In a shocking move, the Walt Disney Corporation has acquired Marvel Comics for a staggering $4 billion.
All of Marvel’s more than 5,000 superheroes and supervillains will now belong to Mickey and company, which makes many wonder what the future of Marvel will hold. There’s a major portion of Universal Orlando devoted to Marvel Comics, as well as movies, video games, and other media that Disney’s rivals all have a say in. Will they remain the same, or will Disney force a halt in production?
Ultimate Alliance 2 delay? I sure hope not.
From the official press release, via Kotaku, here’s Disney’s side:
"This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."
And Marvel’s:
"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. "This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world."
According to Kotaku’s post, both sides have approved the deal, but it still has to pass through official channels before being finalized.
I personally have no problem with this move, as I think they two companies’ combined cash flow could make both entities better. However, if you listen quietly, you’ll hear the silent crying of comic book geeks everywhere, now scared out of their wits that Spidey and Mickey will soon be joining forces.
Me? All I can think is that the Kingdom Hearts franchise potentially just got a whole lot more interesting.
[Kotaku]
