Disney in talks to buy Fox: X-Men Homecoming? - Part 1

[Gamma Goliath]

I wouldn't think so

 

[Zant]

Maybe they paid Disney? Lol
Besides does Fox even make money on the X-men outside of movies/TV shows?

No one paid Disney. I think Universal already has the rights to certain Marvel characters for their theme park. Its the main reason for the hostility between Disney and Universal

 

[Zarex]

No one paid Disney. I think Universal already has the rights to certain Marvel characters for their theme park. Its the main reason for the hostility between Disney and Universal

According to the deal signed by Marvel and MCA, Marvel is entitled to a licensing fee for all food and beverages containing Marvel logos or proprietary elements. So the Mouse can't be too upset with the character breakfasts. Or the promotion of characters whose live action rights they may control by 2018.

 

[First Avenger]

Edit

 

[First Avenger]

Murdoch is expected to make a decision by the end of the year according to Variety.

 

[guyisnotcool]

Murdoch is expected to make a decision by the end of the year according to Variety.

If this happens. I expect lots of cheesy X-men/FF return home for Christmas jokes.

 

[Surfer]

Murdoch is expected to make a decision by the end of the year according to Variety.

Thats awesome to think we could know by the end of the year if Disney is getting back the rights to Fantastic Four and X-Men. That would really be the best Christmas present I could ask for.

Do you have a link to the article?

Thanks!

Surfer

 

[First Avenger]

http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-sale-talks-comcast-1202628942/

 

[TheVileOne]

Meh that's hardly all that Earth-shattering. Universal still has Marvel Island in Orlando and the right to showcase all those characters. They still haven't shut down Marvel Island.

 

[Surfer]

http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-sale-talks-comcast-1202628942/

Thanks!

Surfer

 

[First Avenger]

Thanks!

Surfer

Sounds to me like Comcast is still interested too, but Disney is the one that wants the deal more.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-sale-talks-comcast-1202628942/

Could be the best Christmas present ever.t:

 

[Big Bang]

https://screenrant.com/universal-orlando-marvel-character-dinner-experience/

Disney can't be too happy about this.....they are promoting Xmen characters. The timing is a bit suspect. What are Comcast / Universal up to...

IIRC, all changes require Marvel's approval. This is just another opportunity to receive increased fees from Universal.

tl;dr - It's no big deal.

 

[Iceman]

Would make Xmas 2017 one of the best yet.

 

[Big Bang]

http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-sale-talks-comcast-1202628942/

Good find. The sooner this gets done the better.

Meh that's hardly all that Earth-shattering. Universal still has Marvel Island in Orlando and the right to showcase all those characters. They still haven't shut down Marvel Island.

Yep, and they won't unless something significant changes in the relationship between Disney and Universal. The rights are in perpetuity.

In regards to any potential changes, a couple of things could happen. Universal already released the rights almost entirely. The only places they still have Marvel theme park rights is Japan and East of the Mississippi River in the United States. Anywhere else (including the Oceans - Cruise ships) Disney already has them. While it is profitable for Universal to have those rights, they are limited by the scope in which they have them.

For example, Universal is gearing up to build a new massive theme park in Orlando. Universal can't remove Marvel from Islands of Adventure and move them to this new park (when it is built) without Disney and Marvel's approval. Universal for its part, isn't going to want to put a volatile property (ownership wise) as an anchor for a brand new park.


So Disney goes ahead and buys Fox, the DOJ says OK so long as Disney divests itself of certain assets or properties. Disney gets to keep X-Men, FF, DP, OG Star Wars and distribution rights, Avatar, and maybe a few movie and tv properties and cable channels. Disney goes to Sony and offers them the James Bond home distribution rights held by Fox. Maybe they renegotiate the Spidery rights (maybe changing the perpetuity). Next they go to Universal and offer some divestments in exchange for the Hulk & Namor distribution rights, maybe put an end date on the theme park rights instead of being in perpetuity, and so on.


If put together right, they can date the Marvel theme park rights in an overlapping manner with WB/DC has with Six Flags. Those rights are a treasure trove, and would be a huge boon for Universal in either their existing park or future one, and could be global for them. The chips could fall in the future in a way that really changes the landscape in this arena.

 

[venom892]

​

IIRC, all changes require Marvel's approval. This is just another opportunity to receive increased fees from Universal.

tl;dr - It's no big deal.

Those are the characters that have always been in the park. I'm not certain, but I beleive Universal has rights to only certain Marvel characters, which is why Doctor Strange and Starlord have been able to appear in Hollywood Studios.

 

[psylockolussus]

Whether it goes to Comcast or Disney, it's really gonna be an end of an era for Fox. I just don't see it continuing like it did in the past, being the only main film studio of its owner. Its either they are going to merge with the film / TV division of the new owner or act as a side division. They are going to play second fiddle to Universal or Walt Disney. seeing the effects of this is gonna Bethe most interesting part aside from Disney getting X-Men/F4. Also, usually most of the films that I watched and bought in a year are Fox films. The TV side though doesn't interest me that much.

