DVDizzy Forum

Hulu Acquires AT&T’s 10% Stake in Streaming Venture for $1.43 Billion
https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/h ... 203190132/

Comcast is in talks to sell its 30% stake in Hulu to Disney
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/25/comcast ... isney.html

Disney to Assume Full Operational Control of Hulu
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... lu-1210446

"Older, Broader, Edgier": What to Expect From Hulu Under Disney's Control
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... ol-1212776

Not sure if I like all the new priorities at Disney:

https://www.slashfilm.com/mouse-guard-c ... isney-fox/

Disney has laid the trap for the first major film casualty of its acquisition of Fox. Two weeks before it was set to go into production, Mouse Guard, the feature film adaptation based on David Petersen’s beloved comic series, has been scrapped.

No clear reason was given for the sudden Mouse Guard cancellation, but THR reports that Disney wanted Fox’s output to steer away from projects too similar to their own CGI-heavy fare like The Lion King and The Jungle Book. The outlet also notes that Disney wants Fox films to focus on the adult market since it already has a vice-like grip over the family film market:

Another source said Disney does not want Fox in the big-budget game, which Mouse Guard, with a budget of $170 million, found itself in. Instead, Disney wants its new studio division to focus on lower cost family movies, as well as PG-13 and R-rated fare. One of the few exceptions to this will be Avatar, the big-budget sci-fi movies series from James Cameron.

Only two weeks away, and they pulled the plug.

Reuters (via Yahoo Finance) is reporting that Sinclair Broadcast Group is purchasing the 21 regional sports networks Disney needed to sell as a condition of the U.S. Justice Department's approving the acquisition of 21st Century Fox for US$10 billion.

Multiple Fox Films Getting Axed at Disney
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... ey-1204252

Disney Sets Course for Pared-Down 20th Century Fox Amid $170M Loss
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... ss-1229848

Wow, I didn't know Dark Phoenix flopped. A shame the film didn't do better since I like Sophie Turner.

"Direct-to-consumer"... Most of the things going straight to Disney+ have sounded substandard for a while now. Direct-to-consumer is apparently going to become code for low quality, just like their direct-to-video films of the past.

Things are truly dire. What is happening to theatrical films? Will there even be any films released in cinemas in 20 years time?

I suppose I can kiss Blue Sky and any sequels to Alien Covenant goodbye.

Disney Installs Top Animation Execs at Fox's Blue Sky
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... ky-1230538

And Clark Spencer is the new president of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

I just hope the fact that Andrew Millstein joins Blue Sky will not influence the studio's independence too much. (When Catmull and Lasseter were president and CCO of both Pixar and the Disney studio, the two studios were gradually becoming more like each other, and it was not always that clear which studio it was that had made the latest feature.)

Millstein and Jim Morris will mostly be handling the business side of the studio. Robert Baird, who was already president of Blue Sky before the merger was even announced, will remain in charge of the creative side.

Anyway, I see this as good news. It shows Disney values Blue Sky as an important animation producer and, despite initial fears, won't be shutting them down or selling them any time soon.

Important article about some of the changes happening at Fox, including which movies are moving forward and which ones are getting cancelled: Fox Feels the Pressure From Disney As Film Flops Mount

Of note is this paragraph:

Gone are original films such as a slate of titles from British animator Locksmith. The company’s completed movie “Ron’s Gone Wrong,” about a fleet of robots designed to be every child’s best friend, will be released by Disney in November 2020 — but three slated projects, including a film about misbehaving fairies (pitched as naughty Tinkerbells) have been given back to their creators. A live-action version of the female-centered comic “Lumberjanes,” from animator Noelle Stevenson, has also been canceled. TV kingpin Greg Berlanti will no longer direct two projects set up by Fox, the Jackie Kennedy drama “The Editor” and movie musical “Be More Chill,” but both will move forward with Berlanti producing.

I'm glad Disney's dissolving their partnership with Locksmith Animation. It made no sense to continue distributing films from third-party studios when they already have three animation studios of their own. Even before the acquisition, I thought this was a wrong move on Fox's part and a slap in the face to Blue Sky Studios.

“If Disney hadn’t bought Fox and they were just going along with business as usual, there’d still be layoffs and there’d be a For Sale sign on the lot,” says Jeff Bock, box office analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “There’s no way they’d have been able to survive in this climate.”

Rupert Murdoch knew what he was doing when he sold Fox to Disney. Had he waited any longer, the profit would not have been as huge.

Sotiris wrote:I'm glad Disney's dissolving their partnership with Locksmith Animation. It made no sense to continue distributing films from third-party studios when they already have three animation studios of their own. Even before the acquisition, I thought this was a wrong move on Fox's part and a slap in the face to Blue Sky Studios.

Blue Sky tends to make only one film a year and all of the studios are interested in investing more in animation, hence why Fox also signed that distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation all those years ago. Stacey Snider, when she was running Fox, was also intent on the studio making more family films.

When your animation division releases a single film per year and you want more, I feel it's better to sign a distribution deal with another studio than to force them to make more than they're capable of doing. And besides, Disney releases multiple animated films from different studios each year without too much of a problem. I don't think the Blue Sky folks were that insulted by the distribution agreement with Locksmith.

But I agree that there was no way it would last long after the merger was announced. Fox wanted to release more animated films per year. Disney already releases plenty. I think Locksmith will probably end up with Paramount or maybe even Warner Bros.

Rumpelstiltskin wrote: Rupert Murdoch knew what he was doing when he sold Fox to Disney. Had he waited any longer, the profit would not have been as huge.

Disney should've known not to trust the Murdochs, but their greed was too much for them to resist another acquisition. I can't say I feel sorry for Disney's losses.

https://twitter.com/DisneyExaminer/stat ... 13600?s=20

Executive producer Al Jean has teased that they “have talked about it” with Disney regarding a potential second ‘SIMPSONS’ film as well as ideas for potential spinoff series’ for ‘THE SIMPSONS’. #D23 #D23Expo

I'm surprised they're selling it instead of simply shutting it down like they did with LucasArts.

Disney Planning Sale of Fox Video Game Division
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... es-1238763

Disney's no longer letting movie theaters show older Fox movies...whoa.

Disney Is Quietly Placing Classic Fox Movies Into Its Vault, and That’s Worrying
https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/disney- ... vault.html
(via Fandom)

And this is good...How? This is precisely what nobody wanted.

blackcauldron85 wrote:Disney's no longer letting movie theaters show older Fox movies...whoa.

I don't get what the big deal is. Disney's still allowing museums, non-profit theaters and charitable organizations to show their movies. For-profit theaters aren't going to be affected much either considering screenings of old movies only accounts for a very small percentage of their earnings. This whole thing seems to have been blown out of proportion just to vilify Disney.

It's just jarring, I guess. Arthouse and specialty theaters, Fathom Events (where older movies play for a brief time)... it's surprising.