When will Disney buy out Universals Marvel?

[Walt_Disney]

Since Disney has spent Billions buying Marvel but it doesn’t have the rights the theme park rights East of the Mississippi how long until they do something about this?

I would assume that Disney would want full control over the Marvel properties. And rather then confuse guests by having Marvel at the competitions park do something about it. I would imagine that Universal would sell the park rights to Disney for the right price.

if I were Bob Igor or someone in the Disney corporate world I would be doing everything possible to get those park rights so that guests aren’t confused and think Disney owns Universal or Universal is another Disney park. Which I’m aware that there’s a large population out that already think this. So perhaps buying the park rights would help this somewhat.

 

[drizgirl]

Why would Universal ever sell?

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Not even going to venture into this one. Good Luck though....

Let's just say - things are cyclical. MCU has hit it's peak. Why would anyone pay now on the downside? Let it bottom first. Then we can talk about what it would cost to bring it back. Just keep Kennedy far, far, away...

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney's project costs are already out of control. They can't afford to just add another billion dollars onto that cost.

 

[FettFan]

“When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves.”

 

[marni1971]

Since Disney has spent Billions buying Marvel but it doesn’t have the rights the theme park rights East of the Mississippi how long until they do something about this?.

If Universal wants to.

Until then Disney can do nothing about it. And Steve Burke is very happy with the current arrangemen.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Since Disney has spent Billions buying Marvel but it doesn’t have the rights the theme park rights East of the Mississippi how long until they do something about this?

I would assume that Disney would want full control over the Marvel properties. And rather then confuse guests by having Marvel at the competitions park do something about it. I would imagine that Universal would sell the park rights to Disney for the right price.

if I were Bob Igor or someone in the Disney corporate world I would be doing everything possible to get those park rights so that guests aren’t confused and think Disney owns Universal or Universal is another Disney park. Which I’m aware that there’s a large population out that already think this. So perhaps buying the park rights would help this somewhat.

Universal needs to have an incentive to sell. Currently, they have none. They are perfectly happy with the current arrangement.

 

[Mickey5150]

Disney will buy back the rights when Universal's price is less than or equal to what Disney is willing to pay.

 

[The_Jobu]

I'm more curious why Uni doesn't take more advantage of the contract. They could have added a Marvel Land to the new Epic Universe

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm more curious why Uni doesn't take more advantage of the contract. They could have added a Marvel Land to the new Epic Universe

The deal is for a specific land at the second gate.

 

[The_Jobu]

The deal is for a specific land at the second gate.

Well that explains that.

 

[MurphyJoe]

I've yet to hear a compelling business argument about why Disney would buy back those rights. Comcast has Disney's theme park market share squarely within their sights and is aggressively expanding. To purchase back the rights to one of Disney's hottest properties is going to come with a hefty premium from Comcast over what Universal originally paid. And since Marvel Super Hero Island couldn't remain in operation after an agreed to date, Disney would also be directly funding whichever super-immersive land replaces MSHI giving Universal another potential draw over Disney. So Disney pays out $1B+ for the rights to their direct competitor who's aiming for a bigger part of the pie and receives the Marvel rights. While Universal ends with a sparkly new area themed to 21st century expectations of big budget themed entertainment and at least a year of "Last year of MSHI at Islands of Adventure. Join us for a Super going away celebration!" marketing. With current publicly known project timelines from both Disney and Universal I'd wage even if they signed an agreement to sell back those rights this year, it'd be at least 2025-2030 before Disney would have anything substantial to show for them. And by then Marvel might not be as hot as it is now. Disney's best bet is Universal removing MSHI as it no longer fits in with the rest of an evolved IOA, which I don't see happening any time soon.

 

[Robbiem]

I think disney also get information about universal attendance/takings etc through this and maybe the simpsons contract so there is also a benefit to letting things continue as they are and take the cheque and get the intel

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think disney also get information about universal attendance/takings etc through this and maybe the simpsons contract so there is also a benefit to letting things continue as they are and take the cheque and get the intel

That information is not allowed near the parks business as a co fiction of approving Disney’s acquisition of Marvel.

 

[AndyS2992]

Disney is making a pretty penny off Universal having to pay them royalties and licensing fees without Disney having to do anything so not really much need to do anything. People who visit Universal for Marvel and Harry Potter will more than likely visit WDW so Disney is in a winning position all round.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Personally I would love it if Disney sold Universal The Simpsons rights to them to get the Marvel theme park rights back.

 

[GoofGoof]

Why would either side want a return of the rights to happen?

Universal has always been perfectly happy with renting other people‘s IP for their parks. They have no reason to not want to continue to have Marvel in that park. The only way it makes sense for them to sell the rights back and re-theme the land would be if the cash received was enormous. Enough to pay for another popular IP and also pay for re-theming the land. I don’t think very many people visit IOA just to go to Marvel Island but Spider-Man is a classic ride for Uni that still ranks as one of their most popular with guests. They would really need a boat load of cash and a great new IP to even consider replacing it.

From the Disney side why would they want to pay a carp load of cash to get the rights back when they would then have to dump a carp load more for a new land to justify the expenditure. The return just isn’t there when they have so many other options to fill the parks with. They can use GoTG and other future Marvel characters in FL and just keep the restricted characters outside the state. Plus they have a stream of cash coming in from Universal for the rights. Buying the rights back costs a chunk of money upfront, another chunk for a new land and then continuing operating costs every month going forward vs the status quo which is cash in with no offsetting expenses.

The only way this deal would get done is if Universal really wanted to redo the land in the distant future. They do have limited space but there are other things that could be replaced first.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney is making a pretty penny off Universal having to pay them royalties and licensing fees without Disney having to do anything so not really much need to do anything. People who visit Universal for Marvel and Harry Potter will more than likely visit WDW so Disney is in a winning position all round.

What Disney is received in fees is nowhere near commensurate with the current popularity of Marvel.

 

[marni1971]

The only way this deal would get done is if Universal really wanted to redo the land in the distant future. They do have limited space but there are other things that could be replaced first.

The contract stipulates they can add, say Ironman, to the land. If they wanted to dump the lands theme then yes, it’d be a time to sell.

But why would they? Spider-Man was a worlds best when Marvel was a has been. Disney have pushed the IP into a public frenzy and Comcast reap the benefit in Orlando.

IOA will see more additions and other re themes before Marvel is looked at.

 

[mousedroid]

Didn't I read that Disney has a Guardians of the Galaxy ride planned for EPCOT? If they can add that, why wouldn't they be able to add one or two rides based on other Marvel properties to other parks? A Black Panther stunt show in AK? An Iron Man simulator in HS? Dr. Strange's Wild Ride in Fantasyland?