[The Dark Lord of the Sith]

It was reported today that Disney is purchasing Comic Book giant MARVEL for $4 Billion. What might this mean for Disney and the direction of the Studios? This could be very interesting!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090831/ap_on_...l_entertainment

[yulilin]

Wow! what does everyone think the ramifications of this transaction will have on Universal Islands of Adventures, I mean the have a whole land devoted to Marvel characters?
Will we soon se Spiderman with Mickey Ears on?

[Skippy]

What the heck is the point of them buying Marvel?

I'm pretty sure Marvel doesn't own certain rights to most of their properties. Theme park rights are owned by Universal, movie rights to Hulk by Universal, movie rights to Spidey and Ghost Rider by Columbia, movie rights to Blade by New Line, movie rights to Punisher by Lionsgate, and movie rights to X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil by Fox. I think they have movie rights for Iron Man (which Paramount distributes) and the Avengers but thats pretty much it. I'm definitely sure they'll never get the rights to X-Men or Spider-Man back but maybe the others.

I thoughts the fact that Marvel didn't have any properties left to give them was the reason they had Stan Lee sign up to give them some originals. Maybe this means The Spectacular Spider-Man did so well on DisneyXD that they not only ordered a third season but bought Marvel too

It'll be interesting to see how Disney utilizes this. Will they cut off Lionsgates' direct to DVD Marvel animated movies and cut off Nickelodeons Marvel animated TV shows (X-Men and Iron Man) to start their own or what. I just don't see any rides or live action movies coming out of this.

[surfpark]

Jim Hill had a good article discussing how such deals kind of puts these characters on the back-burner for a while. Disney likes to own everything from creative to distribution. It mentions how they basically sat on the Muppets until prior licensing deals expired.

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/arc...ey-company.aspx

Something about this deal just puts a bad taste in my mouth. I smells of greed more than a good match. When I think of the violence and action involved in Marvel comics, I definitely don't think of Disney's brand. In the same way the Muppets lost their creative spark (you've all seen the last few made-for-TV movies), I have a feeling that Marvel's properties are going to be changed fundamentally.

I know we tend to skew theme park-brain here, but I think this is bigger than competing with Universal Studios. This is Disney's effort to obtain a huge male-dominated franchise... something they have failed to create in the last 10 years. Aside from the theme parks, it has everything to do with films, consumer products, and a lot more. On paper, it looks like an easy decision, but I'd like to see how they're going to meet in the middle.

Can't say I love one company owning so much intellectual property, especially one that's rich enough to keep extending the laws.

[YoPaulie]

surfpark, on Aug 31 2009, 06:28 PM, said:

When I think of the violence and action involved in Marvel comics, I definitely don't think of Disney's brand.

You mean like No Country for Old Men, Doubt, Gone Baby Gone, and There Will Be Blood? Those were all released (or co-released) under a Disney company banner=Miramax. No one blinked an eye.

I think you'll see Marvel get the exact same treatment.

[YoPaulie]

Skippy said:

movie rights to Hulk by Universal…I think they have movie rights for Iron Man (which Paramount distributes) and the Avengers but thats pretty much it. I'm definitely sure they'll never get the rights to X-Men or Spider-Man back but maybe the others.

Actually, Marvel has all of the rights to The Hulk and Ironman, Universal just had distribution deals for them. Captain America, Thor, and The Avengers are in production, slated for 2011, 2011 and 2012 releases. Distribution deals with Paramount.

Marvel Studios has partial rights to Spider-Man 4 (co-produced with Columbia, 2011), Deadpool, and The X-Men Origins franchise (20th Century Fox, TBA). The movie rights for Spider-Man, X-Men, and Fantastic four are for purpetuity, so that would need to be negotiated. Possible, but not likely in the coming decade.

Skippy said:

I just don't see any rides or live action movies coming out of this.

I absolutely disagree. Marvel has total control of 4 films in production already. Disney will be the new distributor going forward with any property not currently signed. As for theme parks... Universal Studios ONLY has Hulk, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men characters licensed, to my knowledge. All licenses expire. And any other property is up for theme park development. What is unclear is that the theme park franchises are not known to be exclusive deals...

Disney is in the for the long haul. This is not a short term project... they are thinking long term; 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. IMO

[darthstich]

Skippy, on Aug 31 2009, 11:01 AM, said:

I thoughts the fact that Marvel didn't have any properties left to give them was the reason they had Stan Lee sign up to give them some originals. Maybe this means The Spectacular Spider-Man did so well on DisneyXD that they not only ordered a third season but bought Marvel too

Actually those reasons are most likely what lead to buying marvel. Spectacular Spider-Man as well as several other 80's-90's Marvel cartoons fill up a good 40%-60% of Disney XD's line up, all of which Disney had to shell out some cash for, and all of the originals, including comic books and film ideas, that Stan Lee has been shelling out for Disney it kinda does make business sense just to pay the money forward now and start making money off of all the other products that Marvel produces. Plus this re-awakens the old WB V.S. Disney fight, since they acquired DC a few years back.

[YoPaulie]

This is a good link for licensing rights... looks like evrything with a term limit will be up in 10 years.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainm...game-deals.html

[MJMcBride]

Marvel has gone to great lengths to keep the movie rights to their properties. Thats probably a rather large chunk of the 4+ billion.

So now everytime someone buys a spiderman t-shirt in IOA, I guess Disney receives some cash. Irony

[YoPaulie]

That begs the question...



Costumes for MNSSHP going to be more Marvel-focused now? Not official Disney CMs... I mean the guests.

[Pipper011]

Please help me here!! Disney bought marvel!! So my question is this when will the contract with universal island of adventure expire? If they wait for the contract to expire I believe disney might have a great idea for a brand new theme park for the marvel universe!!! What do you guys think? Plus the park can go on the west side of the property!!

[MJMcBride]

Pipper011, on Sep 1 2009, 12:52 AM, said:

So my question is this when will the contract with universal island of adventure expire?

Not really ever. Basically as long as Universal wants to keep the Spider Man ride they can

[surfpark]

I wonder if the contract also works for merchandise. How long with any of the Marvel properties last if Universal can't bank of merch sales?

[darthstich]

surfpark, on Sep 1 2009, 11:47 PM, said:

I wonder if the contract also works for merchandise. How long with any of the Marvel properties last if Universal can't bank of merch sales?

To my understanding, a good part of the Merchandise sales would go to Marvel in return for the never ending contract, and now that money goes to Disney

[MJMcBride]

Here's what I wonder

Is Downtown Disney a "theme park" under the terms of the agreement or can Disney build say a "Marvel Super Heroes Cafe" in Pleasure Island right now?