Author Topic: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests  (Read 2626 times)

Offline Nicklab

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Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« on: December 14, 2017, 07:41 AM »
Check out this news:

Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assets for $52.4 Billion in Historic Hollywood Merger.

So what does this mean?  Well, 21st Century Fox owns the rights to some significant Marvel properties like the X-Men and that extended universe, as well as the Fantastic Four.  With Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox, they're now positioned to incorporate the X-Men and FF into the Disney/Marvel studios developed Marvel Cinematic Universe.  And I would definitely like to see how Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige will work towards incorporating those characters into the MCU at long last!
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Offline BillCable

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2017, 08:12 AM »
I'm guessing this is all why we've heard nothing about Marvel Phase IV.  They knew they were gonna make a move on Fox, and thus couldn't make plans until that deal was final.

I'd expect Doctor Doom to be a recurring enemy, and the FF and X-Men to fill the hole left by the departure of a lot of the Phase I talent.  Hopefully we'll see a proper Galactus. 

They just damn well better integrate Reynolds' Deadpool!  Of course they'd be fools not to, and they're not fools.
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Offline Darby

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2017, 08:57 AM »
Great for Marvel.

But Disney also now owns:

The Simpsons

Buffy

Firefly

Alien

Predator

and so many more IPs that potentially could be simply shuttered to prevent any competition in the marketplace with the major $$$ makers in Pixar, Marvel, SW, Disney live action. Also, Disney owns majority stake in Hulu, a potential competitor to their own streaming service. Do they absorb Hulu or scuttle it?

Disney is squeezing theaters by upping their take split on TLJ to 65% - normally 50% - and now they can do it across a whole host of films. it makes harder on theaters, in a time when streaming is already gutting attendance. How long before Disney buys up theater chains that are looking to sell because they're not making money?

I'm excited for Marvel, and the eventual original SW restoration (which already exists - John Knoll and Gareth Edwards have both spoke to it) - but it has as many negative consequences as good.

Offline BillCable

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2017, 09:40 AM »
Buffy, Firefly, Alien and Predator have been dead or nearly-dead franchises for a long time.  The latest Alien was considered pretty awful, and who knows whether the Predator reboot will be any good.

They've been talking about the end of The Simpsons for at least a decade.  I thought I read a year or two back that the talent had signed their final contracts, and planned to wind down.  I don't think the Disney purchase is going to impact the future of The Simpsons in any negative way.  If anything, they'll throw more money at it to preserve the brand.

Theaters make way more money off quality Disney films, where they're selling out screenings and tons of popcorn, than they do mediocre X-Men films that die after two weeks.  I doubt any theater chain is complaining about Star Wars hitting today.  I was looking at the mid-day screenings Friday are nearly entirely sold out at my favorite theater (assigned seats, so you can see exactly how many are open).  And it's sold out completely for many screenings through the weekend.  A bump from Apocalypse box office to Ragnarok box office across the X-Franchise would be a windfall for theaters.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2017, 10:00 AM »
I don't think The Simpsons are wrapped up in this deal.  And that's because The Simpsons have been a part of the Fox broadcast network since its launch, and the broadcast network would stay with the Murdoch's/News Corp.

The stake in Hulu is interesting, too.  Especially since Bob Iger talked very openly about Disney launching their own streaming service to break into that marketplace.  Would this move scuttle that idea?  Hulu is already an established player in the streaming media market.  But Disney also has a significant presence on Netflix with all of the Defenders associated shows.  Where do they eventually land?





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Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2017, 10:36 AM »
I was slightly concerned over the whole "Fox merely licensed the Fantastic Four rights from Constantin Films" thing - glad it didn't end up being a big deal
« Last Edit: December 14, 2017, 10:36 AM by Pete_Fett »
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Offline Darby

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2017, 11:02 AM »
Quote
I doubt any theater chain is complaining about Star Wars hitting today.

http://www.businessinsider.com/disney-requirements-to-show-star-wars-the-last-jedi-in-theaters-2017-11

https://www.cinemablend.com/news/1726040/why-one-movie-theater-is-refusing-to-show-star-wars-the-last-jedi

There are small town theaters here in Iowa that are not showing it because of the commitment Disney requires (minimum four week run, 65% of proceeds throughout).

