Disney's Next Acquisition Speculation / Discussion

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
I think Harry Potter is unlikely but I could see Iger shopping around for one last deal

there was also an interview a few years ago after the fox deal where he talked about buying James Bond before Amazon bought MGM

honestly though I’d rather they concentrate on the stuff they own now
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
As pointed out in another thread, this was a "satire" article. Its not real, Disney is not actively trying to buy Harry Potter. Just like they are not trying to buy WB-Discovery itself either. In fact they aren't trying to buy anyone right now.

Its clear that most on this board only read the click bait titles and not the substance of the actual articles.

From the article:

"Long before those questions are asked, we need to ask whether Harry Potter is the right intellectual property for Disney–and whether this satirical trip down imagination lane could ever have any merit to it."
 

Magic Crush Drop

Active Member
As pointed out in another thread, this was a "satire" article. Its not real, Disney is not actively trying to buy Harry Potter. Just like they are not trying to buy WB-Discovery itself either. In fact they aren't trying to buy anyone right now.

Its clear that most on this board only read the click bait titles and not the substance of the actual articles.

From the article:

"Long before those questions are asked, we need to ask whether Harry Potter is the right intellectual property for Disney–and whether this satirical trip down imagination lane could ever have any merit to it."
Semi related:
I kinda hate that I see this site a lot now. It just came out of nowhere. Semes to me they write a lot of clickbait articles but yet featured on the Google News tab. 🤨
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Semi related:
I kinda hate that I see this site a lot now. It just came out of nowhere. Semes to me they write a lot of clickbait articles but yet featured on the Google News tab. 🤨
It used to be a Disney Parks fan food blog started by a couple fans in the early 2000s, but has turned into another fan news site that regurgitates the standard click bate articles. The problem is that most readers just glance at the title and think its rumor news, completely missing the part where its all just satire articles.
 
In the Parks
Yes
I wonder Warner Bros would say "Hmm, you WANT to acquiring Harry Potter from us, Disney. Well let's see we will acquiring Steven Spielberg's Roger Rabbit from you because YOU didn't use him as IP for future sequel as new Roger Rabbit shorts as new Roger Rabbit attractions since this Oswald ride rumor to replace RRCT, we use Harry Potter at Universal parks, but YOU always do this STUPID Avatar land at Animal Kingdom to beat us."
This paragraph hurts my brain.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
This is the second time DisneyDining has just simply copy pasted an article from a comedy site and only vaguely owned up to it with a vague link in their last paragraph. (Otherwise known as plagiarism.)

Apparently DisneyDining thinks every day is April Fools Day.

Everyone, please stop frequenting this site. It's now officially garbage. And certainly stop linking to it.
 
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brodie999

Active Member
image.jpeg



Character posters for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has released and Peter B. Parker's poster features a strange bankground that resembles the logo of Mickey Mouse.
 

mikejs78

Premium Member
Was watching CNBC - I didn't catch who said it, but it was mentioned that there is a possible trade being discussed between Disney and Comcast - a swap of Comcast's stake in Hulu with Disney's stake in ESPN - which would net Disney anywhere from $10b to $20b. Brian Roberts apparently loves sports broadcasting.
 

Indy_UK

Well-Known Member
Would that see them totally loose ESPN to Comcast for the remaining 33% share of Hulu and $20 billion or so in cash? Hmmmm
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Was watching CNBC - I didn't catch who said it, but it was mentioned that there is a possible trade being discussed between Disney and Comcast - a swap of Comcast's stake in Hulu with Disney's stake in ESPN - which would net Disney anywhere from $10b to $20b. Brian Roberts apparently loves sports broadcasting.
Don't see that happening, ESPN is part of Iger's streaming plans long term as it gets moved to a standalone service.
 

Comped

Well-Known Member
Don't see that happening, ESPN is part of Iger's streaming plans long term as it gets moved to a standalone service.
100%. No chance they leave ESPN when they spent so much time at the last investor's call talking about how it fits in, and especially as Disney somewhat accelerates their investment into high value sports content worldwide.

If I had my choice for what I'd like Disney to buy out next - WB's content catalogue. Ignores the issues with their domestic networks mostly being basket cases (from CNN to Cartoon Network), and their international sports channels (except in the UK which they could reasonably add on BT Sports to the deal if interested) likely being a no-go post-Fox. Would give them a whole bunch of content they probably still want since they missed their chance in 2015. DC would be a hugh get. Potter's film rights as well. Arguably the sleeper hit would be establishing control over legacy children's animation - but it's likely a pipe dream sadly.
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
If I had my choice for what I'd like Disney to buy out next - WB's content catalogue. Ignores the issues with their domestic networks mostly being basket cases (from CNN to Cartoon Network), and their international sports channels (except in the UK which they could reasonably add on BT Sports to the deal if interested) likely being a no-go post-Fox. Would give them a whole bunch of content they probably still want since they missed their chance in 2015. DC would be a hugh get. Potter's film rights as well. Arguably the sleeper hit would be establishing control over legacy children's animation - but it's likely a pipe dream sadly.

Its unlikely to happen for several reasons:

1. Nothing can happen with WB until mid-2024. And Comcast is the rumored likely suitor at this point, but it'll be hard to get passed the US Government for approval, see #3.
2. Zaslav is not likely to sell just the content without selling the Studio itself.
3. Disney would likely not get US Government approval to buy another major Studio in the US.
4. Most WB content is already locked up either in Max or with other streamers like Netflix.
5. Disney isn't using a majority of the content they already own now let alone needing more at this point.
6. Disney doesn't need DC, its better they focus solely on Marvel.
 

Comped

Well-Known Member
Its unlikely to happen for several reasons:

1. Nothing can happen with WB until mid-2024. And Comcast is the rumored likely suitor at this point, but it'll be hard to get passed the US Government for approval, see #3.
2. Zaslav is not likely to sell just the content without selling the Studio itself.
3. Disney would likely not get US Government approval to buy another major Studio in the US.
4. Most WB content is already locked up either in Max or with other streamers like Netflix.
5. Disney isn't using a majority of the content they already own now let alone needing more at this point.
6. Disney doesn't need DC, its better they focus solely on Marvel.
It might be unlikely to happen but it would make the most sense of Disney with any acquisition at this point, at least in terms of major ones. It's not expanding them into a new space, nor is it too much of a risk.

And the reason why I said content catalog only is because of a potential government issue - even though I think with a democrat in office, it is something more likely to happen than Trump or especially DeSantis. I think the antitrust issue is overblown anyway, as WB is not one of the big three in the US and any merger is unlikely to forestall in international markets unlike a deal for parts of Sony or other potential dealings. Even then, I don't think Disney would keep the linear TV networks, because they really have no use for them. Most of the reality based networks simply don't fit in with the current Disney catalog, cartoon network directly competes, and CNN is something I don't think Disney would want to own with a 30-foot pole worth of separation... Unlike that, the content catalog, especially in a theoretical Max merger, is something useful for Disney.

Given Disney is nowhere close to using what they already have, as you noted, but much of the fox catalog is not exactly what you would call Disney spec, particularly a lot of their live action content that I would love to see on D+ or Hulu someday but we never will.

I'd love to see a deal for OLC, just for their folks to be able to take over park management domestically, but if it didn't happen during the pandemic it's not going to happen for a number of years, if ever.
 

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