But at the same time, Warner just put in some new regulations to prevent a hostile takeover and won't have another shareholder meeting for a year. I doubt that there will be any merger.
And Fox does control the merch. Marvel just takes a cut of it. Marvel can also release a DOFP Omnibus and a game based on the comic DOFP to cash in without Fox seeing a single penny. Marvel also hasn't released any AAA movie games for their own films since Captain America TFA.
Marvel also made the X-Men anime series and Wolverine in the X-Men since they own the animated TV rights, while the live action TV rights require a co-production.
The takeaway here is that no matter who ends up owning the FF and X-Men film rights, Marvel/Disney wins.
And a Fox/Warner merger would be pointless because it would require assets being sold to avoid anti-trust lawsuits and laying off senior management.
That along with fewer tentpole films coming out due to two major studios merging and FX, FXX, TBS and TNT all competing with each other for ratings alongside either CW or Fox Broadcasting dying off and either CNN or Fox News being sold. Time, AOL, Time Warner Cable, Six Flags and Warner Music Group were all either sold or became their own companies. The only thing that Fox would gain would be DC Comics which isn't even that big of an asset since Fox owns Harper-Collins which already gives them access to publishing. That just leaves Fox holding onto all of Warner's IP when means fewer new properties, more TV cancellations and fewer sequels to mid-tier properties.
This merger would make no sense.