Screamscape: Possible Buy Out of Universal for Marvel Theme Park Rights?

[imagineer boy]

They do have big plans for Marvel overseas, specifically Shanghai and potentially Paris.

Blegh.:hurl:

 

[ChrisFL]

wake me up when something actually happens

 

[cheezbat]

Blegh.:hurl:

That's how i feel too. I'm so sick of Disney spending so much money on building new resorts outside of the US when their parks here need some serious attention.

 

[Bravo 229]

I'm just throwing my two cents in here, but in 15 to 20 years (or sooner) I wouldn't mind seeing the Marvel characters take the drive up I4 to a new home at DHS. If the Backlot Tour is still around, why not kill two birds with one stone and create one giant Marvel ride through the Backlot that would have outdoor/indoor soundstage elements? The backlot would be used and you have the Marvel characters in the parks. It could use smaller vehicles similar to either Spiderman or Test Track and have a storyline where you are trying to elude the villains, with the help of the Marvel heroes - basically like Spiderman but with several of the characters. Ok, I'll shut up now!

 

[Disday]

Lee, you claim you know so much about what is going on within the Disney Company. Could it be, that someone from another site knows something that you don't? Or, is this even possible? No one even questioned the source and I find that unusual for a Disney fan site. I don't think we should say something is out of the question just because one person claims it isn't so.

 

[GLaDOS]

If you asked 100 park guests what the "overall theme" of IOA is, I bet not one would say "literature".

Good for them. I bet if you asked 100 people on Expedition Everest what mountain they were on during the ride, none of them would be able to tell you that they really aren't on Everest, and that they're on the Forbidden Mountain.

Details are details. It doesn't matter if people get it or not.

 

[Krack]

Lee, you claim you know so much about what is going on within the Disney Company. Could it be, that someone from another site knows something that you don't? Or, is this even possible? No one even questioned the source and I find that unusual for a Disney fan site. I don't think we should say something is out of the question just because one person claims it isn't so.

Think about it for a second, why would Disney build a 5th gate when the 4th gate is half finished? Rumors about a 5th gate from "inside" sources happen every ten minutes on Disney message boards.

 

[scottnj1966]

Disney will never buy any theme park outside their Reedy Creeks borders. They would not have the control they have now.

Also the idea of them needing or wanting to buy Universal just because of the marvel products, come on. Universal can just switch to other characters if they really wanted too.

 

[Lee]

Could it be, that someone from another site knows something that you don't? Or, is this even possible?

Of course. I make no bones about the fact that there are quite a few folks out there who are better connected than I am.
Have anyone in particular in mind?

No one even questioned the source and I find that unusual for a Disney fan site. I don't think we should say something is out of the question just because one person claims it isn't so.

Ummm...not sure what you are exactly referring to.
Fifth park? Yeah. I'm sure about that one.
Marvel buyout? Pretty sure, based on conversations I've had with people who get their paychecks signed by Mickey.

 

[njDizFan]

Lee, you claim you know so much about what is going on within the Disney Company. Could it be, that someone from another site knows something that you don't? Or, is this even possible? No one even questioned the source and I find that unusual for a Disney fan site. I don't think we should say something is out of the question just because one person claims it isn't so.

mind sending a link to this poster so I can go and flame them at this other site..:drevil:

 

[IWant2GoNow]

Disney will never buy any theme park outside their Reedy Creeks borders. They would not have the control they have now.

Also the idea of them needing or wanting to buy Universal just because of the marvel products, come on. Universal can just switch to other characters if they really wanted too.

The rumor isn't that Disney is buying Universal.

It's that Disney wants to buy the rights from Universal to be able to use Marvel characters in WDW.

 

[fosse76]

I doubt that DC Comics will be leaving the Six Flags chain any time soon. I believe Warner Bros. still has some ownership in the company, plus the Looney Tunes and DC Comics are the chain's oldest characters. The "de-branding" is about getting focus back onto a few brands, particularly their older, traditional brands.

The de-branding has to with Dan Snyder putting businesses he has business interests in into the parks. It reduced what little themeing was left in some of the parks, and park-wise made no sense (why eat at Panda Express at Six Flags when there's one at the local mall).

That said, I do think Warner Bros. would be open to having the DC characters take up residence at Islands of Adventure. Six Flags may protest, but Warner Bros. no longer wholly owns those parks, so they are probably not as concerned about any customer confusion.

Six Flags has a licensing agreement granting exclusive rights to those characters in their parks in the continental U.S. It is a contract. WB can't simply lease out those rights to another company, regardless of its ownership stake in the parks. When the Dan Snyder takeover happened, they re-newed the license for 50 years.

However, they could re-negotiate the terms easily. Six Flags has no interest in expanding in Florida, and probably wouldn't object to exempting the Orlando area.

