Non-Disney owned IP contracts?

[Model3 McQueen]

For attractions or shows that use a non-Disney IP, how are the contracts usually drawn up? What're usually the parameters of said contracts? Do both parties reserve the right to terminate after a certain time frame? Specifically, here's what i'm wondering about:

Aerosmith RnR Coaster
Avatar attractions and land
Test Track presented by GM
Twilight Zone ToT
(What else did I miss?)

I assume there's a company relationship between the firms; there has to be when this much money is involved. But when these companies dump all this money into either a sponsorship, or the attraction revolves around the IP, I'm curious to know what the contracts have to say. Granted, I know we can't paint them all with the same brush as each attraction or sponsorship is unique. I also do find it interesting that Disney is about to buy out Fox (Avatar), and they did buy out Lucasfilm, after they invested a bunch of money into a land for Avatar / Attractions with SW and Indy.

If anyone has any insight that'd be great. Thanks.

 

[Maeryk]

They bought Indy lock stock and barrel separately from the Lucasfilm purchase. And from what I recall, the big SW push didn't happen until after they bought Lucasfilm.

Up to those events, they had the IJ attractions, and Star Tours, which were licensed like any other theme park using a specific chunk of an IP.

 

[goofyyukyuk]

They will also own Avatar in early 2019.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

They bought Indy lock stock and barrel separately from the Lucasfilm purchase. And from what I recall, the big SW push didn't happen until after they bought Lucasfilm.

Up to those events, they had the IJ attractions, and Star Tours, which were licensed like any other theme park using a specific chunk of an IP.

Yessir, Hyperspace and SWL and all that didn't come until after Disney's purchase. But there was still a SW presence before the official buyout.

Ultimately i'd like to know what the license for a specific chunk of IP usually entails. The ToT has been running for over 20+ years and Disney hasn't bought out CBS or The Twilight Zone.

 

[Maeryk]

Yessir, Hyperspace and SWL and all that didn't come until after Disney's purchase. But there was still a SW presence before the official buyout.

Ultimately i'd like to know what the license for a specific chunk of IP usually entails. The ToT has been running for over 20+ years and Disney hasn't bought out CBS or The Twilight Zone.

If it's like any other park, it spells out what specific parts of the IP they can use, their merchandising rights over it, and usually has a clause in it about how it's portrayed. Much like the current contract that Universal has with Marvel, for the rights to avengers, fantastic four, spidey, etc. Though that one has no sunset and no renegotiate clause, which I'd think wouldn't be that common.

For TOT, Indy, etc, remember that park started as Disney MGM, and they acquired a number of their licenses through that partnership. The first season of The Twilight Zone was shot at MGM/Sony studios. Indy was weird, because while it was a Lucasfilm product, it's distribution was through Paramount.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

If it's like any other park, it spells out what specific parts of the IP they can use, their merchandising rights over it, and usually has a clause in it about how it's portrayed. Much like the current contract that Universal has with Marvel, for the rights to avengers, fantastic four, spidey, etc. Though that one has no sunset and no renegotiate clause, which I'd think wouldn't be that common.

For TOT, Indy, etc, remember that park started as Disney MGM, and they acquired a number of their licenses through that partnership. The first season of The Twilight Zone was shot at MGM/Sony studios. Indy was weird, because while it was a Lucasfilm product, it's distribution was through Paramount.

That makes sense. I'm asking a much bigger, broader question than I previously thought.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

For attractions or shows that use a non-Disney IP, how are the contracts usually drawn up? What're usually the parameters of said contracts? Do both parties reserve the right to terminate after a certain time frame? Specifically, here's what i'm wondering about:

Aerosmith RnR Coaster
Avatar attractions and land
Test Track presented by GM
Twilight Zone ToT
(What else did I miss?)

I assume there's a company relationship between the firms; there has to be when this much money is involved. But when these companies dump all this money into either a sponsorship, or the attraction revolves around the IP, I'm curious to know what the contracts have to say. Granted, I know we can't paint them all with the same brush as each attraction or sponsorship is unique. I also do find it interesting that Disney is about to buy out Fox (Avatar), and they did buy out Lucasfilm, after they invested a bunch of money into a land for Avatar / Attractions with SW and Indy.

If anyone has any insight that'd be great. Thanks.

Wait, Disney has to pay for attraction/pavillion sponsorship/licensing? Like Test Track? In laymen's terms, I'm curious about how this works.

Test Track is nothing like the other three. Test Track is a sponsorship, not licensed IP. GM pays Disney for Test Track, not the other way around.

 

[Maeryk]

Test Track is nothing like the other three. Test Track is a sponsorship, not licensed IP. GM pays Disney for Test Track, not the other way around.

Good point. The sponsorships were/are the opposite.. the sponsor actually puts the money in, and has a say in the ride design.. thus why we ended up with a ride about figment with no figment. Or why the current iteration of SSE concentrates on communications and data transfer, because that's what Siemens does.

Us old phart park goes can remember when a lot of attractions had sponsors.. from Kraft to Rand Computers to Kodak to Delta and GE (carousel of progress and Horizons) and Exxon.

 

[wityblack]

They had to license a large amount of properties for The Great Movie Ride; Alien, Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, Indiana Jones (At the time), Public Enemy, Tarzan, A Fistful of Daughter, Footlight Parade, The Searchers, and The Mummy.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

That's exactly what I thought. That's why I was confused that I thought I read the opposite.

Probably a misguided inclusion on my end. However I wanted to touch base on all outside IP's, even if they're sponsorship.

The reason why I ask all the questions above is because I sort of want to narrow everything down to a single question and answer - how easily could Disney / outside IP owners, cancel the contract on their own terms? There isn't much doubt on my mind that Disney wishes to eliminate non-Disney IP.

 

[Maeryk]

They had to license a large amount of properties for The Great Movie Ride; Alien, Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, Indiana Jones (At the time), Public Enemy, Tarzan, A Fistful of Daughter, Footlight Parade, The Searchers, and The Mummy.[/QUOTE
That was all part of the MGM partnership, :nd that ride was in danger until TCM decided to get involved, as they bought the rights to most of those (Alien being

Probably a misguided inclusion on my end. However I wanted to touch base on all outside IP's, even if they're sponsorship.

The reason why I ask all the questions above is because I sort of want to narrow everything down to a single question and answer - how easily could Disney / outside IP owners, cancel the contract on their own terms? There isn't much doubt on my mind that Disney wishes to eliminate non-Disney IP.

I don't know that there is an easy answer. Each contract is likely different. Aerosmith isn't really an "ip" like say, Star Wars is, so to take rnr as an example, you are (likely) looking at appearance fees to the band, licensing for their likeness, licensing for the music used, and merch contracts. Without seeing each contract individually, it's impossible to day who has renegotiation rights, or what sort of penalties would be incurred if either side decided to cancel it. (At least three sides in that one.. the band, for their name and likeness, the record label(s), for the music rights, and Disney).

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

They will also own Avatar in early 2019.

The Avatar film distribution rights are coming with 20th C Fox, but James Cameron has been around long enough to protect what he created. He and his production company own the IP.