Recently, the talk of Disney’s acquisition of television and film assets of heated back up after rumblings from Deadline and then a full article from the Wall Street Street that talks had been resumed, along with Comcast reportedly a secondary party.
Today, CNBC reports that they believe a deal is “closing in” and could be announced as early as next week. However, they’re not saying this is 100%.
Disney and Twenty-First Century Fox are closing in on a deal, and it could come as soon as next week, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The deal contemplates the sale of Fox’s A&E, Star, regional sports networks, movie studios and stakes in Sky and Hulu, among other properties. What would remain at Fox includes its news and business news divisions, broadcast network and Fox Sports.
The enterprise value of the Fox assets in the Disney deal is seen as above $60 billion, according to sources. Current Fox shareholders would get one share of the Fox company that remains after the movie and television assets are sold plus shares of Disney in a fixed exchange ratio.
A lot of people are worried what this could be for R-rated projects at Fox, but a reminder that Disney used to release R-rated projects via Touchstone and Miramax. The assumption is that the purchase is to give Disney access to the adult feature and television markets, as they tend to make projects for families and children. They’re not about to spend billions (likely dozens) only to shut down the profitable corner of the assets they are buying which are valued as they are because of those R-rated films.
Fans are seemingly only focused on the X-Men (Fantastic Four rights aren’t at Fox, Disney would only be able to distribute future movies) joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it also means Disney lands access to Planet of The Apes, Avatar, Alien, Predator, Kingsman, The Simpsons, and other Fox franchises. They’d also gain access to the original and unaltered versions of the first Star Wars trilogy. Then again, 20th Century Fox is only a drop in the bucket as they’d land the studio infrastructure and other companies, this isn’t a move to get a couple Marvel characters it’s about Disney expanding their film and television empire.
Disney would also add Fox Searchlight to their family, an awards-caliber distributor that could see Disney start landing Oscar wins for things other than animated features.
SOURCE: CNBC