Disney In Talks to Acquire Majority of 21st Century Fox

[rteetz]

Sorry just edited; getting the Avengers back into the parks east of the Mississippi

Nope this wouldn’t. The Avengers deal includes Universal too.

 

[rteetz]

This is absolutely a shot at Netflix. Any small ongoing royalties about Avatar is incidental. This is about getting content, making content, and having a service that can rival Netflix, as well as depriving Netflix of another distributor. Disney has to come through on the tech to run the service and they need to nail the price point, but it's clear where their heads are at. Disney needs this service to work to hold on to their profit margins, and it appears they are willing to shell out to make it happen. Disney can survive over paying in the short term, I'm not sure Netflix can. So this is all about stressing Netflix management into making bad decisions and spending money they don't have. Content is about to get very expensive, very fast.

I agree. This is definitely to beef up their content for their streaming services coming out.

 

[Chef Louis]

Would love to see the 20th century fox logo and music before Star Wars again.

 

[JamesGarvey]

Oh this is definitely about the larger picture of direct to consumer content, my point is that there are things among Fox that already have an immediate value, monetary and otherwise. Completely made up numbers, but lets say Fox gets $1mil a year out of the Pandora licensing deal. Purchasing that asset basically makes that fee evaporate instantly. Fox also still owns the distribution rights to the original Star Wars trilogy, so any money Disney currently has to pay Fox for those rights never leave the Disney coffers.

Artistically, having control of X-men and potential introduction into the MCU, particularly their interaction with The Inhumans. Playing nice with Sony means the potential of Spidey/Deadpool, which is one of the most entertaining interactions in the Marvel Comics.

this is all before a single streaming subscription has been paid.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Looks like it would include some television properties too - most notably the Simpsons ... so would be another property that Disney would have the rights to but Universal would have in their parks

 

[Irish_Mike]

Looks like it would include some television properties too - most notably the Simpsons ... so would be another property that Disney would have the rights to but Universal would have in their parks

I'm curious of 21st Century Fox ever approached Comcast (or vice versa) to discuss a potential deal, considering the Simpson's and potential extension of Marvel characters tied directly to Universal.

 

[JamesGarvey]

If I'm Fox, I dont give up the cash cow that is The Simpsons, especially given its on their broadcast station which Disney likely wouldnt be able to acquire legally.

 

[LSLS]

Looks like it would include some television properties too - most notably the Simpsons ... so would be another property that Disney would have the rights to but Universal would have in their parks

Hmm, so now what does THAT contract look like? We know Marvel is essentially forever, but could Disney REALLY put it to Universal, not renew their rights, then build their own Simpsons project in Hollywood Studios as the next phase?

 

[rteetz]

Funnily enough the Simpsons predicted this in an episode.

 

[jknezek]

Food for thought. Fox and Disney own 60% of Hulu... the remaining 40% is 30% Universal and 10% Time Warner. Now you don't shell out this kind of dough to grab a majority share of Hulu, but it's yet another synergy for Disney in the deal.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Hmm, so now what does THAT contract look like? We know Marvel is essentially forever, but could Disney REALLY put it to Universal, not renew their rights, then build their own Simpsons project in Hollywood Studios as the next phase?

I was wondering that - is it for a certain number of years and then it runs out or is it like the Marvel one where as long as they maintain the porperties in the park they can keep it, etc.?

Or do they get the main characters but Disney could use the lesser known characters?

Mrs. Pommelhorse's gymnastic playarea?
Rainer Wolfcastle's Abenteuerland?
Cletus' moonshine taphouse?

 

[PuppyJonathan]

View attachment 281949

Funnily enough the Simpsons predicted this in an episode.

O great future teller Simpsons, will thy ever findeth true love

This was one of the strangest things I have ever read. Part of me hopes it isn’t true. This week has been filled with shocking news stories as soon as I go to break and it’s only Monday

 

[Mattimation]

I wonder if this means Anastasia will join the Disney Princess line up - tons of people think she's one already.

in all seriousness though, I wonder what this would do to the animated properties Fox has distributed, including Blue Sky studios which is owned by 20th Century Fox. Would Disney now own three of the major Hollywood Animation Studios?

 

[ThurlFan]

My memory is fuzzy, but isn't 20th Century Fox who owns "A New Hope"?

Looks like an expensive way to consolidate Star Wars rights...

 

[crazy4wdw]

Would the regulators ever allow this?

When I read this info, I wondered the same thing?

 

[DBDiz]

I was hoping Disney would be able to buy away the rights to ANH and the missing Marvel properties. I never considered that they would outright BUY Fox to do it... but it certainly solves the problem.

 

[tjkraz]

I don't want to insult anyone's childhood but Fox's biggest film franchises aren't exactly setting the box office on fire these days: Die Hard, Alien, Predator, Avatar, Home Alone, Independence Day.

Probably started as a conversation about re-acquiring the Marvel rights and escalated to "umm...how much will you give us to take the whole thing?"

 

[Lee Matthews]

I don’t think Disney would buy the majority just to gain the extra marvel characters, avatar and the original Star Wars distribution rights, but it’s all bits I think they would go for.

The simpsons however, I can see them selling that off. Maybe to universal

 

[luisov]

I'm sorry. I'm just not ok with Disney being the sole owner of pretty much the entire industry.

 

[rteetz]

This article points to the talks being more dead and not happening than happening.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...t-buying-most-of-fox-talks-now-dead-cnbc-says