Disney to buy Marvel for $4 billion

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 10:31am

http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/31/news/companies/disney_marvel/index.htm

Marvel comic book characters are an entire "land" at the Universal-owned Islands of Adventure park. Wonder how that is gonna work out...

Will Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man join forces to defeat evil? Stay Tuned...

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 11:41am

Yeah, this is interesting. When I saw this I was wondering about the Marvel characters at Universal, but also about the films. Will Disney get the rights to all of the pre-existing Marvel films? (Doubt it - probably the studios who made them) Will they take control of Iron Man 2, Thor, Spider-Man 4, etc.? (Also doubt it) Will they be exclusively producing any future Marvel films? (Likely)

[SNAFU]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 11:48am

I remember when Disney was buying out Muppets (before Jim Died and there was the major free for all) there was a lot of dividing up what the taking over would include. Sesame Street characters were separated out as were the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth characters. I am sure there is going to be a lot of legal wrangling as to what goes and what doesn't with the sale.
It is a good thing on one level because Disney will continue the Marvel Characters and keep them safe from harm after Stan Lee passes away.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Spiderman the Musical now. Will Disney end up tabling it?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 12:22pm

Iger has stated the Marvel characters would appear at Disneey parks "eventually." Also, Universal signed a contract to the rights to the characters, so they're not going anywhere immediately. However, Iger said that once "the short term contracts expire, decisions will be made." Undoubtedly, and obviously, those characters and possibly attractions, will be making their way down I-4 in Orlando to the Disney property.

Iger was very clear that he sees this as having a big effect on the parks.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 1:54pm

Yeah, I'm a Disney freak and I'm not too pleased that I'm going to be seeing The Incredible Hulk walking around next to Mickey Mouse soon. I'm fine with Disney buying Marvel but incorporating that into their parks is sacrilege.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 2:23pm

I'm thinking that the characters are probably going to be walking around CA Adventure and not Disneyland... and I love that the muppets are part of Disney...

anyways... I've never been to the Magic Kingdom in Orlando.. isn't there already like a Marvel park in Universal Studios or something? So what exactly are the parks over there? It always confuses me...

[singalongsong2]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 3:25pm

^^ Disney World consists of 4 parks: Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.

Universal has 2 parks: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure has the following themed "islands," each with their own rides and attractions - Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent, Seuss Landing, and Marvel Superhero Island. They are currently building The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which will open next year.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 4:00pm

Depressing.

Disneyland has already been infiltrated with non-Disney attractions, music, and characters: Star Tours, Indiana Jones, Honey I Shrunk the Audience ...

Star Tours and Indiana Jones are great rides, but they still don't belong in Disneyland, as much as I enjoy them.

If they end up having Mickey strolling down Main Street with Spider-Man ... that may just be the "marketing" deal-breaker to keep me from going back again. I go fairly regularly now, too. But that move is way too far away from the Disneyland Walt envisioned. He worked hard to focus the company's identity, too. Not just in the ideology and philosophy, but in the physical characters and icons that represent it. And it's his vision and his history that separate Disneyland from the dozens of other identity-barren amusement parks. If this turns into another generic Six Flags, who will care anymore? I won't. Not at those "we're really special" prices, either. They ain't so special anymore.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 4:17pm

I would expect the Marvel characters probably would not be seen at the Magic Kingdom. My guess is they'll appear only at Disney's Hollywood Studios, where they would make sense.

I'm about as big a Disney World fanatic as you're going to find, and the thought of Mickey and Spiderman strolling down Main Street together makes me shudder. I don't think it would happen, but I've learned not to trust anything the brains of Rosulo, Lutz, and Weiss come up with.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 9:36pm

^ Agree that they'd only make sense at DHS. I mean, at Disney World, that's where all the non-Disney stuff is. At least they keep it contained in there, and don't put George Lucas rides in the Magic Kingdom. As for Disneyland, I suppose they'll just go the way of Indiana Jones and Star Tours, and stick the Marvel stuff in where they can. (Although I have no idea where, say, a Spiderman ride would go... Tomorrowland?...)
Updated On: 8/31/09 at 09:36 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/31/09 at 9:53pm

Yup, Tomorrowland will be it, I'm sure.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:00am

Keep the parks separate. It would ruin all childhood memories if I see Mickey Mouse and Spiderman appearing together at Disneyworld.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:06am

All this talk reminds me of that fake Disney park in China. They packed the park full of every copyrighted character imaginable, from Snow White, to Shrek, to Hello Kitty, to the Beijing Olympics mascots.


The mother of all copyright infringements

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:17am

Keep the parks separate. It would ruin all childhood memories if I see Mickey Mouse and Spiderman appearing together at Disneyworld.

I don't think you need to worry here. Have you ever seen Indiana Jones or R2D2 hugging Mickey Mouse? Disney knows very well how to place characters and products. Even if in the same park, I strongly doubt you'd see these characters mingle.

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:26am

Wellll... Disney actually has been known to mix Star Wars and classic characters.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:27am

Aww, that so cute. Wouldn't bother me at all to see that gang dressed as Marvel superheroes :)

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/1/09 at 1:40am

Yeah, honestly, I wouldn't mind if it were Mickey dressed as Spiderman, at a Halloween event or something (as opposed to Mickey and Spiderman being BFFs). That'd just be adorable. :)
Updated On: 9/1/09 at 01:40 AM