 

[Big Bang]

​

Those are the characters that have always been in the park. I'm not certain, but I beleive Universal has rights to only certain Marvel characters, which is why Doctor Strange and Starlord have been able to appear in Hollywood Studios.

Universal has the right of first refusal. Any character that they pass on reverts back to Marvel. Which is why the GOTG and Dr. Strange can be at WDW, but not under the Marvel name. You'll probably see Captain Marvel go next. Bear in mind as well that Universal can only use the iteration of the characters from the time the deal was signed.

Basically what Marvel and Disney likely did was go to Universal with a long list of characters they wish to use (probably every character that was not currently in use at Universal Orlando), and since Universal wasn't in a position to put them into active use, had to invoke the refusal clause.

This puts Universal in a tight bind as it severely limits what they can do at their park. Kudos to the Disney lawyers though for exploiting that.

 

[Big Bang]

Whether it goes to Comcast or Disney, it's really gonna be an end of an era for Fox. I just don't see it continuing like it did in the past, being the only main film studio of its owner. Its either they are going to merge with the film / TV division of the new owner or act as a side division. They are going to play second fiddle to Universal or Walt Disney. seeing the effects of this is gonna Bethe most interesting part aside from Disney getting X-Men/F4. Also, usually most of the films that I watched and bought in a year are Fox films. The TV side though doesn't interest me that much.

Well that is kind of a watershed moment for the Entertainment Industry as a whole. This was a long time coming, from the moment Netflix went live and gained significant marketshare. Sooner or later, technology was going to catch up to the industry and challenge the traditional way in which it operated.

Compounding them was the tech companies knocking at their door and starting to compete directly with them in creating original content for their services. Fox is merely the first to take a hit. I have strong suspicions that once this has played out to its end that (or even during) that Viacom will be targeted next.

 

[Spiderine]

Well that is kind of a watershed moment for the Entertainment Industry as a whole. This was a long time coming, from the moment Netflix went live and gained significant marketshare. Sooner or later, technology was going to catch up to the industry and challenge the traditional way in which it operated.

Compounding them was the tech companies knocking at their door and starting to compete directly with them in creating original content for their services. Fox is merely the first to take a hit. I have strong suspicions that once this has played out to its end that (or even during) that Viacom will be targeted next.

Yes.....the dominoes will start to fall for those that haven't evolved to the changing industry.

 

[Zarex]

In regards to any potential changes, a couple of things could happen. Universal already released the rights almost entirely. The only places they still have Marvel theme park rights is Japan and East of the Mississippi River in the United States. Anywhere else (including the Oceans - Cruise ships) Disney already has them. While it is profitable for Universal to have those rights, they are limited by the scope in which they have them.

The Japan rights may be reverting within the next decade.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201307/3558/

Universal has the right of first refusal. Any character that they pass on reverts back to Marvel. Which is why the GOTG and Dr. Strange can be at WDW, but not under the Marvel name. You'll probably see Captain Marvel go next. Bear in mind as well that Universal can only use the iteration of the characters from the time the deal was signed.

Basically what Marvel and Disney likely did was go to Universal with a long list of characters they wish to use (probably every character that was not currently in use at Universal Orlando), and since Universal wasn't in a position to put them into active use, had to invoke the refusal clause.

This puts Universal in a tight bind as it severely limits what they can do at their park. Kudos to the Disney lawyers though for exploiting that.

MCA purchased the theme park rights to certain character families, specifically the Avengers, X-Men and FF back before Universal opened its second gate. The right of first refusal doesn't apply. Characters not associated with those families at the time the agreement was signed are available for use at Disney. Captain Marvel will likely be unavailable due to Ms. Marvel being a named member of the Avengers character family, unlike Strange, the Guardians and Big Hero 6.

 

[Big Bang]

Captain Marvel will likely be unavailable due to Ms. Marvel being a named member of the Avengers character family, unlike Strange, the Guardians and Big Hero 6.

That begs the question though as she would be marketed under the "Captain Marvel" name which was separate from the character name used for the Avengers (Ms. Marvel).

At the very least it puts her in a grey area since it depends on when the license was originally granted all the way back in the 90's. Skirting things a bit, so long as they only referred to her as Captain Marvel (and never by Carol Danvers) they could get away with having her at WDW. Much in the same way they use the generic term "super hero" instead of the proper Marvel brand.

EDIT: Here is the full contract:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1262449/000119312510008732/dex1057.htm

 

[Frankeh]

http://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-fox-sale-talks-comcast-1202628942/

Santa Claus is coming to town.

 

[Iceman]

Wonder what Feige’s thinking of all this.

 

[Boom]

Wonder what Feige’s thinking of all this.