Disney to buy Marvel Entertainment

[tirian]

There's insider talks about a DC movie about a "team" of super heroes about forming their own "league". That's all I can say for now. :zipit:

I think it was a smart move on Disney for buying Marvel. It'll also be very profitable for Marvel in the film and licensing end.

Sucks for us (DC) because of huge competition (film & toys).

P.S. Yes I work for DC

But you guys have Bugs Bunny and Tasmanian Devil and—oh that's right, Warner pretends they don't exist right now.

 

[SirGoofy]

There's insider talks about a DC movie about a "team" of super heroes about forming their own "league". That's all I can say for now. :zipit:

I think it was a smart move on Disney for buying Marvel. It'll also be very profitable for Marvel in the film and licensing end.

Sucks for us (DC) because of huge competition (film & toys).

P.S. Yes I work for DC

Too bad you guys cast the perfect man for The Flash as Green Lantern. I was really disappointed in that, but at least Justin Timberlake didn't get the role.:lol:

 

[BillyBuff]

Yikes...

 

[spaceghost]

I love Disney and I love Marvel, so this is cool. I think realistically that effects on the parks will be minimal for the time being. But, just to rebut anyone who has said "not in MY parks," may I remind you of the Power Rangers and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? The Marvel characters are way classier than the Power Rangers.

 

[GatorGambit]

Yikes...

That is...uhh...unique, shall we say.

 

[PirateFrank]

Define huge?

well, certainly anything with Marvel themes...and while some have discussed licensing agreements that may insulate Universal from this, lets not forget that every contract out there has loopholes and outs...and if one party aggressively wants to end the contract, it can put pressure on the other party.

Either way, Disney gets a piece of Universal's gate (by way of the licensing fees that Universal pays to Marvel) or it finds a way to force Universal to retheme.

Either way, not good for Universal.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I doubt anyone would have seen this coming...:dazzle:

Very interesting times...possiblilities are endless. With the string of Mavel movie hits recently, Iron Man and Hulk, and the development of the movies in the current pipline, (Marvel making the movies and other studios only distributing them, like RKO did for Disney all those years ago.) I think Iger was looking at these over the possibilities of park rides. Marvel lost a ton to Sony by selling the rights to them. So they learned their lesson and kept the characters themselves.

I think if they would expand DHS and move Marvel Hero's there would be great. I feel Disney is setting itself up for a major counter to Universal's Harry Potter. Give them time and I feel we are going to see something cool come out of this for us to enjoy and love. Now the Marvel Super Hero's only fits in DHS, It would be out of place to even try and fit these characters into DAK, MK or EPCOT. I also see the screws being placed on Universal when the Lisence rites expire. The rides and themeing could really be mind blowing if the Disney Imagineers are allowed to put their creavtive minds to work.

This means several important things for Disney
1. Odds are Disney will share in some of the profits from Islands of Adventure which means they won't be affected as much by Pottery (typo, but I'm keeping it) World.
2. A huge boon to Disney at the box office
3. There was Blue Sky talk a while ago of dividing Hollywood Studios into various individual Studios: Lucas Films, Pixar Place, Muppet Studios, etc. Marvel would easily fit into this plan.
4. The 100% most important aspect of this acquisition is that Disney has failed for years to maintain market share of teenage and young males. They typically get them back when they have families, but grabbing a huge share of the Superhero/Comic market will make them popular with this demographic once again.

 

[SirGoofy]

This is the first time I can't wait for jt to start posting.

:ROFLOL:

 

[mastif]

does this mean next time i visit, I'll be able to meet wolverine at the character spot? Am I the only one that is scared by this??

 

[KeithVH]

Finally!! assuming all goes well, something for boys at the MK other than Pirates may show up. Now almost everything is aimed at girls, Princesses, Princesses, Princesses........:sohappy::sohappy:

Speaking of princesses, I wish to be the first to go on record for a petition to add a new member to the list.

I definitely think Emma Frost should be included. I can't say how much I would love to see that character in ANY park. And I don't mean the travesty of casting that was that Origins movie. I mean someone true to form:sohappy:. I've now got this mental image of her striding through the parks and just devastating everyone.

Meanwhile, I have to admit I'm falling on the side of "Not in my park, you don't". But actually,I do have a concern that I haven't seen expressed yet. I hope this doesn't indicate that Diwsney creative talent will be exercised over the characters as they exist in published form. Let alone another art or rendering change or retconning.

 

[tirian]

This is the first time I can't wait for jt to start posting.

:ROFLOL:

Wait for WDW1974 to begin.

