Uni waiting for Marvel Buyout from Disney?

[lazyboy97o]

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.

I like how you act as thought you are sharing this information with us. You didn't and you continue to argue for something that is not there.

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.

All of those other deals had different terms. Universal is getting Marvel for a steal. No other property is going to be as popular and as cheap as Marvel.

I don't see why Disney would have to give Universal a dime to get the rights back. Universal is completely limited in what they can do with the licence right now and can't put the Marvel characers in any other park but the second gate. Throw in the fact the character usage at IOA is that of the comic book versions and not the film versions which the current popularity is based on, I personally see Universal building something new instead of getting a buyout. And just what has Disney done with Marvel in their other parks? Nothing?

There are rules and Universal is following them. The films showing a different version is irrelevant. Universal is only limited to using the most widely known and popular of Marvel's characters, such as Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers. If they wanted to build new attractions they could do just that because Marvel must give reasonable approval and trying to prevent a licensee from exercising their rights is not at all reasonable approval.

You are the one who is taking this off topic. The original post was about would Disney buy the rights from Universal for just one city. The answer is no. You know if they had wanted to they would have done so by now. Marvel characters will not add to Disney attendance. They have star wars and Indiana Jones and lots of other characters they already have to use on rides and attractions. Universal on the other hand has paid a great deal for HP and no longer needs Marvel. The only question is how long universal still wants to pay Disney. This is not like a movie which is world wide. Disney gains nothing if they pay Universal other than the rights for ONE AND ONLY ONE park. Universal will eventually give them up.

Universal gave up the global rights to Marvel years ago, which you would know if you read more than Section I and starting harping on something that does not exist.

Does anyone else think it would be a win-win for Disney to trade Avatar to Uni in exchange for Orlando Marvel rights. Then the AK expansion could be "repurposed". IOA could be "repurposed". Etc...

Avatar would cost a lot more money than Marvel.

I think there is always a chance a deal could be made between Uni and Disney. But that deal would never involve Universal giving up the Marvel rights.

Things like, Universal would let Disney build an Iron Man attraction in Animal Kingdom/World Showcase/Adventureland or what ever poorly chosen place Disney decides and Uni gets Uni park tickets and transportation options offered in WDTC packages.

What does Universal gain from such a deal? There is already enough confusion amongst the populace.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

I think there is always a chance a deal could be made between Uni and Disney. But that deal would never involve Universal giving up the Marvel rights.

Things like, Universal would let Disney build an Iron Man attraction in Animal Kingdom/World Showcase/Adventureland or what ever poorly chosen place Disney decides and Uni gets Uni park tickets and transportation options offered in WDTC packages.

Hadn't thought of that possibility before. I imagine Uni would be all over that in order to break Disney's stranglehold of on-site guests, the exact reason WDW wouldn't consider it.

 

[Mr Toad]

That pretty much sums up this thread for me. There will be an entire park based on Lord of the Rings at Universal before Disney can even dream about using Marvel in Florida.

Disney should buy the rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit...Imagine Middle Earth replacing AK or as a straight up 5th gate.

 

[FigmentJedi]

This is true according to several different sources. Uni thought the Avatar stories and characters would not have staying power to warrant investing into a themed land project.

Again showing more common sense then Iger.

 

[stevehousse]

But what would the rides be rethemed to? Turn Spider-Man into Batman? Hulk to Green lantern? Storm to Wonder Woman???

 

[FigmentJedi]

Disney should buy the rights to Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit...Imagine Middle Earth replacing AK or as a straight up 5th gate.

It'd never happen. Tolkien family hates Disney.

As far as outside fantasy IP goes, I think Disney should just finish what they started, absorb the rest of the Henson company and actually put those vaguely tossed around plans to revisit Fraggle Rock and Dark Crystal into motion. They just haven't really been able to do that much beyond mo-cap edutainment shows and licensing the Creature Shop/Fraggle stuff and having access to the Money Bin would actually allow them to get the various film concepts they've been having sitting around going. And they could still probably do the adult-skewing Puppet Up stuff through Touchstone or something.

 

[Fox&Hound]

I would love for ANYONE to have theme park rights to DC other than Six Flags. Look what they've done with Batman and his amazing villians- squander them on cheap rides. Could you imagine if Universal did have HP and DC. My little nerd brain would explode.

 

[The Crafty Veteran]

There are rules and Universal is following them. The films showing a different version is irrelevant. Universal is only limited to using the most widely known and popular of Marvel's characters, such as Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers. If they wanted to build new attractions they could do just that because Marvel must give reasonable approval and trying to prevent a licensee from exercising their rights is not at all reasonable approval.

How can the film versions be irrelevant when I would guess the majority of the general public only knows Wolverine as Hugh Jackman for example. Using the predefinded character designs as Dave has said gives the area a childish cartoon image that takes away from the films successes, and in the long run, my opinion, will force Universal to abandon the license to build something else. This isn't life or death to me like it apparently is to others, its interesting to read about because people are very passionate.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I would love for ANYONE to have theme park rights to DC other than Six Flags. Look what they've done with Batman and his amazing villians- squander them on cheap rides. Could you imagine if Universal did have HP and DC. My little nerd brain would explode.

