Should Disney buy Warner Bros next?

[Dfan79]

WB owns
DC Comics
Looney Tunes
Hanna Barbera
Cartoon Network

etc, etc, etc

They have so many amazing characters that rides and even lands could be based on. If Disney has a chance to buy WB, they should do so. Because it could really help them in their battle with Universal.

 

[baldy6060]

Definitely not. Lack of competition = poor product. I do wish DC would put out some better movies and I'd love to see Looney Tunes regain some popularity. I love my Bugs & Daffy & Yosemite Sam!

 

[Travis B]

Meh. Disney already has more IP than they can integrate into the parks, and more comes out every year. Incorporating a rival animation company would confuse and dilute the brand. Nearly everything on that list is a second-rate version of what Disney already owns, IMO.

 

[Frank4202]

I think it would be a waste of money. Cant think of any friends that are Loony Tunes diehard fans. I think it would take too long to see your money back if investing in WB.

 

[bsj1701]

I don't believe this is even a possibility! Warner Bros. is doing quite well. I'd rather see them develop their own theme parks and compete against Disney and Universal.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Time Warner Inc has a market capitalization of approx. $74 billion. The Walt Disney Company would have to pay a substantial premium above that for an acquisition bid to have any chance of success. In comparison, Disney bought Pixar for $7.4 billion, Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, and Lucasfilm for $4 billion -- all substantial sums, but nowhere near what Time Warner Inc would cost.

In addition to DC Comics and minor assets such as Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera, and Cartoon Network, Time Warner owns a global empire of media and entertainment properties under such brands as Warner Bros, New Line Cinema, HBO, Cinemax, TBS, CNN, and Turner Sports, along with a vast media library (including most of the great MGM and UA movies).

Acquisitions and mergers make sense if they lead to greater revenues and profits than if the companies had remained separate. It's hard to see how this would happen with The Walt Disney Company and Time Warner Inc -- if the U.S. Government would even allow these two media giants to combine, which is highly unlikely.

As consumers, we would lose. We don't need a single mega-media company (with Comcast's NBCUniversal unit and CBS Corporation as distant competitors). We need strong competitors, each trying to lure us with the most compelling content.

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

I say this as a long-time Saturday morning devotee of Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera: no way.

As much as I love Looney Tunes, they just don't fit in well with the Disney stable. The animation is second-rate and the IP is nowhere near as strong as what Disney already has.

I have a tremendous soft spot for Hanna Barbera as I grew up watching all of their cartoons and my local amusement park was full of their characters... but that's where they belong: the second tier of amusement parks. HB was notorious for cutting corners in their animation (not that I minded a lot as a kid) and not at all to Disney (or even Looney Tunes) standards.

I love DC, but Marvel offers a tremendous catalog of popular superheroes. I'd much rather see DC get the love that it deserves and I'm not sure that sitting on the shelf alongside its rival is the place for that to happen.

 

[BigBlueWho]

Could you imagine the crazy storylines that would develop in the DC/ Marvel mashup?
BTW, does anyone else miss the Warner Brothers store?

 

[Lee Matthews]

Disney need to make sure of all the IP's they currently have. Some classic Disney movies don't even get a look in within the parks

 

[whiporee]

I would like Disney to buy DC. It's characters -- at least the Big Three (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman) are much more iconic and a better fit for Disney than the Marvel stuff. Dc was always the better fit because it's characters are as recognizable as the Mouse.

Disney is trying to turn the Marvels into that, but it won't work. THE American superhero is Superman, and he would have been a great part of the Disney empire.

 

[DDLand]

I honestly can't see any companies Disney should acquire at this juncture. Remember, each of the companies Disney has bought have incredible movie franchises, or even are so famous that they're IP in themselves. Pixar, Marvel, and SW are each juggernauts in their field. There's few things quite like them. Pirates of the Caribbean and WDA are comparable, but they're rare.

Compare that to any other brand, and there's just a handful. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and James Bond are some of the most notable. Most everyone of those is owned by a company that strongly grasps on to it, and is so large that it would be prohibitively difficult to be acquired by WDC.

What Disney could do is acquire Time Warner with a partner, and then sift through all the companies and figure out what they both want to keep. Between its strong cable and movie footprint, Disney could find some interesting properties. It would either own or have shares in Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, and Disney could hold onto many of the cable channels, and perhaps hold onto the movie studio.

CNN could be spun off, DC Comics could be spun off, and HBO would likely be spun off too. (While it's undoubtably a powerful brand and property, I don't see Iger selling Game of Thrones next to Mickey Mouse and Captain America) Though all of this requires a deep deal of coordination and partner that's willing to play ball with them. I think honestly it would be more hassle than it's worth. Disney has been on a role recently, and acquiring that Company doesn't make sense.

The only other company like Lucasfilm or Marvel is Danjaq, and I doubt we'll see the family give up control anytime soon.

Now if Disney wanted to spend 2-3 Billion on getting Spiderman back, that would be much more believable. I think there'd be great upside potential there. It would also reinforce the characters place in the cinematic universe to great effect.

 

[ojeight]

They probably will not be able to put the characters in the theme parks as Warner Brothers has contracts with Six Flags.

 

[DDLand]

I would like Disney to buy DC. It's characters -- at least the Big Three (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman) are much more iconic and a better fit for Disney than the Marvel stuff. Dc was always the better fit because it's characters are as recognizable as the Mouse.

Disney is trying to turn the Marvels into that, but it won't work. THE American superhero is Superman, and he would have been a great part of the Disney empire.

Well all that's a matter of opinion, but just think of how much collateral damage there would be if Disney had tried to get Superman. With Marvel and the Avengers, there was no collateral damage in acquiring them so they clearly made the right call. When it comes to buying Superman, the collateral damage would be huge!

 

[mcd2745]

I don't see WB being a great fit. One IP that I always felt would be great if Disney acquired them is the Peanuts (Charlie Brown, Snoopy, etc.) gang.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned that it would be a monopoly if so! Moreso in the comic industry than movie but a monopoly is still a monopoly

 

[dinolounger]

I'd love to see Looney Tunes regain some popularity. I love my Bugs & Daffy & Yosemite Sam!

I defy anyone to watch the below and not be in absolute stitches between 0:55 and 1:17

 

[baldy6060]

I defy anyone to watch the below and not be in absolute stitches between 0:55 and 1:17

Off topic: My favorite episode is called High-Diving Hare I think. I've seen it multiple times but it still makes me tear up from laughter. Most of the Disney shorts are cute and make me smile. A few make me laugh (Donald & Goofy crack me up). But Looney Tunes is hilarious! Mel Blanc was a vocal genius! Period! I don't expect much love on a Disney themed board but, man, I love me some Classic WB!

 

[Jake]

I like Looney Tunes. But the big question is are today's Kids, ages 3, 5, 7 watching them ? With the time it takes to put attraction up and to get it to work. In 10 years from now will anyone know Looney Tunes characters??

 

[ChrisFL]

Read this:

http://www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6

 

[JimmyBean42]

Disney would have a better chance at buying Sesame Street than WB.

But I'd prefer Disney not buy any other properties. They need to market so many existing characters in the parks better, for instance a Muppet ride, 101 Dalamations anything, Lady & Tramp besides Tony's Restaurant, Hercules, Wall-E, Robin Hood, Pinocchio, Tangled, a character meal for boys.....I could go on and on.