Disney wants to dominate the Marvel Universe as soon as possible...

[JB2K]

...for those who have no idea what I'm talking-about, I am referring to last year's purchase of Marvel Entertainment by the Walt Disney Company.

While, up until now, it's been business as usual, Disney recently shelled-out $115M for the marketing and distribution rights to "The Avengers" in 2012 and "Iron Man 3" in 2013 (the previous two Iron Man films were handled by Paramount Pictures).

Based on the recent success of IM2, it's probably a good gamble on Disney's part.

Furthermore, I noticed the "Disney XD" channel is adding an animated version of "The Avengers" to their lineup (no doubt, to prepare fans for the 2012 film).

Now that this has all happened, I suspect it's only a matter of time before Disney pays-out more big bucks to acquire other "previously committed" Marvel properties, such as those at, perhaps, Universal Studios Florida?

The full story is here.

 

[ADP]

Just for those who may not know...Universal's contract with Marvel/Disney includes the current characters they have in IOA. No other theme park is allowed to use those characters east of the Mississippi. So, under contract Disney would not be allowed to use Spiderman, Storm Force, Dr. Doom, and the Hulk in the Disney World theme parks. Not sure if this just includes attractions, live characters, etc.

I guess Disney could buy out the contract rights from Universal somehow. Not sure how that would all work out.

Okay...I'm done babbling.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Just for those who may not know...Universal's contract with Marvel/Disney includes the current characters they have in IOA. No other theme park is allowed to use those characters east of the Mississippi. So, under contract Disney would not be allowed to use Spiderman, Storm Force, Dr. Doom, and the Hulk in the Disney World theme parks. Not sure if this just includes attractions, live characters, etc.

I guess Disney could buy out the contract rights from Universal somehow. Not sure how that would all work out.

Okay...I'm done babbling.

I hope that never happens...the Marvel characters need to stay at Universal. I really think the day they show up at WDW may be the day I stop going.

Duffy is bad enough...Spiderman is just going too far.

 

[ADP]

Spiderman is just going too far.

I did notice small stuffed Spiderman figures in some of the WDW gift shops a few weeks ago. It's hard to get used to seeing it.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I did notice small stuffed Spiderman figures in some of the WDW gift shops a few weeks ago. It's hard to get used to seeing it.

Sigh... I suppose I can deal with that, but if they start showing up in the parades or on the merchandise mixed in with real Disney characters, I'm just going to cry.

 

[catycatcat4]

IMO Disney needs to something with marvel at DHS already!

 

[WaltD4Me]

IMO Disney needs to something with marvel at DHS already!

No they don't. They need to do more with their own characters at DHS. Monsters Inc Rollercoaster!

 

[Disney Dad Canada]

Some pe3ople are just resistant to any change whatsoever. PersonallyI think they'll be pushing Marvel characters to offset the girls" changes to Fantasyland.

hanges are going to happen. ou can either whine about the good old days or move with the times.

 

[ADP]

IMO Disney needs to something with marvel at DHS already!

No they don't. They need to do more with their own characters at DHS. Monsters Inc Rollercoaster!

Well...If they are going to do anything with the Marvel characters DHS makes the most sense, but Imagineers, accountants, and the "suits" haven't always done what fans thought made sense.

 

[jcb]

Just for those who may not know...Universal's contract with Marvel/Disney includes the current characters they have in IOA. No other theme park is allowed to use those characters east of the Mississippi. So, under contract Disney would not be allowed to use Spiderman, Storm Force, Dr. Doom, and the Hulk in the Disney World theme parks. Not sure if this just includes attractions, live characters, etc.

I guess Disney could buy out the contract rights from Universal somehow. Not sure how that would all work out.

Okay...I'm done babbling.

I expect this will ultimately lead to the same type of issues Disney had with MGM over the studios. Disney will likely take a very narrow view of Universal's rights and Universal will at some point have to challenge that in court.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Some pe3ople are just resistant to any change whatsoever. PersonallyI think they'll be pushing Marvel characters to offset the girls" changes to Fantasyland.

hanges are going to happen. ou can either whine about the good old days or move with the times.

I realize my options. I am choosing to whine about it.

 

[catycatcat4]

No they don't. They need to do more with their own characters at DHS. Monsters Inc Rollercoaster!

They have four Theme Parks in wdw full of their characters!

Well...If they are going to do anything with the Marvel characters DHS makes the most sense, but Imagineers, accountants, and the "suits" haven't always done what fans thought made sense.

It be odd to see spider man, avengers, x-men ect in magic kingdom.

