When Disney acquired new studio Ma
rvel Entertainment in 2009, changes were bound to come eventually. Paramount Pictures, for example, will not be the main distributor of Marvel’s cinema output following the release of IRON MAN 3 (currently penciled in for 2013) but now even that timetable seems to have changed.
Reports suggest that the length of Paramount’s relationship with Marvel has been chopped once again. All three parties involved have announced that Paramount will transfer its worldwide marketing and distribution rights for both THE AVENGERS ( 2012) and IRON MAN 3 (2013) to Disney. In this deal, Disney will pay Paramount $115 million in transfer, which will serve as a “minimum guarantee against distribution fees”, according to the press release.
Upcoming movies THOR and CAPTAIN AMERICA will remain with Paramount as previously planned. “In completing this agreement, Disney will now assume worldwide marketing and distribution of THE AVENGERS and IRON MAN 3 and leverage these two highly-anticipated films across the multiple global platforms of The Walt Disney Company,” said Rich Ross, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, in the press release.
“We appreciate the tremendous momentum that Paramount established with these iconic Marvel characters and look forward to propelling the brand even further in the coming years.”
With Disney able to reach this agreement prior to the conclusion of their existing deal, it does cause me to wonder whether if it’s possible that Sony and 20th Century Fox may yet relinquish their rights to SPIDER-MAN, FANTASTIC FOUR and X-MEN over to Disney in the years forthcoming. What is clear though is that’s the end of an era for Paramount, the production company responsible for all Marvel output up until now.
Sad Face…
