Disney, Marvel Combine Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man In $4 Billion Deal

August 31, 2009: Mickey Mouse, SportsCenter, Hannah Montana, Spider-Man and Wolverine are now related with the acquisition on Aug. 31 by The Walt Disney Co. of Marvel Entertainment. The stock and cash transaction was valued by the companies at $4 billion.

Under terms of the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Issac "Ike" Perlmutter, who has been CEO for Marvel since 2005, will oversee the Marvel properties and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties, according to the companies.The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, but the deal must still await federal regulation approval.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” Perlmutter said in a statement. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”

Leading Marvel characters include Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, Wolverine and Captain America. Disney properties include ABC, ESPN, Hannah Montana and the Disney World sites worldwide.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” Robert Iger, president and CEO for The Walt Disney Co., said in a statement. “We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation." Back to Home Page