I also have to laugh at some of the other posters here who thibnk Disney is laughing all the way to the bank at Universal's expense. Other than merchandise sales, which would fluctuate what income they receive from Universal, the licensing fees paid by Universal are miniscule. They barely even register on the accountant's spreadsheet.

 

[Disday]

I know people who get their checks signed by Mickey too, and they usually don't know what's going on within the company. A Marvel park in Florida has been talked about since the acquisition by people in different media who are well aware of the current contract (if it hasn't been bought out already). The current view is that Disney is trying to get back all of the Marvel rights - movies, theme parks, etc. If I bought a company for $4 billion you could bet I would want the theme park rights for the number one tourist destination. I read the rumor at MouseBuzz everyone is welcome to flame against the site if you wish. Time will tell what's true.:wave:

 

[lazyboy97o]

The media knows squat about Disneyls long term plans for Walt Disney World. The Resort simply cannot sustain a fifth park. Unit the capacity is absolutely needed, anybody who tells you a fifth theme park is coming is either lying or doesnlt know anything.

 

[Krack]

I know people who get their checks signed by Mickey too, and they usually don't know what's going on within the company. A Marvel park in Florida has been talked about since the acquisition by people in different media who are well aware of the current contract (if it hasn't been bought out already). The current view is that Disney is trying to get back all of the Marvel rights - movies, theme parks, etc. If I bought a company for $4 billion you could bet I would want the theme park rights for the number one tourist destination. I read the rumor at MouseBuzz everyone is welcome to flame against the site if you wish. Time will tell what's true.:wave:

Oh for Pete's sake ... the contract is not bought out already. If it was, we'd know about it almost immediately - it's two public companies. I'm actually surprised the contract itself hasn't been leaked already.

 

[Lee]

I know people who get their checks signed by Mickey too, and they usually don't know what's going on within the company

Then we're obviously talking to different people.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Any Marvel additions to WDW will come after Shanghai, after they can get a handle on their success/popularity. Shanghai will be sort of a testing ground for Marvel concepts, in a way.

Yes, because where better to test out a concept than a place where people are barely familiar with the characters involved and have little exposure to their stories? Oy. I roll my eyes not at you, Lee, because I know what you say to be correct, but at whomever came up with this concept. And I have no idea what they're up to in Paris, but adding superheroes should be way, way down on the list of things they desperately need to do.

They are in no rush to get the rights from Uni, and are content to sit back and collect royalties for the next few years.
Uni won't make the change on their own initiative, it would be too expensive. They will ride Marvel as far as they can, and either wait on Disney to eventually buy them out, or the contract to end.

Agreed. We know TDO to be content to just roll over and take it from Universal anyway - if they're not going to stand up and respond to WWoHP, what makes us think they'd spend millions to buy out a contract? With all that needs doing at WDW, it doesn't make sense to start a project that not only would cost hundreds of millions - a new Marvel area - but would incur millions in extra costs because you have to buy the rights. It doesn't make sense when there's so much unfinished in all four parks as it is.

Besides, even if they started planning now any new Marvel attraction probably wouldn't be ready by the time the contract with Universal expired. Best to wait it out.

(And yes, if they're going to do something Marvel they're going to want those rights. If you don't have Spidey, Hulk, The X-Men, Fantastic 4, etc, what's the point? A new Marvel area with Dr. Strange and Man-Thing?)

 

[fosse76]

Besides, even if they started planning now any new Marvel attraction probably wouldn't be ready by the time the contract with Universal expired. Best to wait it out.

The contract doesn't expire...Universal has the rights to the characters in perpetuity. However, I do believe the fees do have an expiration date, at which time they re-negotiate how much Universal has to pay.

(And yes, if they're going to do something Marvel they're going to want those rights. If you don't have Spidey, Hulk, The X-Men, Fantastic 4, etc, what's the point? A new Marvel area with Dr. Strange and Man-Thing?)

Exactly. Some posters mentioned Marvel creating new characters and that being enough of a a draw. Yeah right. The ones people care about or have any mainstream popularity belong, currently, to Universal. Universal is the one with the power here.

 

[Studios Fan]

The contract doesn't expire...Universal has the rights to the characters in perpetuity. However, I do believe the fees do have an expiration date, at which time they re-negotiate how much Universal has to pay.


Exactly. Some posters mentioned Marvel creating new characters and that being enough of a a draw. Yeah right. The ones people care about or have any mainstream popularity belong, currently, to Universal. Universal is the one with the power here.

I completely agree. At the end of day, Disney needs to buyout the deal to get the good characters.

 

[Lee]

I completely agree. At the end of day, Disney needs to buyout the deal to get the good characters.

Or....wait until the fees come up for renegotiation. At that point they could demand a rate that Uni would be unwilling to pay, thus compelling them to voluntarily give up the rights
Buying the rights would be hugely expensive. Disney ain't gonna pay it if they don't have to.