Looks like Disney is slowly taking over the world – the company has just reached a deal to buy 21st Century Fox, reaching roughly $US52.4 billion.
The Walt Disney Company will acquire Fox’s film and TV studio in an attempt to compete with streaming services like Netflix, Apple and Amazon, and by now scoring Fox’s huge selection of content, they’re in a strong position.
Disney will also nab the National Geographic and FX channels, regional sports networks, international networks, Fox’s 30 per cent stake in streaming service, Hulu, and a 39 per cent stake in Sky. This deal also brings all Marvel characters together, like The Avengers, X-Men and Deadpool.
“We’re honoured and grateful that Rupert Murdoch has entrusted us with the future of businesses he spent a lifetime building,” Disney’s CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.
X-Men will be joining Disney and Marvel.
The agreement (which is a really big deal in the entertainment biz) could still potentially be knocked back by antitrust regulators. (For example, the Justice Department recently moved to block AT&T from expanding their company.)
If it goes ahead, Fox will be downsized, and Disney will score shows like The Simpsons, Modern Family, This Is Us and Homeland. Disney will also be launching its own streaming service in 2019 so viewers will soon be spoilt for choice.
The one thing we’re really stoked about is that X-Men and Fantastic Four are being handed back to Marvel Studios which means we’re almost guaranteed to see mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Who thinks Wolverine would give The Hulk and Thor a total pounding?
Disney will also acquire the R-rated Deadpool.
Hugh Jackman, who played the role nine times, won’t return but he’s keen to see the character re-cast.
He told Collider recently: “It’s interesting because for the whole 17 years I kept thinking that would be so great, like I would love to see, particularly, Iron Man and the Hulk and Wolverine together. And every time I saw an Avengers movie I could just see Wolverine in the middle of all of them like punching them all on the head.
“But I think, unfortunately, the ship has sailed for me, but for someone else I would like to see Wolverine in there.”
With the recent confirmation that Marvel will be making another 20 superhero movies, we don’t doubt the rogue mutant will make an appearance.
