The Curious Case of Spider-Man & Hulk Rights (Or Keep Hope Alive That the Rights Will Revert)

[Darkprime]

Could there be more to this than meets the eye?

 

[psylockolussus]

Far from Home, The Incredible Hulk and Homecoming should definitely be on Disney+. All three are Marvel Studios films.

 

[InCali]

Miramax's library of film is on sale. 800+ titles, full of AA winners and critically well received movies that would greatly add to Hulu's library especially as NBCU and Warner pull their content. Cost? About 325MM. Honestly a much better - and cheaper - purchase than SM movie rights.

We bailed on Hulu because, for some reason unbeknownst to me (but I suspect my daughter was doing something), the cost went up to about $40 a month. My wife likes Handmaid's Tale and we'd probably be willing to spring for the package D/ESPN/Hulu deal if it didn't get pulled. Is that one of the scenarios?

 

[WereCoyote]

The last animated movie I genuinely liked was "Up". So, that sort of gives people an idea of where I'm at with regard to animation.

I hope, for the sake of people who really liked it, that they keep up the good work.

You're not alone. When I found out What-If? was animated I lost all interest.

 

[InCali]

You're not alone. When I found out What-If? was animated I lost all interest.

Were you forced to sit through some animated movie a gazillion times or are they just not your cup of tea?

 

[WereCoyote]

Were you forced to sit through some animated movie a gazillion times or are they just not your cup of tea?

Elementary school teacher. So I get all the animation I can stomach at work.

 

[InCali]

Elementary school teacher. So I get all the animation I can stomach at work.

LOL. Oh Lord.

 

[Detective Conan]

Do some of you think Sony will make Venom 2 R-rated now after Joker proved to be so successful?

 

[Flint Marko]

Nah they probably discussed it at some point but I highly doubt it. Aren’t they close to shooting it?

 

[ADollarADay]

Do some of you think Sony will make Venom 2 R-rated now after Joker proved to be so successful?

Only if Marvel allows them. The contract specifies the movies have to be PG-13 or lower. Disney/Marvel would have to approve an "R" rated movie from the license if Sony wants to go that route.

13.a. SPE Creative and Business Control Over Productions. SPE shall have total creative and business control, in its sole discretion, over all matters relating to each Production and the development, production, creative content, marketing, distribution and other exploitation thereof, including without limitation total creative control and discretion regarding the depiction of the Property (and all elements thereof) in each such Production and in all marketing, advertising and promotional materials for each Production (and Marvel shall have no rights of approval or control with respect to any of the foregoing), except for (i) SPE’s Character Integrity Obligations with respect to Core Elements under Section 13.c(ii) hereof, (ii) the $75 million minimum production budget requirement with respect to Pictures under Section 13.e(i) below, (iii) the 2000 screen requirement with respect to Pictures under Section 13.f below, and (iv) the PG-13 (or equivalent) rating requirement under Section 13.e(ii).

13.e. Production Specifications. Each Picture produced and completed by SPE shall conform to the following production specifications:


13.e(i) The all-in, above-the-line and below-the-line production budget of the Picture shall be not less than $75,000,000.


13.e(ii) The Picture shall qualify for an MPAA rating no more restrictive than PG-13 (or the equivalent thereof if such rating no longer exists).

I thought MiramaX was owned by Disney. I don't really know a lot of MiramaX movies butI can guess having those 800+ titles would be good for any streaming services.

They used to. Sold them, but now it's on sale. Honestly it'd be good to have Hulu buy them and put the debt on Hulu. Movies include Pulp Fiction, No Country for Old Men, and many others. It's a good library.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

Venom was also big in China I believe, and I don't think being R-rated would help there, so that's another reason I can't see them do it.

 

[Iceman]

I’m not expecting it, but if they have Carnage in a sequel there would be at least a reason to consider changing. R rating isn’t really needed otherwise given how successful the first was as is.

 

[Detective Conan]

It bears pointing out that Logan was released in China albeit with edits to censor out the objectionable parts of the film like the violence and nudity. I think Sony could do the same thing Fox did and have their cake and eat too by doing a R-rated sequel, but also make an alternate PG-13 cut of the film that tones down the content for the Chinese release.

 

[InCali]

Elementary school teacher. So I get all the animation I can stomach at work.

I always thought being an elementary school teacher would be really cool. I never thought about the dangers associated with it.

 

[WereCoyote]

I always thought being an elementary school teacher would be really cool. I never thought about the dangers associated with it.

Eh I'm in the computer lab, so I'm basically a glorified baby sitter.

 

[Zarex]

They used to. Sold them, but now it's on sale. Honestly it'd be good to have Hulu buy them and put the debt on Hulu. Movies include Pulp Fiction, No Country for Old Men, and many others. It's a good library.

The Miramax library is certainly strong. But I question whether or not its 90s-centric slate would drive viewers to Hulu in sufficient numbers to justify the large expense. It would probably make more sense to invest the hundreds of millions in new potentially bingeable content. And does The Mouse want to be tied to Miramax again after being blamed for funding Weinstein's horrifying behavior during the label's heyday?

