The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[WDW1974]

OK, I was not planning on starting a new news/observations/thoughts thread just yet, but I just got some information from a Marvelous source and I didn't want this buried on Page 635 of another thread -- which I will continue to post in as I see fit -- and I felt it was worthy as a first post in such a thread.

The news is this: it's taken four plus years but Marvel head Ike Perlmutter is ''livid'' with Bob Iger and the WDC PR hacks for putting out the message that Disney is ending its gambling business, a lucrative one at that, in the wake of a recent New York Times piece that showed just how hypocritical Disney has been.

While Disney wants no part of any gambling business in order to continue to keep destination resorts out of Florida, Perlmutter ''loves the exposure'' that the slot machines (real in casinos and virtual online) and lottery tickets have given Marvel. He is especially pleased with the demos that use Marvel-licensed characters in gambling as they are largely the young male demographic that loves all things Marvel.

Now, he'll never get his way in the long run. Disney realizes how damaging Marvel and Lucas gambling licenses are to its BRAND, and now to its fight with Vegas gaming powers, but Ike is quite powerful and he isn't going to cower to Bob either.

This one is ugly. Shame we can't have a crystal ball and watch it all.

 

[WDW1974]

Oh, one other note on said subject, kind of a shame that the writers of the Times Disney gaming piece were not familiar, apparently, with a story Brooks Barnes wrote in April of 2010. It was a lovely, kiss up, PR piece on how wonderful The Weatherman was and is for Disney.

Of Perlmutter and the Marvel acquisition, Iger said, "The integration has gone well, and the potential has exceeded my expectations." Barnes continues on, "Mr. Iger said he had concluded that gaming of all kinds should be managed in a cohesive way by the Internet group, adding that the company's approach to the business continues to evolve."

Said Iger, "The baggage of tradition can slow you down. I'm not going to eliminate that, but I'd like to reduce it significantly."

Very interesting, I thought. Much like the O-Sentinel not writing a word of the Marvel gambling tale, yet running an 'opinion' piece by the Las Vegas Sands on Friday in which they clearly declared war on Disney to get the resort on South Beach they crave.

Of course, those Disney spokespeople were less than honest with the Times (what a shock, I know!) in that some of these deals won't expire until Pandora has been open. Oh, and guess what one of the biggest hits of the latest Vegas gaming show was. Yep, you got it: Avatar-themed slots that Jimmy Cameron himself worked on. Those won't be going anywhere no matter what Disney wants.

 

[WDW1974]

DLR news is that the plans for extorting Christmas ...I mean bringing MVMCP westward have been shelved 'for the foreseeable future'

Not sure who got cold feet, Colglazier or Crofton or both, but Anaheim regulars who have never had to pay extra for holiday entertainment won't for 2014 and the next few years.

 

[WDW1974]

meh i dont get the outrage with a company wanting to increase revenue

What exactly are you talking about?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I thought the gambling story was a story because Disney controls all within its wall and those suggesting the deals reflect an acquired subsidiary that wasn't being interfered with or afraid of causing tension were just trying to distract from the real story?

 

[WDW1974]

For folks looking for Star Wars news or an announcement, looks like you'll have a bit of a wait as Iger wants a large stage on which he can crow and announce additions for DL and TPFKaTD-MGMS will at once ...and maybe a television or film announcement as well.

I have NO idea when this will be. Got some educated guesses, but I am sure you all can spitball just like I can.

 

[WDW1974]

I thought the gambling story was a story because Disney controls all within its wall and those suggesting the deals reflect an acquired subsidiary that wasn't being interfered with or afraid of causing tension were just trying to distract from the real story?

Are you speaking of what was written in the NYT or about what has been discussed on this forum?

 

[BrianLo]

I don't understand what the big deal is over this... was the Marvel gambling business really that sizeable? I always thought it was small beans (hence no one up top really noticed or cared about it). BUT the fan community here made a stink about double standards, and now that it was pointed out by a NY times article the powers that be are doing away with the dubious connection.

So once again, what's the big deal... it wasn't to begin with and anyone who cared can now be appeased that Disney has upheld its morale stance against gambling.

 

[WDW1974]

the fact that disney had its hand in legal gaming

Some people don't like hypocrisy in Big Business, others don't care. People can make their own decisions on this issue as they see fit. I don't like hypocrisy myself.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Are you speaking of what was written in the NYT or about what has been discussed on this forum?

What was discussed here. The notion of Marvel making Disney uphold its promise of non-interference was dismissed as nonsense despite having been discussed previously.

 

[WDW1974]

What was discussed here. The notion of Marvel making Disney uphold its promise of non-interference was dismissed as nonsense despite having been discussed previously.

Ah, well from the look of things that didn't last very long, did it? Perhaps, Ike should have taken a trip to Emeryville to see how a 'hands off' policy with Disney exists in reality?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I couldn't care less about Star Wars in DL. Give it to Florida and let it be that.

