$4bn deal announced with Snow White & the 7 Iron Men
The Disney Corporation has today acquired Marvel Entertainment in a $4 billion deal intended to "build on [Disney's] strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world." This will of course affect Marvel's forays into the video game world going forward.
While undoubtedly many will find this to be an odd mixture (much like the Activision Blizzard and Square Enix Eidos mergers), Marvel's CEO Ike Perlmutter apparently feels differently:
"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Perlmutter in a released statement. "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."
The deal sees ownership of Marvel's 5,000+ characters transferred to Disney, which will make for new video game-related partnerships once the current deals with Activision, Sega, Gazillion Entertainment and THQ expire, in 2017, 2019, with the others multi-year deals, respectively.
"As the current agreements in place sunset we will look to exploit the library of characters more broadly," said Tom Staggs, Disney's senior executive vice president and chief financial officer. "This is a big library of properties and we think there is real opportunity.We plan to evaluate where those opportunities are greatest and how we can leverage those across both Marvel and Disney."
The word "exploit" makes us feel uneasy, but we can hope things won't get too rough out there.
In the meantime, a bunch of jokesters on Twitter channel #whendisneybuysmarvel are already coming up with ideas for new cross-overs. Here are a few highlights:
- Goofy exposed to gamma radiation. "Gawrsh, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
- Snow White and the 7 Iron Men
- The inevitable Disney-Squeenix-Marvel game collaboration where Sora gets mutant powers and has great responsibility
Perhaps the Kingdom Hearts star will get to use that chainsaw after all...
forums
Shit is gona hit the fan
Well unless the scene shows wolverine impaling Donald on his claws then were cool
I wonder if the X-Men will be around for another 50 years or so. I think that is very possible. I betcha people will grow a bit tired of super hero flicks though, after the next 4 or so.
Have to wonder how this will all pan out, it hits video games, movies and all of their collectables as Marvel series Mighty Muggs and their new Superhero figure line were doing quite well.
No, with my bare hands. That is how enraged I shall be. FOrget the Marvin Martian routine.