Ever since Disney bought up Marvel, fans have wondered if they would see the Hulk and Mickey Mouse walking down the street together at one of the theme parks. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, hopes it happens.
“The notion of walking into a theme park and going into Asgard or the X-Mansion—Disney does this better than anyone. That is why I’ve gone to Disney parks multiple times every year for my whole life. It’s that next step in fully immersive storytelling, whether it’s a dark ride, a stunt show, or a thrill ride. The options are endless when it comes to how Imagineers can turn our characters, our adventures, and our films into amazing experiences.”
The only problem that might be standing in the way of that dream is the current Universal Studios theme parks that still have Marvel attractions.
Way back when the Disney/Marvel deal was announced, Bob Iger, Disney’s Chief Executive said the company would honor other agreements in place.
Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger promised to honor existing agreements between rival theme parks and the comic book giant, but expects to “use Marvel where we can on Disney platforms and in Disney places.”
“Marvel characters have already proven to be strong in terms of theme park attraction and we believe there are a lot of opportunities around the world,” Iger told CNBC. “Not in every one of our parks, because there are some existing agreements that we obviously have to honor, but in a number of places for us to use the Marvel characters to basically help us grow our theme park business and better entertain people.”
And, why shouldn’t they honor those contracts, as long as the other parties follow the terms of agreement? That was echoed by Tom Schroder, Universal Studios Floria spokesman.
“Our agreement with Marvel stands for as long as we follow the terms of our existing contract and for as long as we want there to be a Marvel Super Hero Island.”
Of course, the last time I looked, there wasn’t a Marvel branch at Universal theme park, Hollywood, and current plans for Marvel attractions in Singapore and elsewhere have been put on hold. So, if you want to see Disney take on Marvel attractions, Anaheim may be your destination location sometime in the next decade. And at that time, don’t be surprised if CCI makes the move north.
5 Comments
Disney = $$. If they want it bad enough they’ll pay for it. I personally would love to see a “Midgard Serpent” coaster.
I figured that, once the contracts with Universal run their course, Disney would have to do something with the Marvel stable at the parks. It just seems natural, and the only objection I’d have is if Marvel thought this justified breaking contract & being jerks after so many years partnered with Universal.
If that happens, though, there will be a lot of Disney diehards (who can easily make the worst of comic book fandom look sane) crying into their Nescafe over those “violent” Marvel characters sullying the parks, even if Disney gives Marvel its own park. And the malicious jerk in me who finds people bemoaning the fact that the parks aren’t museums to their personal nostalgia and actually -*gasp*- money-making businesses that could care less about them personally amusing.
“the parks aren’t museums to their personal nostalgia and actually -*gasp*- money-making businesses that could care less about them personally amusing”
Uhhm this is true not just for theme parks but for comics and animation by themselves. I think is something we often lose track of it
Boy, isn’t that the truth.
Okay, I think I’m for this.
They can re-use parts from the old Disneyland rides to make the Marvel ones. Tomorrowland can lend the Adventure Thru Inner Space for a Pym Particle-charged Journey To The Microverse, parts of the old Haunted Mansion can become Dr. Strange’s Sanctum, they can make the House Of The Future into Tony Stark’s place from the movies, Submarine Voyage would be to Namor’s Atlantis, Space Mountain would of course be Asgard, and the Matterhorn would be Olympus. There’d also be a Safari to Wakanda, Gammaland, the Nexus Of All Worlds swamp ride, Mutant Street, U.S.A. where you could stay at the Xavier Institute Hotel (or the Hellfire Club) and find out what your mutant power would be, It’s A Small Multiverse set in the Crystal Palace of the Exiles, the monorail would be replaced with the Shield Helicarrier and the iconic images of the Baxter Building or Four Freedoms Tower, the Avengers Mansion/tower, and the Daily Bugle building as part of a mini Manhattan could be the centerpiece. On Halloween they could turn it into the Marvel Zombieverse version, there could be a House Of M remodel one season, an Age of Apocalypse another, and you might show up to find quite without warning that some of the regular costumed players are acting strangely and suddenly displaying Skrull chins.