I wouldn't be surprised if, within a few years, both Hulu and ESPN Plus are consolidated into the Disney Plus App, joining Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic as the top brands for the streamer.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

The Miramax library is certainly strong. But I question whether or not its 90s-centric slate would drive viewers to Hulu in sufficient numbers to justify the large expense. It would probably make more sense to invest the hundreds of millions in new potentially bingeable content. And does The Mouse want to be tied to Miramax again after being blamed for funding Weinstein's horrifying behavior during the label's heyday?

I wouldn't be surprised if, within a few years, both Hulu and ESPN Plus are consolidated into the Disney Plus App, joining Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic as the top brands for the streamer.

Has there been any serious discussion, not just of the Miramax films, but all the great Fox films that Disney now owns but isn't currently streaming?

I have to imagine they'd rather distribute them themselves, on their own platform than turn them over to Hulu in which they only have a partial stake.

The obvious thing would seem to be to make them part of Disney + so that's the one "must have" subscription service that no one can do without, but they clearly seem to be trying to keep that more "family friendly" (though I noticed when I was getting mine set up, their was some question related to age/parental controls, so they could introduce R-Rated movies with parents controlling what their kids can see).

They could split off a whole different platform for the more adult titles, but that would seem to counter their goal of dominance. If people have t pick and choose between subscription services, they could go with competitors. If all the Disney/Fox/Miramax titles are on one platform (even if it's partitioned in some way), that would make that single platform very attractive and competitive with other subscription services.

They MUST have a plan at this point, but has there been any public information or reliable speculation/rumors about that plan?

 

[Zarex]

Has there been any serious discussion, not just of the Miramax films, but all the great Fox films that Disney now owns but isn't currently streaming?

I have to imagine they'd rather distribute them themselves, on their own platform than turn them over to Hulu in which they only have a partial stake.

The obvious thing would seem to be to make them part of Disney + so that's the one "must have" subscription service that no one can do without, but they clearly seem to be trying to keep that more "family friendly" (though I noticed when I was getting mine set up, their was some question related to age/parental controls, so they could introduce R-Rated movies with parents controlling what their kids can see).

They could split off a whole different platform for the more adult titles, but that would seem to counter their goal of dominance. If people have t pick and choose between subscription services, they could go with competitors. If all the Disney/Fox/Miramax titles are on one platform (even if it's partitioned in some way), that would make that single platform very attractive and competitive with other subscription services.

They MUST have a plan at this point, but has there been any public information or reliable speculation/rumors about that plan?

The plan right now appears to be to have Hulu as The Mouse's home for adult oriented content that the company wants to keep separate from the Disney brand. Iger announced in a recent interview that Hulu was going to be the streaming home for new FX produced shows along with shows from that cable channel's library.

And though the deal Disney cut with Comcast to own Hulu outright doesn't become final until 2024, Cabletown can start pulling their programming from the streamer starting in 2022. That not so coincidentally coincides with the end of the 20th Century Fox pay window deal with HBO, so its seems all but certain certain that new movies from that studio will replace the NBC/Universal content in about three years time. I could see Disney putting both the new and old Fox material on Hulu at the same time in order to make a splash in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Disney is going to try and run Hulu as a separate entity apart from Disney Plus, but that may be a challenge given the competition and the fact that most of the Glengarry Leads are on the other streamer. My thinking is that, eventually, both Hulu and ESPN Plus will be absorbed into Disney Plus.

FX to Produce Programming for Hulu

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

HBO CEO Predicts Disney Will Pull Fox Movies From Pay TV Channel

 

[Kuwolski]

The plan right now appears to be to have Hulu as The Mouse's home for adult oriented content that the company wants to keep separate from the Disney brand. Iger announced in a recent interview that Hulu was going to be the streaming home for new FX produced shows along with shows from that cable channel's library.

And though the deal Disney cut with Comcast to own Hulu outright doesn't become final until 2024, Cabletown can start pulling their programming from the streamer starting in 2022. That not so coincidentally coincides with the end of the 20th Century Fox pay window deal with HBO, so its seems all but certain certain that new movies from that studio will replace the NBC/Universal content in about three years time. I could see Disney putting both the new and old Fox material on Hulu at the same time in order to make a splash in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Disney is going to try and run Hulu as a separate entity apart from Disney Plus, but that may be a challenge given the competition and the fact that most of the Glengarry Leads are on the other streamer. My thinking is that, eventually, both Hulu and ESPN Plus will be absorbed into Disney Plus.

FX to Produce Programming for Hulu

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

HBO CEO Predicts Disney Will Pull Fox Movies From Pay TV Channel

Not sure about that myself. It's something that could work, but the bundle basically serves the same fuction while giving consumers more flexibility and choice, which in itself is a great selling point. I see a lot of people questioning what they'll do with Hulu, but I feel it's unnecessary at the moment considering it's the fastest growing streamer on the domestic front and will be bolsterd in the future with premium content from FX, Fox Searchlight and much of the Fox library which isn't suitable on Disney +. Things may change in a more competitive landscape, but considering Hulu's most popular plan is the 5.99 ad-supported one, it's clear price point is a large driver as well. We'll see how that balancing act works when Comcast pulls content, but I don't think the impact will be too significant at this point. Disney clearly believes in the homegrown approch, letting Seinfeld go without much thought and not getting in a bidding war for the highly valuable South Park catalogue.

