Disney Buys Marvel for $4 Billion

[Tsukiko]

Source:

You must be registered for see links

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Walt Disney Co. is buying Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock, bringing such characters as Iron Man and Spider-Man into the family of Mickey Mouse and WALL-E.

Under the deal, which was announced Monday and is expected to close by the end of the year, Disney will acquire the rights to 5,000 Marvel characters. Many of them, including the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, were co-created by the comic book legend Stan Lee.

Disney CEO Robert Iger said Marvel's comic books, TV shows, movies and video games amounted to "a treasure trove of content." Iger said the deal would bring benefits like the ones Disney got from buying "Toy Story" creator Pixar Animation Studios Inc. for $7.4 billion in stock in 2006.

"The acquisition of Marvel offers us a similar opportunity to advance our strategy," Iger said, and "to build a business that is stronger than the sum of its parts."

For Marvel, Iger said being in the Disney camp would mean better global distribution and better relationships with retailers to sell its products. Another storied comic book maker, DC Comics, has been under the wings of a major studio since 1969, when Warner Bros. bought the home of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.

Marvel Chairman Mort Handel called Disney "a perfect home for our great collection of characters."

One point of the deal is to help Disney appeal to young men who have flocked to theaters to see Marvel superheroes such as Iron Man in recent years. That contrasts with Disney's recent successes among young women with such fare as "Hannah Montana" and the Jonas Brothers.

Marvel TV shows also already account for 20 hours per week of programming on Disney's recently rebranded, boy-focused cable network, Disney XD, and that looks likely to increase, Iger said. The shows are "right in the wheelhouse for boys," he said.

However, analyst David Joyce of Miller Tabak & Co. noted that that the $4 billion offer was at "full price."

Marvel shareholders will receive $30 per share in cash, plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own. That values each Marvel share at $50 based on Friday's closing stock prices.

Marvel shares shot up $9.77, or 25 percent, to $48.42 in afternoon trading Monday. Disney shares fell 79 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $26.05.

Disney investors were probably unhappy to learn that the deal will reduce its earnings per share in the short term and might not turn positive until its 2012 fiscal year. Marvel is profitable -- it made $206 million in its last fiscal year on revenue of $676 million -- but Disney's earnings per share will drop partly because the company will issue 59 million new shares. Marvel also is releasing two costly blockbusters, "Thor" and "The First Avenger: Captain America" in 2011, and income from DVD sales of those films likely wouldn't roll in until fiscal 2012.

Disney said the boards of both companies have approved the transaction, but it will require an antitrust review and the approval of Marvel shareholders.

Although it began producing its own movies, starting with "Iron Man" last year, Marvel has several deals with other movie studios that Disney said it will honor and re-examine upon expiration.

For example, "Spider-Man 4," set for release in 2011, is being made with Sony Corp.'s Columbia Pictures; "Iron Man 2" will be distributed by Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures next year; and the upcoming "X-Men Origins: Magneto" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2," both due in 2011, are to be distributed by News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox.

Iger said Pixar also had third-party licensing agreements that eventually expired, allowing the companies to move forward together.

Expect to see "Mickey Mouse and Spidey's Sing-Along" on your local Disney Channel soon.

What's next,Marvel characters in Kingdom Hearts?-_-

 

[Riku..]

O_O

It's a wonder that humanity survives on retarded ideas such as this. Marvel in Kingdom Hearts! Don't even joke that way. xd

 

[Sin]

-_- giant mickey mouse attacks the baxter building in fantastic four...

oh gosh

 

[MS_Evolution]

i dont know whether its a bad thing or not...they're two different businesses. i just hope disney doesnt kill the marvel spirit

 

[MS_Evolution]

-_- giant mickey mouse attacks the baxter building in fantastic four...

oh gosh

loool fantastic 4 - rise of mickey mouse O.O

 

[Tsukiko]

O_O

It's a wonder that humanity survives on retarded ideas such as this. Marvel in Kingdom Hearts! Don't even joke that way. xd

If they did that I'd cry I seriously would.
What if they had Zac Efron as Captain America?... Thinking that way makes me sad.

-_- giant mickey mouse attacks the baxter building in fantastic four...

oh gosh

And Nick Jonas is Iron Man...
And Hannah Monata is Superwoman...:|

i dont know whether its a bad thing or not...they're two different businesses. i just hope disney doesnt kill the marvel spirit

Me too...It's bad enough they messed up the kids with Hannah Monata.

 

[Mizutoki]

Source:

You must be registered for see links

Expect to see "Mickey Mouse and Spidey's Sing-Along" on your local Disney Channel soon.

What's next,Marvel characters in Kingdom Hearts?-_-

This is lame...they better not **** with the movies, =/

 

[Tsukiko]

This is lame...they better not **** with the movies, =/

New in theaters!The Disney Superhero League!Starring Zac Efron as Captain America,Nick Jonas as Iron Man,Mickey Mouse and his Playhouse pals as the friendly X-Men and the cast of HSM as the Fantastic Four :|

I seriously hope the above doesn't happen...

 

[Flaw]

a spider hannah montana .... wow :|

 

[Kazamori]

Go Disney !!! Now they need DC characters xD lol

 

[Universal Enlightenment]

You must be registered for see images

Rofl Like There' Wasnt Enuff Things Not To Watch On Tv Man This World Is Really Going To Hell How Does It Look With Wolverine & Saber-Tooth Walking Around Disney World Acting Tuff Rofl What No More Marvel vs Capcom 2????So What Now Disney Vs Capcom There's Somethings In This World That Should'nt Be Played With And Disney Buying MArvel Is One Of Them

 

[EternalUchihaSasuke]

all i gotta say is I don't like disney ~_~

 

[Caliburn]

@EternalUchihaSasuke don't use that words, but you're right.

I read it this morning in the newspaper.

Disney sold their soul a long time ago, where's the time of Hercules, Peter Pan, Robin Hood and Atlantis T-T. That were classics, now it's just for the commerce.

And Spiderman is typical Marvel, just like the X-men and the Hulk, it's blasphemy to sell it >.< and it's disgusting, it doesn't fit at all with Disney.

 

[Sin]

gahh! yeah...I know why why why!

disney

Warning: Disney is brainwashing children with Hannah Spideytanna, Mickey Mouse Four, X-Jonas AND LOADS other stuff

 

[Alucard]

wtf Marvel doesnt fit with Disney -.-

But thats their problem, lots of ppl will start hating and wont watch their shows, movies, episodes and etc so they will pay for this xD.

Hulk on Ice O_-

 

[Shibuki]

I remebered when i heard the news this morning i was like o no there going ruin all the marvel chacrters and many other thought came into my mind. Im not much of a marvel or comic book fan but i do like a lot fo the chacrters and enjoy watching marvel things from time to time but i dont know i fear that marvel will never be the same again.

I really hope none of things in this thread about mxing disney and marvel characters happent ht would just be awful.

 

[Mighty Curtain Messiah]

Nothing will really change, they won't mix up characters

 

[Flaw]

Nothing will really change, they won't mix up characters

dude , it's about honor
i mean..lol...hannah montana ? x-men ? can u actually compare those 2 :|

 

[Universal Enlightenment]

So I Got A Question If Marvel And Them Is Own By Disney Now What About The Hulk Ride And All The Marvel Heroes In Universal Studio They Have To take Them Out??This Is Like Moon Taking Over The Sun

 

[MadMax]

omfg now we'll have X-men fighting some weird looking disney vilains xd or marvel vilains robbing uncle scrooge