I really feel like Marvel need to work with Universal on getting Hulk squared away, particularly since the Universal Monsters films keep failing after The Wolfman, Dracula Untold and The Mummy all bombed. Universal are sitting on a goldmine if they'd just work with Marvel and pay them to produce Hulk 2 and spin-offs for She-Hulk, Red Hulk and Totally Awesome Hulk. Marvel would have total creative control over Hulk which that lack with their partnership with Sony. Marvel would even have more control over Hulk than they do with the Netflix series. Universal need to stop being difficult and understand that Universal Monsters is a sinking ship but Hulk might actually turn a profit.
Marvel/Disney have absolutely no reason to work with Universal outside of eventually getting the full rights back. A Sony like deal is not happening with Fox or Universal. The one and only reason Marvel/Disney did that deal with Sony, IMO, is because of merchandise. Disney gave up a lot to get the remaining 25% Spider-Man merchandise Sony owned in 2011. They then did the 2015 deal to maybe removing Sony's claws from the rights, and get a foot into regaining all the rights from Spidey they didn't already own, and to make sure he's relevant and helping sell merchandise.
They have no reason to overpay or give up as much as they did to Sony for Spidey. Spider-Man is the only Marvel character who gets merchandise and. Avengers follow a bit behind Spidey, with other high branded individual characters/teams (Ironman, Cap, Guardians) and then the rest (Thor, Hulk, Punisher, Deadpool, etc). Everyone else gets scraps, if they get them. They are not sharing revenue from their work for scraps. They already control all the merch rights. They already can do Hulk story arcs (and presumably other Hulks as well). They have no reason to offer Fox or Universal a Sony like deal.
I think you're dead wrong about the FF. I think Marvel wants them back so bad they can taste it, but if Marvel has proven one thing, it's that they're a shrewd businessman. They're gonna get what they want their way. It's only a matter of time before Fox realizes they just don't know what to do with the property, and they let it go. Marvel is just gonna sit on their hands until they can get them back their way.
Marvel executives most likely want them. I'm sure Feige would love to have SS or Doom. Even the X-Men. But it's not up to him, it's up to Disney executives, and they don't really need them at this point, so there's no reason to pay for it.
But let me pose this simple question for you: If you were a manager at Fox and you had little to no intention of making a new FF film, what would you do? Just let the rights lapse or pay a small fee to try to get $50 plus million from Marvel?
I believe you mean executive at Fox? If so, and ignoring other variables I would have in my hands, I would try to make a deal before the extension fee was due after the movie was obviously going to bomb. So from August 2015 until July 2016, I would be trying to negotiate and reach a deal. Failing that, when July 2016 came I would come to a decision, do I pay the extension fee and create a movie based on this property with lots of potential, or do I let it expire and watch Marvel create gold like they did with DD, Elektra, and Punisher?
Assuming other variables are okay, I would go with the former. I would not pay the extension fee and expect Marvel to come a knocking. It's not a "small fee" either, I would guess 2-3MM.
Its either 1) Indefinite/perpetual.
2) Holds for a limited number of films (possibly a trilogy or something), and there's no time limit on it. The Incredible Hulk was one, and they might have distribution dibs on a set number of follow ups if marvel did make them.
or 3) the deal is time sensitive and possibly nearing its expiration.
Anyone's guess as to which it might be.
I'm guessing number 2 because, IIRC, that's similar to what Paramount had when Disney bought it from them.
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