 

[SoupBone]

Everone needs to stop thinking about Marvel in the parks.Marvel was a great purchase for the Disney company.I could see them slowly add Marvel in the parks like a Marvel weekend at the studios or add something after a new movie.Its not all about the parks its about movies and tv and video thats where the moneys at.I would love to see the Disney Marvel on the signs at Universal:lol: even in small print

You do realize that merchandising is where they make a huge chunk of money correct? You know that the parks is where they sell a majority of their mechandise right? If you are following me so far the logical business move would be to place Marvel in MGM/DHS and watch the money from merchandise flow in. It would be extremely ignorant of them to say that MGM/DHS wouldn't have Marvel characters.

 

[Kamikaze]

well, certainly anything with Marvel themes...and while some have discussed licensing agreements that may insulate Universal from this, lets not forget that every contract out there has loopholes and outs...and if one party aggressively wants to end the contract, it can put pressure on the other party.

And one of those 'outs' could very well be that Marvel (one of the contract's parties) would cease to exist.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

This means several important things for Disney
1. Odds are Disney will share in some of the profits from Islands of Adventure which means they won't be affected as much by Pottery (typo, but I'm keeping it) World.
2. A huge boon to Disney at the box office
3. There was Blue Sky talk a while ago of dividing Hollywood Studios into various individual Studios: Lucas Films, Pixar Place, Muppet Studios, etc. Marvel would easily fit into this plan.
4. The 100% most important aspect of this acquisition is that Disney has failed for years to maintain market share of teenage and young males. They typically get them back when they have families, but grabbing a huge share of the Superhero/Comic market will make them popular with this demographic once again.

I think that sounds about right. I doubt we are going to see a flood of superheros into the MK or anything, so that's not a concern for me. However, the long term prospects for movies and attractions is almost unlimited. We'll see how this develops in the next 5-10 years,but I'm very optimistic.

 

[PirateFrank]

I wonder out loud how long these acquisition plans were in the making....


and to tag onto that, what's the possibility that this will be addressed in a meaningful way relating to the theme parks at D23?

 

[tirian]

Meanwhile, I have to admit I'm falling on the side of "Not in my park, you don't".

They fit into the Studios perfectly. What doesn't? Furthermore, as someone else already said, Disney is a much larger company than just the parks.

But actually,I do have a concern that I haven't seen expressed yet. I hope this doesn't indicate that Diwsney creative talent will be exercised over the characters as they exist in published form. Let alone another art or rendering change or retconning.

It appears that Disney will allow Marvel to continue operating semi-independently, similar to ESPN.

 

[brentley2]

Hmmm...this is interesting.

I really, really wish that this could have been DC Comics instead of Marvel.
I have always liked DC better.

Warner Bros. has NO idea what to do with the DC characters. It's a darn shame that they had a massive hit with Batman The Dark Knight and can get any momentum going around any other character out of the DC arsenal. Maybe the Wonder Woman movie might have gotten made if Disney was behind it?

 

[SirGoofy]

Wait for WDW1974 to begin.

I'm interested to see what he thinks as well.:lol:

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Define huge?

Good question, Marvel land is just an exposed steel coaster, two carnie rides and some flat facades. Only Spider-Man would pose any kind of challenge.

I'm surprised it's only going for $4 billion considering the profits made by recent Marvel movies.

As for getting a target demographic don't forget that Pirates of the Caribbean was made in house and got it for a period of time. It speaks volumes when a creative company has to buy someone else in order to secure funds from a specific age group. Do we all forget about how Touchstone was made? Disney wanted to make movies for an older audience so after experimenting with redefining their own brand they made a separate one to produce and distribute more mature films. Same with Hollywood Pictures.

It's not the idea that Marvel characters begin in DHS that upsets me, it's that Disney can't be bothered to think up their own thing (or try redefining a previously made property...Rocketeer/D*ck Tracy anyone? Hell, try doing something someone else hasn't done for awhile like The Shadow) to try and appeal to the teen/young adult crowd.

It's a good business deal none the less.

 

[PirateFrank]

And one of those 'outs' could very well be that Marvel (one of the contract's parties) would cease to exist.

Very good point! An acquisition might not mean that Marvel continues to exist as a sub of Disney...but simply the assets and liabilities of Marvel is assumed by Disney and formed into a new subsidiary/entity.

Not a lawyer, but to those that are...would this invalidate any agreements that Marvel has with Universal?



Also, the mere fact that John Lassetter and Marvel's creative people have met, screams that they are already thinking about a theme park implication.....