Daily News Photo Illustration; Sony Pictures; Disney
“Pow! Disney to buy Marvel for $4 billion”
That was the top headline on my iGoogle front page today as I woke up this Monday, and while business buyouts and mergers aren’t anything special in today’s mega-conglomerate age; one question instantly came up in my head.
Does this mean Spider Man 4 is going to suck?
But then again, did Spider Man 3 suck? I haven’t watched it yet.
Disney has the tween and family markets cornered, pumping out under-18 pop stars as if they were home grown in a lab underneath Epcot. When it comes to the film side of the house their animation features are perennial successes thanks to Pixar. Their live-action features have done well too with successful franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean, The Chronicles of Narnia, and High School Musical. However as mainstream their popularity is, they are definitely missing out as their audiences mature and look for something with a little bit more action. And by action I don’t mean The Game Plan.
Now Pirates of the Caribbean and Iron Man were both successful films but, you have to admit they are different when you consider that Disney productions are family-friend adventures and Marvel Studio’s productions tend to be action-packed spectacles that will occasionally push into R-rated territory (see Punisher: War Zone.)
The Disney acquisition of Marvel will give them access to a whole universe of characters and stories that they need to create the summer block-busters that will attract the older crowds that are too old for The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana.
However is Disney willing to let Marvel do things the way they always have? Most of Marvel’s films stick around the PG-13 mark to attract the mainstream, but they don’t need to uphold a squeaky clean reputation like Disney’s.
Right now Iron Man 2 is in post-production and director Jon Favreau previewed on the film’s examination on the emotional tolls Tony Stark experiences as Iron Man including his, ” issues with booze. That’s part of who he is. I don’t think we’ll ever do the Leaving Las Vegas version, but it will be dealt with.”
I just hope the Disney doesn’t try and write-in a song and dance for Iron Man that magically solves his internal woes.
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