Some pe3ople are just resistant to any change whatsoever. PersonallyI think they'll be pushing Marvel characters to offset the girls" changes to Fantasyland.

hanges are going to happen. ou can either whine about the good old days or move with the times.

A lot of people completely freak out at change! (not in this thread but a lot of disney fans and anyone else)

 

[jcb]

This seems timely. The latest in Marvel trademark lawsuits - they are not happy with the marketing of Hulk Power Tools.

 

[nick p]

Disney will pay $115 million to Paramount in exchange for distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers. Thanks to a pre-existing side contract, The Avengers will also be licensed to cable channel EPIX, which also makes the movie available as a Netflix

 

[JB2K]

So, under contract Disney would not be allowed to use Spiderman, Storm Force, Dr. Doom, and the Hulk in the Disney World theme parks.

Yes, "under contract"...but...if Disney was willing to pay "three figures times a million" just for distribution/marketing rights for a couple of movies, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that this could happen.

Besides, once movies like the aformentioned "Iron Man 3" start hitting the big screen with the Disney castle logo attached to it, you can bet Universal may not want to hang-on to these characters, for the long haul.

And for those of you who think contracts are iron-clad (pun intended), Paramount was under contract to do a lot of these type films for (pre-Disney) Marvel.

I guess Disney could buy out the contract rights from Universal somehow. Not sure how that would all work out.

Money. And more money.

Word has it there is a reboot of "Spider-Man" for the big screen. Currently, Sony has all the rights -- if it's lucrative enough, Disney will buy those, too.

 

[AJRitz]

Universal is in an awkward position with regard to all of this super heroes in theme parks stuff right now. They just got bought by Comcast themselves (a deal that may face some anti-trust / FTC regulatory issues itself), and the rumors I hear are that Comcast is likely to sell off theme park assets. If the theme parks weren't in ownership limbo themselves right now, I would bet that Comcast/Universal would right now be trying to wrestle the rights to DC comics characters away from Six Flags (so they could just start subbing out Batman for Spiderman, Superman for Hulk, etc.). But I get the distinct impression that (aside from the pre-existing Harry Potter contracts) Universal lacks a long-term strategic plan. As I understand it, while Universal Orlando/Islands of Adventure continue to have exclusive rights to certain characters in certain venues/circumstances, even those uses require the payment of licensing fees to Disney. That has to be galling to the folks running Universal.

It seems to me that Marvel characters plus existing Disney/Pixar "superheroes" (The Incredibles, Hercules, Tarzan, Bolt, etc.) would be great vehicles for the oft-rumored "fifth gate" at Disney World.

 

[JB2K]

As I understand it, while Universal Orlando/Islands of Adventure continue to have exclusive rights to certain characters in certain venues/circumstances, even those uses require the payment of licensing fees to Disney. That has to be galling to the folks running Universal.

Precisely.

 

[jalferes]

I can't agree more - they need to keep these two companies seperated - the Marvel characters need to stay at Universal !!!

 

[JB2K]

OP, here -- I'm seeing a lot of commentary to the effect of "keep Marvel at Universal", etc.

I suspect this is chiefly because people from this board like to vacation in Florida "a certain way" and that way doesn't include seeing non-Disney created characters at Disney venues.

Fact of the matter is Disney now owns Marvel making that division as much a part of the Walt Disney Company as say, ABC Television or Pixar.

Also, as I previously said, Disney is now starting to spend big money to protect their latest investment (Marvel) -- not only did they spend the money to secure the rights to the two upcoming Marvel films, but Disney recently sold the "Power Rangers" franchise back to Haim Saban -- big changes are coming to both the Disney and Universal parks.

It's not a question of "if", but "when".

 

[JB2K]

So, under contract Disney would not be allowed to use Spiderman, Storm Force, Dr. Doom, and the Hulk in the Disney World theme parks.

Aside from the Hulk, this may not really be that big of a deal, for the time being.

Since recent movies featuring the X-Men (Storm Force) and the Fantastic Four (Dr. Doom) were distributed by 20th Century Fox and Sony already owns the movie rights to anything Spider-Man, the only property at Universal Orlando Disney may have a real interest in is the Hulk-themed attaction (since the Hulk is slated to be a major character in Disney/Marvel's "The Avengers" movie).

Basically, any Marvel super hero movies since the first "Iron Man" (2008), are colloquially-referred to as "The Marvel Cinematic Universe", and Disney will most likely want to do whatever they can to protect those characters in terms of marketing.