Is Disney looking to buy Warner Brothers?
Recently it was announced that the head of FOX, Rupert Murdoch, tried to purchase Time Warner Brothers Studios for $80 billion. Warner Brothers did not feel that was an adequate amount and Murdoch withdrew his takeover bid. For most people, this came as a surprise that a possible merger was even in the works. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Brothers is still ripe for a possible takeover bid. The current leader is China’s wealthiest man, Wang Jianlin. If Wang’s takeover bid does not come to fruition, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the 3 possible strongest candidates are Disney, Google and Apple. Disney’s market cap is currently worth $149 billion, Google’s market cap is $385 billion and Apples’ market cap is $567 billion. Disney does seem like the low man on the totem poll compered to the other potential candidates, but with $149 billion the possible merger is still a possibility. Remember a few years ago, no one believed that Lucasfilm could be purchased by any company. I am sure a merger of this magnitude would still have to meet hurdles dealing with the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities And Exchange Commission. If a merger like this did go through for Disney and Warner, it would mean that Disney would acquire the likes of the Harry Potter series, The Lord Of The Rings films, DC Comics and all of their movies, classic Warner Brothers cartoons, such as Bugs Bunny, and The Wizard Of Oz.
One correction: Lucasfilm was ALWAYS an acquisition target. For years and years, the discussion has been about who would buy it. Lucasfilm had two properties, Star Wars and Indiana Jones, that made it attractive and nothing else, except the land Lucas owned. Warner Bros and Fox talked to Lucas for years. It is incorrect to say no one thought it could be purchased. Lucasfilm, while impressive, is no Warner Bros!
I may have worded it wrong but what I was trying to say is that Lucas did not appear that he was willing to sell his properties. That’s the impression I got throughout the years. The most likely candidate for Lucasfilm to me was always Fox, if Lucas ever decided to sell. I still think Disney would be a longshot, especially looking at the market cap of Apple and Google, but you never know.
It will be a sad day if Disney ever buys Warner Brothers
I do see an upside. Disney owns Marvel Studios, Warner own DC film rights. You see where I’m going with this? :D
Marvel / DC crossover.
I would love to see Disney buy Warner Bros. But what happens to the current partnership it has with Six Flags? Would they be allowed to keep using the Looney Tunes characters? It would be kinda weird to have Bugs Bunny in Disney World and Six Flags.
P.S. a “Lord of the Rings” section at one of their parks would be pretty cool too.
AOL Warner & Disney went into months of negotiations to merge ABC & CNN if not the two companies themselves in 2002 but it fell apart and decided to resume talkes at a future date so if the two companies still want to resume talks of a merger “NOW IS THE TIME”.
What if Disney bought Warner Bros & then turned around and sold the DC rights to Fox for some cash & xmen & FF4 rights
if walt disney does own ,i might leave for good
the only reason why disney want,s warner bros because they can control the internet to