Disney's Next Acquisition?

[Sotiris]

From all the possible acquisitions, Mattel is the one that makes most sense. A toy company would compliment Disney's businesses (vertical integration) and the two have a long history of collaboration together. Mattel is much smaller and won't cost nearly as much as Hasbro and unlike Hasbro they haven't sold the film rights to most of their properties. The quality of Mattel's toys is much higher than Hasbro's despite Hasbro selling better (which is mostly due the Disney licenses they have). If Disney is interested, they should act fast as Hasbro keeps making takeover bids to purchase Mattel.

[blackcauldron85]

Should Disney Buy AMC?
https://www.fool.com/amp/investing/2020 ... y-buy-amc/

What do you think? With Disney in so much financial trouble right now, I can't imagine that they would purchase another large company anytime soon, especially with their strong streaming stance. But like the article mentions, it might be good to offer in-theater and at-home options.

[unprincess]

wouldn't most of their series have to end up on Hulu?

[estefan]

The article is about AMC, the theatre chain. Not AMC, the television channel. I used to be confused about that, too, and whether they were part of the same company. Two separate companies, though.

[Sotiris]

Disney wanted to buy Warner Bros. back in 2016.

In October 2016, shortly before Time Warner and AT&T announced their deal, Bob Iger, the head of Disney at the time, placed a call to Jeff Bewkes, the chief of Time Warner, according to two people intimately familiar with those details. The Disney leader asked Bewkes if he’d be interested in a possible merger. It was too late, Bewkes said. There was already something in the works. Iger wished him well and hung up the phone. Later, Iger called another media chief in the hopes of forging a deal. It was Rupert Murdoch.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/busi ... story.html

[Disney's Divinity]

Harry Potter could've appeared at Disney World!

[blackcauldron85]

Disney actually had been in talks regarding HP! (There are other articles but):
https://www.themeparkinsider.com/discus ... m?page=760

With a lack of time to look, what properties (besides HP) would Disney have gotten if they bought WB and not Fox? They wouldn't have had Star Wars Ep 1 or Indy...

[UmbrellaFish]

They would have owned a vast library of films and television series. The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight trilogy, Friends, Game of Thrones, etc etc... if it’s in Space Jam 2, it’s owned by TimeWarner. Fox has a great library but nothing surpasses TimeWarner IMHO. Some of the greatest, most successful, most beloved movies and TV shows of all time. But it’s probably for the best Disney didn’t buy them because it would have created an even larger, harder to compete monopoly.

[estefan]

They also have Hanna-Barbera, Tom & Jerry and the Popeye cartoons. Would be surreal having those under Disney's roof.

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks you guys!! So pretty much what is on Boomerang would belong to Disney (in addition to the classic films and shows). I wonder if Fox said no, who was third, fourth, etc, on Iger's list!!

[Sotiris]

Returning CEO Bob Iger may want to make a splashy acquisition as he retakes the throne at Disney. WWE fits Disney in the same ways that it fits Comcast. It would bolster Disney's streaming ambitions (perhaps ESPN+), it would support the linear network business, and it would add some heft to merchandizing and theme park businesses. Comcast didn't want Disney walking away with Fox in 2019 and drove up the price by tens of billions by topping Iger's initial bid. Could Iger see WWE as the next IP battle between Disney and his rival Comcast?

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/07/who-wou ... -sale.html

[Avaitor]

WWE is located in Orlando, which does sound perfect for synergy. Can they really afford another major acquisition, though?

[Sotiris]

Disney Buys Stake In Epic Games, Sets Entertainment Partnership Around Fortnite
https://deadline.com/2024/02/disney-buy ... 235818206/