost anywhere and the theming is a joke. Those rides really don't meet the standards of local theme park attractions.
The Hulk is one step ahead and Spiderman is now very dated. Painted plywood signs make the area look like it was never meant to be more than a placeholder. By building better and better more themed attractions Disney and Universal have almost caused this land to be a breach of contract. If you have been there can you honestly say it meets the standards of Potter, Suess, Pandora, TSL, or Galaxies edge.

Disney should demand that they improve the areas and attractions or loose the rights.
Click to expand...

I have heard other people try to make the case that Universal needs update Marvel attractions so that they are comparable to newer more advanced attractions, but I am not sure if that is how the contract should be interpreted. I have always interpreted the clause "shall be operated and maintained in a first class manner consistent with the highest standards of the theme park industry" to just mean that they can't let the attractions fall apart. If it is as you interpret it, I don't know why Disney wouldn't have forced Universal to update the Storm and Doctor Doom rides by now.
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
To clarify: I don't think that Universal "holds the rights" to Black Panther - since they've used him in a substantial way (not a cardboard cutout wouldn't count) then I would be very skeptical that they could themselves use Black Panther in their park. But, the contract clearly prevents other parks East of the Mississippi from using Bank Panther as he is clearly a member of the Avengers and thus part of the family of Captain America (and Hulk to a lesser extent); arguably he's also part of the Fantastic Four "family".

Basically, what I'm saying is I don't think anyone can use Black Panther with the way the contract is written.

That said, I'm of the mind that Wakanda and some of the characters (but not T'Challa himself) could be used at WDW. A Wakanda pavilion in FW would actually be able to fit with a proper storyline.
 
SCOTLORR

SCOTLORR

Well-Known Member
doctornick said:
That said, I'm of the mind that Wakanda and some of the characters (but not T'Challa himself) could be used at WDW. A Wakanda pavilion in FW would actually be able to fit with a proper storyline.
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i mean, to an extent yes. But the fact that Wakanda isn't a real place and would be displayed as a pavilion among a dozen other ones that ARE real countries is a bit hard to get past. Putting frozen into the Norway pavilion is one thing, but at least Norway is still an actual country. creating a world showcase pavilion based on a fictional country is a new low IMO.
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
SCOTLORR said:
i mean, to an extent yes. But the fact that Wakanda isn't a real place and would be displayed as a pavilion among a dozen other ones that ARE real countries is a bit hard to get past. Putting frozen into the Norway pavilion is one thing, but at least Norway is still an actual country. creating a world showcase pavilion based on a fictional country is a new low IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. That's why I said Future World. like what @RSoxNo1 suggested.

Wakanda in World Showcase doesn't make sense.
 
THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

Well-Known Member
A trade? this isn't the NBA. They gonna throw in Uncle Scrooge and a characther to be named later to sweeten the deal too?? who is running universal? Sam Presti???!
 

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