Disney Buys Marvel Entertainment

[Spoo Junky]

I just read the headline but there weren't many details. So what do you thing about that?

[Texas_Ranger]

There goes the neighborhood.... Just think, they could do a Donald Duck/Wolverine crosssover.. With Logan loosing his temper, since he can't understand what the &%#(*^ duck is saying....

Or Mickey meets Dr. Octopus...

The possibilities are endless...

Thanks!

Tony Miller
Webster, TX

[WorkerCaste]

Might not be so bad at this juncture. Disney sure knows how to market, and John Lasseter has a lot of creative influence with the company right now. He tends to treat works with respect. I don't recall hearing how he views the Marvel works, but I know he's a fan of many genre categories.

[Doom Shepherd]

Eurrgh. Disneyfied Punisher...

Doesn't Disney also own Henson's properties?

Hulk SMASH puny green Frog!
Oh, no you don't! Hiyyyyah!
Ow! Piggy hurt Hulk!

[WorkerCaste]

Rumor (as reported on jimhillmedia.com) is that Lasseter sat down with Marvel creative people before a deal was fully put together. They talked about Marvel using Pixar properties for comic books and Pixar doing Marvel Univers animated movies. Supposedly everyone was pretty enthused except the lawyer told them to slow down -- there wasn't even a deal, yet.

One thing you have to give Disney -- they are a for profit company out to maximize their profits. The corporate approach to ROI and managing earnings may ultimately create problems, but I don't really expect them mess with a $4 billion investment by "Disneyfing" the Marvel properties. They are already making use of existing Marvel works on their new cable channel targetted at teenage boys and that is a big part of what the expect to do with aquisition -- secure the teenage boy market. You can't do that by toning the super hero genre down. By the same token, Disney has a massive distribution network that covers movies, TV, publishing, merchandising and amusement parks.

One of the interesting things to see will be how they handle all the existing licensing agreements. Other companies hold movie rights, distribution rights, and theme park rights. Disney has to honor those through contract end, but how will they work around them in the meantime?

BTW, yes Disney acquired the Muppets a while ago. They also own properties in whole or in part such as ESPN, A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime, E! Entertainment and other cable channels as well as movie production companies and magazines that cover subjects that aren't necessarily "family-freindly".

[frulad]

Matt Murdock is... THE SHAGGY D.A.!

[David Panzer]

I just read the headline but there weren't many details. So what do you thing about that?

I read the Vertigo imprint by DC, so I couldn't care less

[I love Lyta]

Ain't that great?!
A singing Spiderman 4. And I know just the song.
"Mister Sandman... bring me a dream, bom bom bom bom..."

[David Panzer]

The Rhino breaks through the Marvel logo as you jump right into the movie:

Crash, Bang, Boom goes a building
All around my head
Oh why can't the city get these things
Out of
my way?

Then Spidey flies in,
Thwip Thwip Thwip goes my webbing
to the top of the screen
Look out Rhino, here I come
with some feet for lunch

then J. Jonah Jameson has a song, but I've not figured out what it is.

Later on, when the Lizard appears he has a song as well, plus the obligatory Spidey and MJ love song like "swinging through the stars"

[Belbo]

Doesn't Disney also own Henson's properties?

Hulk SMASH puny green Frog!
Oh, no you don't! Hiyyyyah!
Ow! Piggy hurt Hulk!

Heh. Still, even Marvel's heroes should know that you don't mess with The Boss.