Muktamad! X-Men Kembali Ke MCU, Avatar Kini Milik Disney!

Disney dan Fox akhirnya menamatkan perbincangan mereka tentang perjanjian aset filem dan TV milik Fox. Ianya berakhir dengan Disney mendapat hak cipta kepada francais X-Men dan Avatar dan pelbagai filem lain. Dilaporkan perjanjian jual beli ini bernilai 52.4 billion! Dua studio besar Hollywood ini kini bersatu untuk mengaut keuntungan melalui francais tersebut. Berikut ialah kenyataan rasmi yang dikeluarkan oleh Disney.

The Walt Disney Company and Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Disney to acquire 21st Century Fox, including the Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television studios, along with cable and international TV businesses, for approximately $52.4 billion in stock (subject to adjustment). Building on Disney’s commitment to deliver the highest quality branded entertainment, the acquisition of these complementary assets would allow Disney to create more appealing content, build more direct relationships with consumers around the world and deliver a more compelling entertainment experience to consumers wherever and however they choose. Immediately prior to the acquisition, 21st Century Fox will separate the Fox Broadcasting network and stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network into a newly listed company that will be spun off to its shareholders. 

Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of 21st Century Fox will receive 0.2745 Disney shares for each 21st Century Fox share they hold (subject to adjustment for certain tax liabilities as described below). The exchange ratio was set based on a 30-day volume weighted average price of Disney stock. Disney will also assume approximately $13.7 billion of net debt of 21st Century Fox. The acquisition price implies a total equity value of approximately $52.4 billion and a total transaction value of approximately $66.1 billion (in each case based on the stated exchange ratio assuming no adjustment) for the business to be acquired by Disney, which includes consolidated assets along with a number of equity investments. 

Popular Entertainment Properties to Join Disney 

Family Combining with Disney are 21st Century Fox’s critically acclaimed film production businesses, including Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, which together offer diverse and compelling storytelling businesses and are the homes of Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool, as well as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hidden Figures, Gone Girl, The Shape of Water and The Martian—and its storied television creative units, Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, which have brought The Americans, This Is Us, Modern Family, The Simpsons and so many more hit TV series to viewers across the globe. Disney will also acquire FX Networks, National Geographic Partners, Fox Sports Regional Networks, Fox Networks Group International, Star India and Fox’s interests in Hulu, Sky plc, Tata Sky and Endemol Shine Group.

Antara perkara penting dalam kenyataan di atas ialah Marvel Studios kembali mendapat hak cipta untuk watak X-Men, Deadpool, Fantastic Four dan semua karakter berkaitan. Tiada kenyataan tentang bagaimana nasib filem X-Men yang sebelum ini diumumkan dan bagaimana Kevin Feige mahu mencantumkan universe X-Men sedia ada dengan Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fox sudah menyediakan beberapa filem superhero berkaitan mutant dalam dunia X-Men termasuk New Mutants, Deadpool 2, X-Men: Dark Phoenix dan Gambit yang bakal memulakan penggambaran awal 2018 nanti. 

Selain perkara berkaitan dengan MCU, kini aset seperti francais Alien, Predator, Planet of the Apes, Avatar, Home Alone, Independence Day dan lain-lain kini sudah menjadi aset Disney. Malah, The Simpsons juga sudah dimiliki Disney bersama beberapa lagi aset. Hal ini akan sekaligus mempengaruhi pelbagai dunia filem Fox yang sebelum ini sudah stabil.

Keputusan perjanjian ini juga mempengaruhi pelbagai projek Disney di masa hadapan termasuklah media penstriman. Disney yang sekarang ini cuba untuk bersaing dengan Netflix kini bakal mempunyai pelbagai aset filem yang dibeli dari Fox melalui perjanjian ini. Ini sekaligus memberikan pelbagai filem dan siri untuk keperluan pelanggan penstriman online. 

Perjanjian sudah ditamatkan. Dan ianya sekaligus bakal menyaksikan perubahan besar dalam dunia filem.