 

[InCali]

Eh I'm in the computer lab, so I'm basically a glorified baby sitter.

I think what you are trying to say is that you're training the next generation of scholars in cutting edge cyber techniques.....

It looks like I'll be getting the Hulu/Disney/ESPN package sooner than planned. I made the mistake of reading reviews for The Mandalorian. My new TV arrives in about 40 minutes so I'm working from home today.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

The plan right now appears to be to have Hulu as The Mouse's home for adult oriented content that the company wants to keep separate from the Disney brand. Iger announced in a recent interview that Hulu was going to be the streaming home for new FX produced shows along with shows from that cable channel's library.

And though the deal Disney cut with Comcast to own Hulu outright doesn't become final until 2024, Cabletown can start pulling their programming from the streamer starting in 2022. That not so coincidentally coincides with the end of the 20th Century Fox pay window deal with HBO, so its seems all but certain certain that new movies from that studio will replace the NBC/Universal content in about three years time. I could see Disney putting both the new and old Fox material on Hulu at the same time in order to make a splash in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Disney is going to try and run Hulu as a separate entity apart from Disney Plus, but that may be a challenge given the competition and the fact that most of the Glengarry Leads are on the other streamer. My thinking is that, eventually, both Hulu and ESPN Plus will be absorbed into Disney Plus.

FX to Produce Programming for Hulu

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast

HBO CEO Predicts Disney Will Pull Fox Movies From Pay TV Channel

I completely missed the Disney/Comcast/Hulu deal. (I guess I stopped paying attention after Disney completed their purchase of Fox).

 

[WereCoyote]

I think what you are trying to say is that you're training the next generation of scholars in cutting edge cyber techniques.....

I wish that were the case, but actually what I do is monitor students on an online Math program, while I organize my comics and post on the Hype for the most part. I have tried to get out of the canned program so I can teach those cutting edge cyber techniques to no avail. Gotta do what the boss says, so oh well.

 

[WereCoyote]

Does anybody have any idea about the way the Hulk/Namor rights are tied up at Universal? Do they have them in perpetuity, or do they revert back after a time period? With Namor style Easter eggs in a few MCU movies, maybe Marvel Studios thinks those are coming back soon.

 

[ADollarADay]

The Miramax library is certainly strong. But I question whether or not its 90s-centric slate would drive viewers to Hulu in sufficient numbers to justify the large expense. It would probably make more sense to invest the hundreds of millions in new potentially bingeable content. And does The Mouse want to be tied to Miramax again after being blamed for funding Weinstein's horrifying behavior during the label's heyday?

I wouldn't be surprised if, within a few years, both Hulu and ESPN Plus are consolidated into the Disney Plus App, joining Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic as the top brands for the streamer.

Majority of people have no idea who Weinstein is let alone he was part of Miramax. Plus he hasn't been involved with the studio in years. That's a non starter and Disney certainly wouldn't care. The main issue as to why bidders are walking out is because Being wants to have some type of co-ownership of the library post sale. That's a dealbreaker for anyone half sane.

Miramax's library is relatively cheap and would provide a good amount of content post Warner and NBC pulling their content. It's also safer than releasing a brand new show or two that may not resonate with audience. Lower risk lower reward if you will.

I can also see it being a good fit for HBO Max. I am personally of the opinion that Warner's legacy library is more diverse and superior to Disney + Fox and this would strengthen that.

I completely missed the Disney/Comcast/Hulu deal. (I guess I stopped paying attention after Disney completed their purchase of Fox).

Worth noting that in the last call Iger mentioned that it makes sense that Fox's adult content would go to Hulu but it's too early to make a decision.

Does anybody have any idea about the way the Hulk/Namor rights are tied up at Universal? Do they have them in perpetuity, or do they revert back after a time period? With Namor style Easter eggs in a few MCU movies, maybe Marvel Studios thinks those are coming back soon.

Hulk's RoFR is in perpetuity. They got that for allowing the production rights to revert back to Marvel before they were supposed to. Namor? Who knows. I think they probably have RoFR in perpetuity as well. I am not sure why Marvel hasn't made a play to buy this out, but maybe they did and Comcast is asking for an exorbitant amount of money.

 

[Kuwolski]

I can also see it being a good fit for HBO Max. I am personally of the opinion that Warner's legacy library is more diverse and superior to Disney + Fox and this would strengthen that

You can argue that in terms of scripted content, but Disney is including ESPN + in the bundle for a reason. Sports delivers many hours (and eyeballs) of chewable time over the course of a year. The IP on the app is slim at the moment, but in the near future it will be scaled up significantly as more people cut the cord. That's why they are seeding the marketplace with it now. It's a major piece in the strategy.

In terms of Miramax, it's something they could do but I think the money to aquire it could be spent more effectively elsewhere. Save it for reaquirng sports rights or to make a new purchase you'll really need over time, like a video game company.