Aside from Christopher Nolan making a couple of good Batman movies… One is done some pretty horrific things with the characters in the movies as well…

How can the film versions be irrelevant when I would guess the majority of the general public only knows Wolverine as Hugh Jackman for example. Using the predefinded character designs as Dave has said gives the area a childish cartoon image that takes away from the films successes, and in the long run, my opinion, will force Universal to abandon the license to build something else. This isn't life or death to me like it apparently is to others, its interesting to read about because people are very passionate.

That is something that I believe could be negotiated. But the appearance of how wolverine looks would not be something either company would risk this many millions of dollars on.

I also don't think universal would want to use wolverine in the half naked huge Jackman sense.

 

[lazyboy97o]

How can the film versions be irrelevant when I would guess the majority of the general public only knows Wolverine as Hugh Jackman for example. Using the predefinded character designs as Dave has said gives the area a childish cartoon image that takes away from the films successes, and in the long run, my opinion, will force Universal to abandon the license to build something else. This isn't life or death to me like it apparently is to others, its interesting to read about because people are very passionate.

The films started well over a decade ago and there still seems to be no confusion amongst the public.

I would love for ANYONE to have theme park rights to DC other than Six Flags. Look what they've done with Batman and his amazing villians- squander them on cheap rides. Could you imagine if Universal did have HP and DC. My little nerd brain would explode.

That is all Warner Bros. If they want better DC rides they could insist on them like they did with Justice League: Alien Invasion 3D.

 

[wm49rs]

How can the film versions be irrelevant when I would guess the majority of the general public only knows Wolverine as Hugh Jackman for example. Using the predefinded character designs as Dave has said gives the area a childish cartoon image that takes away from the films successes, and in the long run, my opinion, will force Universal to abandon the license to build something else. This isn't life or death to me like it apparently is to others, its interesting to read about because people are very passionate.

No one is forcing Universal to do anything, least of all Disney....

 

[Mr Toad]

It'd never happen. Tolkien family hates Disney.

As far as outside fantasy IP goes, I think Disney should just finish what they started, absorb the rest of the Henson company and actually put those vaguely tossed around plans to revisit Fraggle Rock and Dark Crystal into motion. They just haven't really been able to do that much beyond mo-cap edutainment shows and licensing the Creature Shop/Fraggle stuff and having access to the Money Bin would actually allow them to get the various film concepts they've been having sitting around going. And they could still probably do the adult-skewing Puppet Up stuff through Touchstone or something.

You never know, stranger things have happened...Avatar to name one. Just saying Disney could do great things with Middle Earth.

 

[CDavid]

Just saying Disney could do great things with Middle Earth.

At one time, yes, they could have.

It is also telling that Universal was smart enough to pass on Avatar...

 

[The Crafty Veteran]

The films started well over a decade ago and there still seems to be no confusion amongst the public.

Not with Potter there. Don't that ride have the films actors in them? Go figure.

 

[Bairstow]

I would love for ANYONE to have theme park rights to DC other than Six Flags. Look what they've done with Batman and his amazing villians- squander them on cheap rides. Could you imagine if Universal did have HP and DC. My little nerd brain would explode.

Eh.
Other than Spiderman and Dr. Doom's spiffy preshow, Universal didn't really do all that much with Marvel.
Hulk's a great coaster but a big missed opportunity when it comes to storytelling. The "overworld" of the land is lame too- mostly just billboards and neon.
Don't even get me started on the X-Men teacups.

I might catch some flak for this, but I actually think some of the Six Flags Gotham areas, Georgia's in particular, were superior to Marvel Superhero Island, especially when you consider their respective budgets.
The problem is that Six Flags seems to be vehemently opposed to the concept of properly maintaining their parks. All the neat details that made the Six Flags Gotham cities so great, like the cascading rivers of green toxic waste, Nygmatech uniforms for the team members, and water features for the Batman queues were soon allowed to go to seed or decay.

However, while we're on the subject of non-Six Flags interpretations of DC comics for theme park purposes...

 

[lazyboy97o]

Not with Potter there. Don't that ride have the films actors in them? Go figure.

What does Harry Potter have to do with anything? That was not the first time actors returned to do a theme park attraction. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Terminator 2: 3-D. Tom Wilson and Christopher Lloyd were in back to the Future: The Ride. Will Smith is in Men in Black: Alien Attack. Brendan Fraser is in Revenge of the Mummy. Richard Attenborough is in the Jurassic Park River Adventure.

 

[FigmentJedi]

What does Harry Potter have to do with anything? That was not the first time actors returned to do a theme park attraction. Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Terminator 2: 3-D. Tom Wilson and Christopher Lloyd were in back to the Future: The Ride. Will Smith is in Men in Black: Alien Attack. Brendan Fraser is in Revenge of the Mummy. Richard Attenborough is in the Jurassic Park River Adventure.

The Pirates of the Caribbean movie refurbs using the film actors.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Pirates of the Caribbean movie refurbs using the film actors.

I was limiting the examples to the Universal Orlando Resort.

 

[Mr Toad]

At one time, yes, they could have.

It is also telling that Universal was smart enough to pass on Avatar...

To this day I am still baffled about Avatar...why!?!?

 

[englanddg]

To this day I am still baffled about Avatar...why!?!?

Because it made a lot of money, so people must love it, right?

I mean, how many Cons do you see Navi at today?

Oh...none.

Well...how many Avatar T-shirts do you see people wearing now?

Oh...none.

What about successful toy lines that kids play with?

Oh...none.

Yeah...it really doesn't make much sense...but the movie made a lot of money, so people love it, right?

Right?