Disney is just one step closer to buying the world at this point. For $52.4 billion (way more than they acquired Lucasfilm for), they bought a majority of Fox’s entertainment properties such as channels like FX and National Geographic, The Simpsons, Avatar, and of course the X-Men and Fantastic Four.
It’s too soon to say what this will mean for the future of these properties, but we assume R-rated franchises like Deadpool will remain safe operating outside of the MCU, but the Fantastic Four could use the MCU reboot we deserve. Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Co. Robert Iger had this to say:
“The acquisition of this stellar collection of businesses from 21st Century Fox reflects the increasing consumer demand for a rich diversity of entertainment experiences that are more compelling, accessible and convenient than ever before. We’re honored and grateful that Rupert Murdoch has entrusted us with the future of businesses he spent a lifetime building, and we’re excited about this extraordinary opportunity to significantly increase our portfolio of well-loved franchises and branded content to greatly enhance our growing direct-to-consumer offerings. The deal will also substantially expand our international reach, allowing us to offer world-class storytelling and innovative distribution platforms to more consumers in key markets around the world.”
He also said in an interview with Hollywood Reporter that Deadpool will still remain an R-rated franchise. “It [Deadpool] clearly has been and will be Marvel branded. But we think there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like Deadpool. As long as we let the audiences know what’s coming, we think we can manage that fine.”
21st Century Fox’s Ceo made the following statement:
“We are extremely proud of all that we have built at 21st Century Fox, and I firmly believe that this combination with Disney will unlock even more value for shareholders as the new Disney continues to set the pace in what is an exciting and dynamic industry. Furthermore, I’m convinced that this combination, under Bob Iger’s leadership, will be one of the greatest companies in the world. I’m grateful and encouraged that Bob has agreed to stay on, and is committed to succeeding with a combined team that is second to none.”
Needless to say, this is a huge acquisition even for Disney. It will be very interesting to see what will happen with Fox’s properties in the coming weeks, but for now, we can probably rest easy knowing they’re in trustworthy hands.