So I do see the Fox Broadcasting Network is not included in the deal, which means The Simpsons et all do not go to Disney.

I think Hulu either becomes the Disney streaming service, or is gutted to eliminate a competitor.

Offline Nicklab

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2017, 11:09 AM »
Hulu sold off significant shares in the company to a number of media companies before the announcement of this deal:  Comcast, 21st Century Fox, Disney & Time Warner all had stakes in the company.  But Disney purchasing Fox and their stake in Hulu might give them a controlling interest in the platform.  Whether or not they would rebrand it is another issue.  Variety has a piece on what the merger could mean for Hulu.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2017, 11:10 AM by Nicklab »
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Offline Darby

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2017, 11:11 AM »
So I think this answers the Hulu question:

http://deadline.com/2017/12/disney-fox-deal-bob-iger-digital-future-hulu-and-2b-cost-savings-1202226884/

Quote
“Owning a third of [Hulu] was great but having control will allow us to greatly accelerate Hulu into that space and become an even greater competitor to those already out there. We’ll be able to do that not only by putting more content in Hulu’s direction but by essentially having control to the extent that managing Hulu becomes a little bit more clear, efficient and effective,” he said.

This is Bob Iger. No plans to scuttle - this will be the Disney platform, I'm thinking.

Quote
"We’re also looking forward to expanding the Marvel cinematic universe to include X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool and reuniting all of the Star Wars movies ever made under one roof, which opens new opportunities for that franchise."

Original, unaltered Star Wars - just as soon as the deal is signed off by regulators.

Offline Jeff

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2017, 11:24 AM »
So I do see the Fox Broadcasting Network is not included in the deal, which means The Simpsons et all do not go to Disney.

Yes and no.  Disney bought the studio that makes The Simpsons and the entity that distributes The Simpsons, but not the TV channel on which it airs.

The Simpsons will still be on FOX, but it will be a Disney property (according to Disney's press release).


This is Bob Iger. No plans to scuttle - this will be the Disney platform, I'm thinking.

The main theory seems to be that Disney will use Hulu to air the more adult programming and then the new/planned Disney DTC streaming thing would be more family friendly with Star Wars, Marvel , Pixar, classic Disney animation, etc.  That would help force people to buy BOTH services then (and more money for Disney).

Using Hulu as the Disney streaming service would work, but Disney has always been very careful with their brand.  I can't imagine f-bomb dropping Deadpool (or Logan) being inserted into a family friendly Disney service, but stuff like that could still live on Hulu if it was its own thing.

Also, since Comcast/NBC and TIme Warner still own a slice of Hulu, I can't see Disney using it as their single streaming service unless they buy out the other Hulu partners...
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Offline Rob

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2017, 11:33 AM »
Can we get the 21st Century Fox bumper back at the beginning of Star Wars movies now?

Offline Darby

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Re: Disney to Buy 21st Century Fox Assests
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2017, 11:36 AM »
Yeah, the more that comes out, the more sense some of this makes. So I was right in the first place on Simpsons.

Hulu seems to be the big question mark. Having two separate services makes sense, but regardless if it's the dedicated platform or one of two (or three) then they're still handing over their money to minority stake owners.

Another quote from Iger, that I think speaks to the future of movie theaters:

Quote
“Should the multichannel ecosystem get to the point where it’s not as viable as we need it to be, we’d be well-positioned to, in effect, flip a switch and distribute those programs direct to the consumer through the platforms we’ve created.”

I've been saying since I don't know, college, that movie theaters were in danger of home entertainment. Given the dynamics in Silicon Valley, in Hollywood and in society in general I don't see theaters surviving. They'll always be around, just like you can find drive-ins here and there but we're probably 10 years away from one of these movies opening DTC on a streaming service.

Netflix is doing it now; so is Amazon. Maybe five years.