yep just heard this as well. First thought- what happens with IOA's Marvel Super Hero Island??
For now, the Island will remain. Universal has the right to pursue renewals when the contracts are up, but the contracts are perpetual, so a renewal date is certainly up for question.
Iger just specifically mentioned using the Marvel characters at SOME Disney theme parks (restrictions due to current agreements), but the message is clear that he sees this as a significant asset to the theme park division of Disney.
As it truly is, but remember that this won't be a Marvel invasion either. Like with the acquisition of the Muppets and Pixar before this, the implementation of the newly owned brands will be done slowly and carefully within the parks.
There could be prexisting contractual stuff that would allow Universal to keep their stuff in the parks, ala Disney with some of their MGM stuff.
That is correct.
I'm sure there is, but it will eventually expire. Superheroes in Disney Parks?? Interesting.
We technically have superheroes in the Disney parks already: the Incredibles.
Universal owns the rights to the attraction and the technology used in it... Disney would only own the characters...
I can see in like 5 years Disney taking the rights away from Universal or even forcing them to add something weird like, "Disney/Marvel" to all the names of things or something lol... But if they do take the rights away, it'd be easy for Universal to transform Spider-Man in Transformers and the like...
This is very interesting... IOA as we know it is could possibly be changing yet another island... and with the Dreamworks deal too... Man, they are trying to knock the legs right out from under Universal...
To make Spiderman into Transformers isn't as easy as people seem to think. The new Universal attraction being designed for Singapore and Hollywood happens to be a two-story design and is a little bit larger than Spiderman is now. To shoehorn such an attraction into an existing base would be to cut that new attraction virtually in half, both in story and in length.
As for this deal, coupled with the Spielberg/Dreamworks deals approaching, you have the right idea. Disney is picking up strong allies very quickly, not only to pad itself in these tougher times, but to emerge once more as an even stronger media conglomerate. With every new deal like the one we are about to see, there will be a great return in financial and creative terms.
I may be in the minority here, but I would like to start seeing Disney comic books again. Not the Gladstone rehashing of old Donald Ducks, but new stories. Might be a good reason for them to start.
If the deal goes through, you absolutely will. Disney didn't just partner with Stan Lee for no reason either. Character expansion in terms of comics (and the associated tie-ins) is a definite target on Disney's horizon.
A paragraph from today's Sentinel:
"Marvel also has various deals with the two-park Universal Orlando. The agreements governing two of Universal's hugely popular rides, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk roller coaster, appear to be virtually perpetual deals. According to Universal's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Universal Orlando retains American rights east of the Mississippi River for as long as its attractions are in operation."
Like it or not, Disney will not be able to completely stop the external use of Marvel properties outside of their own parks and outlets. Besides Universal's current use of Marvel licenses, there is at least one other theme park currently being built that will use the Marvel name in full.
http://ecplaza.net/news/13/13681/marvel_theme_park_planned.html
And trust me when I say (especially to those that expect all of the Korea and Dubai projects to die quietly), the above Marvel project
will happen.