16 Big Questions On A Seemingly Inevitable Disney Acquisition Of 20th Century Fox

This is a strange one. Currently, both Disney (through ABC) and 20th Century Fox own a combined 60% of Hulu. That leaves Comcast (through NBCUniversal) and Warner Bros (through Turner) with just 30 and 10% respectively.  That partnership seems pretty fair when Disney and 20th are not the same entity. If this asset does go to Disney it’s not a stretch to see Comcast and WB insisting Disney divest itself of majority ownership. Or, would Disney try to buy the other two remaining partners out to own Hulu completely?  It seems unlikely Comcast and WB would want to give a competitor so much leverage in the streaming space. Especially if Disney’s plan is to combine Hulu with their own Disney branded service. Considering Hulu has been valued at $25 billion this feels like one issue after the transaction takes place that could get very messy, very quickly.

There have been rumors of a second “The Simpsons” movie for some time. The original earned a massive $527 million worldwide but was a huge endeavor for a creative team that already puts out 22 episodes a year. That has pretty much been the main reason a sequel hasn’t happened yet.  Twentieth Television owns the rights to “The Simpsons” and produces it, but would FOX, which would remain under the auspices of Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox (or whatever it would be renamed), still have a say if it happens or not? Moreover, can Disney simply move “The Simpsons” from it’s almost 30-year home on FOX to ABC? “The Simpsons” already has major rides at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida. Would that stop Disney from installing “Simpson” attractions in its own parks? A lot to ponder.

How long will Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg last overseeing the mutant franchises once they are under Marvel Studios? Well, it may be complicated. Kevin Feige was actually Shuler Donner’s assistant when he first started out in Hollywood and word is they still have a positive relationship (not all producers and former assistants do). Bringing Shuler Donner in-house would also bring another prominent female producer into Marvel’s production apparatus which, as you may be aware, is sort of important these days. As for Kinberg, it may not matter how successful his efforts directing the upcoming “Dark Phoenix” are. Even if the latest “X-Men” installment is a critical and box office hit Kinberg is still the producer who supported and co-wrote Josh Trank’s disastrous 2015 “Fantastic Four” reboot. A movie Marvel disliked so much they stopped publishing the “Fantastic Four” comic book to try and disassociate themselves with it. That’s the title that actually gave birth to Marvel Comics. Kinberg publicly took the sword for “Fantastic Four’s” failures, but it’s hard to imagine Feige not wanting a clean slate – especially with Bryan Singer, a credited producer on “Dark Phoenix” and whatever drama he’s involved with, as part of those films.

O.K, we get it. It sounds a “Titanic” ride might be a bit morbid and classless, but acquiring 20th Century Fox allows Walt Disney Theme Parks to update parks such as Hollywood Studios and California Adventure Park with a ton of new movie-inspired rides. How about a “Die Hard” or “Independence Day” roller coaster? How about a family-friendly “Mrs. Doubtfire” ride? A “Planet of the Apes” adventure?  A “Sound of Music” experience? A “Home Alone” ride? A “The Martian” themed ride for EPCOT?  Could we see a “Moulin Rouge!” bar/restaurant in EPCOT? An “Edward Scissorhands” experience? Maybe bring back the “ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter” ride somewhere? O.K., some of these may be tough, but I’m telling you that the announcement of a “Sound of Music” experience would get my mom on a plane to Orlando in minutes.