The Internets are all a twitter. The Walt Disney Company has just acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion friggin dollars.
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters. What does that mean exactly? Will we see Mickey Mouse in “Iron Man 3?” Should geeks freak out on the ledge and threaten to commit suicide if Disney fucks up their precious characters?
Nah, Disney just knows a good investment when they see it and $4 billion was probably just too good a number for Marvel to turn down. Don’t expect things to change much. Disney also owned a company called Miramax, with guys called the Weinstein Brothers and though they butted heads a lot, Harvey & Bob generally we able to do what they wanted. Don’t expect Marvel to Disney-fy their characters. Before all is said and done, however, the deal will need an antitrust review and the approval of Marvel shareholders (who are now stinking rich and won’t argue).