Posted Mon Dec 4, 2017 at 07:50 AM PST by Steven Cohen
Negotiations between the two companies are reportedly back on.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Disney is once again in talks to purchase parts of 21st Century Fox. News of the potential acquisition broke last month but the discussions had apparently stalled. Now, it seems as if a potential deal is back on the table.
In addition to Disney, other interested buyers reportedly include Comcast, Sony, and Verizon Communications. The proposed sale would include various assets of the Murdoch family's 21st Century Fox company, including the 20th Century Fox film and TV studio, FX Networks and National Geographic cable group, and Fox's various stakes in streaming platforms and international TV channels like Hulu, Star India, and Sky.
A sale to Disney would greatly bolster the company's already massive film and TV reach. Of special note to Marvel fans, could be the addition of currently Fox-owned Marvel film/TV properties to Disney's MCU, including the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises -- allowing Wolverine and The Human Torch to pal around with The Avengers on the big screen for the first time. Likewise, though Disney purchased Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise back in 2012, the distribution rights to A New Hope remain with Fox in perpetuity. If the studio were to acquire Fox's film division that could give those rights to Disney -- which would make any future re-releases of the original trilogy easier to accomplish.
For now, these discussions remain ongoing and there is no guarantee that any sale will actually go through, but the Murdochs will likely decide whether or not to proceed by the end of the year.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal via Variety
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