Uni waiting for Marvel Buyout from Disney?

PrincessNelly_NJ

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Someone mentioned to me today that once Diagon Alley & the Citywalk expansion are completed Universal will begin focusing attention back on IOA. (Which was apparent anyway with King Kong heading that way.)

But what got my attention was when they said that Universal is anticipating that Disney will buyout the Marvel contract and already have plans in place to bring in DC Comics.

I'm not sure if I believe a word of it, especially because Six Flags has the rights to DC.

But then it was pointed out to me that Uni has been selling DC merch for quite sometime.:confused:

All this could mean we would possibly see Marvel hit Disney World after all.

Anyone heard anything about this?

*Not sure which thread this was appropriate for so feel free to move*
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
PrincessNelly_NJ said:
Someone mentioned to me today that once Diagon Alley & the Citywalk expansion are completed Universal will begin focusing attention back on IOA. (Which was apparent anyway with King Kong heading that way.)

But what got my attention was when they said that Universal is anticipating that Disney will buyout the Marvel contract and already have plans in place to bring in DC Comics.

I'm not sure if I believe a word of it, especially because Six Flags has the rights to DC.

But then it was pointed out to me that Uni has been selling DC merch for quite sometime.:confused:

All this could mean we would possibly see Marvel hit Disney World after all.

Anyone heard anything about this?

*Not sure which thread this was appropriate for so feel free to move*
Click to expand...

One reason I would be skeptical of this is that the Uni/Marvel contract was made back when Marvel was close to bankruptcy, so the contract has very favorable terms for Uni. The actual amounts Uni has to pay are redacted in the contract but I would bet that they are pretty good and the can only increase with the rate of inflation. So the amount Uni is paying now is probably a huge bargain considering the current popularity of Marvel. I doubt they could pick up another franchise of equal popularity at that price.
 
WDWDad13

WDWDad13

Well-Known Member
I'd say if Disney really wanted them...there's a price for everything just don't know if it would be worth it

..,.however once the other parks are expanded and refreshed...a 5th more non-princess aka boy focused park (marvel, cars, and Star Wars, etc) could happen

Far fetched I know...but not anymore far fetch than Uni selling marvel and spirit being right about everything in his recent threads lol
 
sshindel

sshindel

The Epcot Manifesto
WDWDad13 said:
I'd say if Disney really wanted them...there's a price for everything just don't know if it would be worth it
Click to expand...
Everybody's got a price...
di-biase-sr-1787460.jpg
 
CDavid

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Marvel at Universal remains a legitimate topic for a Disney rumors board. The level of pixie-dusted conspiracy theories by fans on the subject is sometimes overwhelming, granted, but just because it has been discussed to death previously doesn't mean nobody can ever have anything pertinent to say about it ever again. Not every forum member has been here for years or has the experience of having participated in every thread.

The Marvel contract with Universal is neither required forum reading nor off-topic for a discussion of Disney rumors.
 
S

seascape

Well-Known Member
PrincessNelly_NJ said:
Someone mentioned to me today that once Diagon Alley & the Citywalk expansion are completed Universal will begin focusing attention back on IOA. (Which was apparent anyway with King Kong heading that way.)

But what got my attention was when they said that Universal is anticipating that Disney will buyout the Marvel contract and already have plans in place to bring in DC Comics.

I'm not sure if I believe a word of it, especially because Six Flags has the rights to DC.

But then it was pointed out to me that Uni has been selling DC merch for quite sometime.:confused:

All this could mean we would possibly see Marvel hit Disney World after all.

Anyone heard anything about this?

*Not sure which thread this was appropriate for so feel free to move*
Click to expand...
Disney will never pay Universal for the Marvel rights.

First Disney owns the rights to the Marvel Characters everywhere except Orlando and Japan and will be developing rides and attractions around the word and at the same time have Universals money pay for them. The Japan rights that Universal Japan has expire sometime before 2030 based on news articles I have read.

Second. Universal is paying Disney big money every year and since Universal has to also maintain the attractions in a first rate manner it would make more sense for Universal to just give the rights up because it would cost less money to build attraction from their other parks rather than continue to upgrade rides that can only be used in one park. It would also free up space for HP3. Therfore it is logical to let Universal continue to pay Disney until they realize disney will never pay for the rights in just one city.

Universal and their Orlando fans are in a dream world believing Disney will pay enough for universal to do a major expansion. If Disney had any intension of doing so they would have done so by now. It makes no sense from a business stand point to pay Universal. The answer is no.

Finally on the DC rights. Six flags owns them and they paid all their fees while in bankruptcy so they would not lose them. Additionally there is a poison bill in their DC contract. It is void if any movie studio buys six flags. So unless a studio is so stupid they would not do that. Neither Universal nor Disney can buy six flags.
 
