The Associated Press is reporting that shareholders of Marvel Entertainment Inc. have approved the company’s acquisition by The Walt Disney Co. The $4.3-billion acquisition will close at the end of the day, bringing Spider-Man, Iron Man, and 5,000 other comic-book characters under the same roof as Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck.
Walt Disney Company recently announced its plans build a 56-acre film/television production facility in northern Los Angeles County, casting a ray of light on an otherwise gloomy film economy that has hemorrhaged thousands of jobs in the last decade.
The proposed Disney/ABC Studios at the Ranch would occupy a corner of the Golden Oak Ranch, a sprawling 890-acre parcel off California 14 that has been the setting of such classic films as “Old Yeller.”
Disney’s official community for Disney fans – D23, has announced a lineup of special events for Fall 2009 which include the first viewing of “The Princess and the Frog,” the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the amazing productions of The Lion King and Mary Poppins and back by popular demand, the legendary lot at The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives will be open for guided tours.
It appears that Spider Man, Iron Man and other Marvel characters will now become part of the Disney family. Disney announced this morning that they are buying Marvel Entertainment which includes more than 5,000 Marvel characters.
Disney fans and enthusiasts will be given unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from September 10 to September 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center when Disney and D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans present the first-ever D23 EXPO.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts recently announced the purchase of a 15-acre site in National Harbor, Maryland overlooking the Potomac River for $11 million. The site is slated to be home to a 500-room resort, though Disney has not yet announced details or a start date for the work.
Located close to the District of Columbia, the National Harbor development is a 300-acre complex, which will eventually contain hotels, residences and a convention center.
Mashable reports that Disney has announced that it’s acquired a stake in quickly growing video site Hulu, joining News Corp and NBC Universal in the venture. That means full-length episodes of ABC hits shows will be available side-by-side with content from NBC and News Corp’s FOX.
The fascinating and inspiring story of Walt Disney will be brought to life at The Walt Disney Family Museum, scheduled to open in San Francisco in the fall of 2009. The Museum will illuminate Walt Disney’s tremendous successes, disappointments, and unyielding optimism as he pursued innovation and excellence while entertaining and enchanting generations worldwide through his pioneering ventures.
Disney has recently launched D23, the first official community for Disney fans in the company’s 85-year history. Through D23, fans will go backstage and behind closed doors to get the inside scoop from every part of Disney, while experiencing the nostalgia, adventure and fantasy of Disney as never before.
Russia’s powerful Federal Anti-Monopoly Commission (FAS) is blocking a deal that would launch a Disney-branded television station in Russia. The agency claims that the deal for a 49% stake in a joint venture with regional commercial network Media One TV, which runs channels in 30 of the country’s 89 regions, “was not in the interests of free competition.”
