Looks like Disney bought back the rights from Paramount for 4 Marvel movies. Makes you wonder what long term plans are if they will eventually buy back the rights from Uni/comcast.
When Disney acquired Marvel in December 2009 for $4.2 billion in cash and stock, Disney knew that that Marvel had movie deals with several studios and that Universal had the theme park rights east of the Mississippi for all the top Marvel characters.
Disney bought the distribution and marketing rights to 2012s Marvels The Avengers and this years Iron Man 3 from Paramount. Now Disney acquired the rights to four existing Marvel superhero movies (the first two Iron Man movies, "Thor," and "Captain America: The First Avenger") from Paramount.
I'm sure that the execs at Disney wish that Disney could reach mutually beneficial agreements with Fox and Sony too. So far, neither of those looks likely.
The theme park rights are another matter. Here's what I wrote earlier this year:
If Disney had owned Marvel back in the 1990s, it's doubtful there would now be a Marvel Super Hero Island at IoA.
However, the status quo of having Marvel Super Hero Island at IoA works well for Marvel (Disney) and Universal.
Universal invested a lot of money in 1998 and 1999 to build Marvel Super Hero Island. That investment has been paying off ever since. Although Harry Potter is now the "star" at IoA, the Marvel Super Hero Island helps to make IoA a full-day park with highly repeatable attractions.
Universal continues to have a top-notch immersive attraction in the form of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride, which was upgraded to digital 3-D projection. In addition, Marvel Super Hero Island also has timeless thrill rides that appeal to guests who like that sort of thing: Doctor Doom's Fearfall, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and Storm Force Accelatron. IoA's Marvel section continues to be a popular themed land. And let's not forget the revenue from dining and merchandise.
Marvel (Disney) earns licensing income and merchandise revenue from the deal. It's a steady stream of pure profit for Marvel (Disney), without having to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to build something new. (Disney likes deals that provide pure profit.) It also keeps the characters in front of guests, helping to build an audience for new Marvel Studios movies.
If Disney wants to invest substantial capital in its own Marvel attractions, Disney (with its international partners) can do so at Disney parks California, France, Japan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
It's good business for Universal to keep the status quo.
It's good business for Disney to keep the status quo.
For the reasons above, Disney buying out Universal's theme park rights to Marvel remains very unlikely.
Universal is required to sell Marvel merchandise at IoA. What a great deal for Disney! It means that Disney makes money off IoA guests.
Universal's Marvel right are for the comic book versions of the Marvel characters. If Disney develops its own Marvel theme park presence in California or elsewhere outside of Universal's region, Disney can go with the movies versions. That being said, the comic book versions are actually more timeless.