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PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
CDavid said:
Marvel at Universal remains a legitimate topic for a Disney rumors board. The level of pixie-dusted conspiracy theories by fans on the subject is sometimes overwhelming, granted, but just because it has been discussed to death previously doesn't mean nobody can ever have anything pertinent to say about it ever again. Not every forum member has been here for years or has the experience of having participated in every thread.

The Marvel contract with Universal is neither required forum reading nor off-topic for a discussion of Disney rumors.
Click to expand...

Well, it should be.

Anyone have a link to the contract?
 
FigmentJedi

FigmentJedi

Well-Known Member
Isn't Kong's Skull Island planned to be somewhere adjacent to Jurassic Park? That said, an overhaul of Marvel Island transforming it into Monster Island and featuring a Godzilla ride as well would be more then welcome.
 
PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
One reason I would be skeptical of this is that the Uni/Marvel contract was made back when Marvel was close to bankruptcy, so the contract has very favorable terms for Uni. The actual amounts Uni has to pay are redacted in the contract but I would bet that they are pretty good and the can only increase with the rate of inflation. So the amount Uni is paying now is probably a huge bargain considering the current popularity of Marvel. I doubt they could pick up another franchise of equal popularity at that price.
Click to expand...


You have a link for the contract?
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
seascape said:
Disney will never pay Universal for the Marvel rights.

First Disney owns the rights to the Marvel Characters everywhere except Orlando and Japan and will be developing rides and attractions around the word and at the same time have Universals money pay for them. The Japan rights that Universal Japan has expire sometime before 2030 based on news articles I have read.

Second. Universal is paying Disney big money every year and since Universal has to also maintain the attractions in a first rate manner it would make more sense for Universal to just give the rights up because it would cost less money to build attraction from their other parks rather than continue to upgrade rides that can only be used in one park. It would also free up space for HP3. Therfore it is logical to let Universal continue to pay Disney until they realize disney will never pay for the rights in just one city.

Universal and their Orlando fans are in a dream world believing Disney will pay enough for universal to do a major expansion. If Disney had any intension of doing so they would have done so by now. It makes no sense from a business stand point to pay Universal. The answer is no.

Finally on the DC rights. Six flags owns them and they paid all their fees while in bankruptcy so they would not lose them. Additionally there is a poison bill in their DC contract. It is void if any movie studio buys six flags. So unless a studio is so stupid they would not do that. Neither Universal nor Disney can buy six flags.
Click to expand...

You COULD say the same thing about the deal that brought Oswald back into the Disney fold. I'm not sure how much will ever be gained for that effort beyond good PR and one Treasures DVD set. But Disney wanted it. And now Disney has it.

Paramount produced the first 2 Iron Man movies, and the first Cap Am and Thor movies. Now they are straight up Marvel movies (as was The Avengers), meaning they are straight up Disney movies. They also bought the rights to those previously produced movies. Buying Avengers and Iron Man 3 away from Paramount made that studio 115 million dollars. Now sure, they could have rolled the dice and potentially reaped greater benefits, but hey, Paramount made 115 million for doing nothing, assuming NO risk. Not a bad haul. Disney was willing to pay for it. So they did.

Meanwhile, Uni could decide that they're tired of one whole section of one of their parks being a commercial for a competitor's product. WDW's inability to create a Marvel based ride does not prohibit them from promoting the hell out of new movies or content, or apparently selling Marvel merch in Dtd, meaning that the visibility of Marvel product isn't exclusive to Uni, just the rides, which is diluting the concept of exclusivity.

Plus, Disney could start to argue that the Marvel rides are not being kept up to Disney's high standards (stop giggling), and be a thorn in the side of Uni in regards to pay more for upkeep than Uni's budgeted. Uni could then decide to retrofit the Marvel rides with different themes from different franchises...

My prediction - at some point within the next 5 years, Disney will acquire the theme park rights to a franchise and Uni will accept the rights to that franchise plus a lump sum payment to let go of Marvel. Frankly, it's why I thought they acquired Avatar in the first place but there are always new ideas to exploit.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
seascape said:
Contract is at

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1262449/000119312510008732/dex1057.htm
I especially like section I which Universal fans say is irrelevant.
Click to expand...

For those that weren't involved in the thread there was a lengthy discussion about section I the other day. All but one person in that discussion agreed that the first paragraph of section I is just a description of the project and is in no way legally binding. Uni could build a third gate without voiding the contract.
 
D

dvitali

Active Member
I wonder if Universal only have the rights to the1960 / 1970 Clairmont designs of the characters and not the modern days look for them. Wolverine at universal is still in yellow and black costume while in the book he do not wear any costume. Captain America still have the original costume not the movie military look. Spider-Man is still in blue and red not blue and black of the superior Spider-Man .

Side note laugh: last week when I was at universal I found that they are selling both Marvel and Simpson comics over a year old but at the original Universal Studio park in a store on Hollywood street they are selling DC Batman and Star Wars that only a couple week old.
 

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