Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:48AM9 comments ›
Mon Aug 31, 2009 — by Robert Greenberger
Disney Eats Marvel - Update 2
Everybody Shake Hands With The SEC
Walt Disney reached an agreement to purchase Marvel Comics for a combined cash and stock deal valued today at $4 billion. According to a report at Marketwatch, the acquisition was approved by both Boards of Directors over the weekend and is subject to SEC approval.In a statement, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said "adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation."
Those holding Marvel stock are expected to receive $30 per share in addition to approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own.
A shareholders’ conference call was scheduled for later today and no doubt Marvel will have their own comments for the press. The deal is not expected to close for some time and how the integration will work, including the comics properties owned by Disney and Marvel will be announced in the future. In addition to Disney’s own characters, they purchased the assets of CrossGen some years ago and have done little with them, much I the same way as Marvel has yet to fully exploit the Malibu Comics characters they acquired in the 1990s.
Disney has been moving more into the graphic novel field through their publishing division, notably announcing works based on their forthcoming film The Prince of Persia, based on the video game. One can only expect Disney to entrust projects like this and others to Marvel.
Isaac Perlmutter, Marvel's CEO, will continue to oversee the Marvel properties and is expected to be an architect of the integration along with Disney execs.
Jump to comments (9) 
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Comments (9)
Neil Ottenstein (11:15 AM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
What a shocker. I wonder if there will be any chance of independence on the Marvel characters. I also wonder if this means that ABC will be developing some series based on Marvel characters.
Marc Alan Fishman (11:20 AM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
Mainly it means that Wolverine will now cry a little after he SNIKTs a ninja.
MARK WHEATLEY (11:50 AM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
The purchase is not so amazing - but the price of 4 billion is, but perhaps only to me. And maybe I'm having a memory glitch - but I think this is not the first time I've heard that Disney made a grab for Marvel. Maybe back in the bankruptcy days? From a business standpoint I think it makes a lot of sense for Disney. And for Marvel it might indeed allow them the confidence to nurture their characters rather than exploit them - which they are very good at.
R. Maheras (1:20 PM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
Heh, heh... I predicted this in 1976 (sort of): http://home.comcast.net/~russ.maheras/TCJ-32-72dpi.jpg
comicsfreak (2:09 PM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
That means no more Kick-Ass and those other violent titles from marvel..Since Disney is G through PG stuff!!! Bad decicion on behalf of Marvel!!!!You will see a lot of cencorship on Marvel stuff.
Gordon McAlpin (9:19 PM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
Why exactly do you (and so many other comic book fans) leap to this conclusion?
Disney is not JUST G and PG stuff. They make A LOT of R-rated movies via Miramax and Touchstone (two of the other movie studios they own). No Country for Old Men? Remember that? Yeah, that was a DISNEY movie.
comicsfreak (2:02 PM on Tue Sep 1, 2009)
We will see..Marvel is a whole different genre than Miramax....Miramax does not do Comic Books....
mike weber (2:32 PM on Mon Aug 31, 2009)
"Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs noted that Marvel owns the rights to many action-hero characters that are not widely known, which Disney anticipates bringing to the forefront for future movies or TV shows should the deal go through." {http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/31/news/companies/disney_mar...}
That's scary all by itself...
epobirs (3:37 AM on Tue Sep 1, 2009)
Yep, that price is quite startling. I suppose it is based on the success of the massive slate of movies scheduled. They could have had it for the change under the cushions a few years ago.
The Malibu thing has some weird complications but I suspect much of it was in effect a kill fee for the Ex-Mutants product.