In regards to DLR exploiting Christmas, I was actually looking forward to not having to watch that boring Christmas firework show and parade. Oh well.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

DLR news is that the plans for extorting Christmas ...I mean bringing MVMCP westward have been shelved 'for the foreseeable future'

Not sure who got cold feet, Colglazier or Crofton or both, but Anaheim regulars who have never had to pay extra for holiday entertainment won't for 2014 and the next few years.

Wise move. SoCal'ers would NOT have taken kindly to such a move, and it would have been a PR nightmare for the resort.

 

[Kuhio]

Although many of Marvel's actual comic books continue to skew toward an older audience, it seems that Disney is determined to keep the most visible and widely consumed embodiments of the Marvel brand -- movies, TV shows, and toys -- firmly targeted to the youth demographic.

The recent Marvel movies, like nearly all of the highest-grossing movies in the past decade, are typically in the PG-13 range, with mostly bloodless violence and virtually no sexual content whatsoever. When I saw the PG-13 Thor: The Dark World this weekend, a sizable portion of the audience consisted of families with children who were significantly younger than thirteen -- many in the grade school range. Indeed, PG-13 has become today's PG -- with all of the major franchises (Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings/Hobbit, Twilight, Hunger Games, most of the Harry Potters) occupying the now family-friendly PG-13 territory.

And if Agents of SHIELD is a bellwether, then Disney's longterm TV plans for its Marvel properties skew even younger. One of the reasons I couldn't stomach AoS for more than a few episodes is the fact that its characters and storylines unambiguously target the preteen (or younger) set: half of SHIELD's central team consists of young computer/science prodigies that are clearly meant to be audience surrogates. And the action is even more bloodless and more lacking in genuine peril than the Marvel movies; much as Disney Channel's "kidcoms" are essentially live-action versions of slapstick cartoons, so too is AoS essentially a live-action version of a sanitized action cartoon like the G.I. Joe of yesteryear. Some of the fight scenes are as devoid of true violence as the Batman slugfests of the '60s.

Not that all of Marvel's "kiddification" efforts have borne bland fruit, however: the LEGO Marvel Superheroes video game (not developed by Disney itself, but obviously bearing the Marvel brand and subject to Marvel oversight as to content) is a clever, amusing, and surprisingly deep addition to the LEGO line of video games. Including over 100 characters, LEGO Marvel Superheroes introduces a number of welcome additions to the somewhat stale play mechanics of the LEGO games. More importantly, it appears to be set firmly in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- referencing events in the recent Marvel films, and including versions of the characters based largely on the movie counterparts. As enjoyable as the game might be on its own merits, however, it does exemplify Disney's general trend toward making the Marvel brand as family-friendly as possible.

In other Disney video game news, Disney Infinity has done quite well, selling over 1 million units since August. This has helped the largely hapless Disney Interactive post a profit for the last quarter, and significantly increased its revenues for the fiscal year. So while the Disney company might be losing future revenue in terms of its Marvel/Star Wars gambling interests, at least it is making inroads elsewhere in the entertainment industry -- where, no doubt, both Marvel and Star Wars characters will soon be appearing.

 

[WDW1974]

I couldn't care less about Star Wars in DL. Give it to Florida and let it be that.

In regards to DLR exploiting Christmas, I was actually looking forward to not having to watch that boring Christmas firework show and parade. Oh well.

I do agree about the latter. The parade is ancient and the pyro only slightly less so. One area where DL is staler than the MK.

 

[HenryMystic]

For folks looking for Star Wars news or an announcement, looks like you'll have a bit of a wait as Iger wants a large stage on which he can crow and announce additions for DL and TPFKaTD-MGMS will at once ...and maybe a television or film announcement as well.

I have NO idea when this will be. Got some educated guesses, but I am sure you all can spitball just like I can.

If only there had been an event held a few months ago with a large stage.....

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think I'm lost on the whole Marvel gambling hullabaloo, too. Didn't see the recent Times article. Were they criticizing because of gaming machines that were themed with Marvel characters? Is the big no-no the fact that it's gambling?

 

[WDW1974]

I think I'm lost on the whole Marvel gambling hullabaloo, too. Didn't see the recent Times article. Were they criticizing because of gaming machines that were themed with Marvel characters? Is the big no-no the fact that it's gambling?

I don't have a link handy, but --basically -- yes.

The big deal is Disney fighting gambling and talking about how it isn't family friendly while profiting off of it at the same time.

 

[HakunaMatata89]

I don't gamble at Marvel themed machines to show my support.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I don't have a link handy, but --basically -- yes.

The big deal is Disney fighting gambling and talking about how it isn't family friendly while profiting off of it at the same time.

Perfect. You summed it up well. Now I've connected the dots. For shame, for shame....TskTskTsk....

Thanks, Spirit. Always fun to watch the big boys duke it out. Or maybe it's more like a cat fight??? LOL!