REPORT: Disney Considering Sony Pictures Buyout

[stevearino]

https://fandomwire.com/disney-to-buy...s-from-sonyia/

Per the link above, The Walt Disney Company is REPORTEDLY considering a buyout of the Sony Pictures film and television library in order to gain full acquisition rights to Sony's Spider-Man film franchise via Marvel Studios.

As of this writing, I'm taking this report with a grain of salt, BUT if/when it happens, besides the Spider-Man films by Columbia/Sony Pictures, among OTHER library titles from Sony Pictures that Disney would gain include the following.

(FYI: Before I continue, Disney's buyout of Sony Pictures would ONLY contain the film and television library of Sony, NOT other Sony platforms e.g. PlayStation and other gaming consoles owned by Sony, who'd retain such property rights).

1. The Wheel of Jeopardy! Hour -- My joke name for both "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" combined, "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" are, respectively, the #1 and #2 Syndicated Game Shows on air according to Nielsen ratings and have been since the 1980s, when both shows entered Syndication. Considering ABC (already owned by Disney) is set to do "Jeopardy!" prime-time specials hosted by Mayim Bialik starting January 2022, when/if it happens, Disney would fully own the rights to "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," rights of both of which were sold to Sony in 1994, with CBS Media Ventures (a subsidiary of ViacomCBS) jointly syndicating both.

2. The Pyramid Game Shows -- Created by Bob Stewart, "Pyramid" enjoyed a 15-year run with Dick Clark as host from 1973-1988, after which John Davidson became host for a short-lived 1991 version syndicated by Multimedia Entertainment (and before then Carolco Pictures Television). The original 1985-1988 run of "The $100,000 Pyramid" was originally Syndicated by 20th Century Fox Television (now officially owned by Disney) before Sony's acquisition of "Pyramid" upon the launch of The Game Show Network.

3. Bewitched -- Created by Sol Saks, "Bewitched" was a Screen Gems favorite originally airing on the ABC Television Network from September 17, 1964 - March 25, 1972, spanning 8 seasons of 254 episodes; the series starred Elizabeth Montgomery and the 2 Dicks--Dick York and Dick Sargent, respectively--as Samantha (a witch) and Darrin (a mortal) Stephens. Reruns of the show aired on Nickelodeon as part of its Nick at Nite lineup from September 4, 1989 - September 3, 2000 by The Program Exchange.

4. Dennis The Menace -- Based on the comic book series by Hank Ketcham, "Dennis The Menace" was a hit '50s sitcom originally airing for 4 seasons on CBS from October 4, 1959 - July 7, 1963. The show was adapted for television by future "Bewitched" creator Sol Saks, with Bill Cowley & Peggy Chantler hired to write a pilot script in late 1958. The series was part of the initial Nick at Nite lineup from July 1, 1985 - June 3, 1990, after which Nickelodeon moved "Dennis The Menace" reruns to its Daytime schedule.

5. The Monkees -- This hit yet short-lived '60s sitcom originally aired on NBC for 2 seasons of 58 episodes from September 12, 1966 - March 25, 1968.

6. Route 66 -- Another part of the original Nick at Nite lineup, "Route 66" was a hit '50s Adventure Series Created by Bert Leonard & Stirling Siliphant and originally aired on the CBS Television Network from October 7, 1960 - March 20, 1964; its original 1959 Pilot was used as an episode of the '50s cop show "Naked City," airing on the ABC Television Network on April 28, 1959, in which George Maharis & Bobby Morris (who soon afterwards died of a Massive Stroke at age 25 in September 1959) starred, respectively, as Johnny Gary & Lincoln Ridgeway, who returned to Johnny's native New York City after being honorably discharged from the Army. After ABC passed over on the spin-off Pilot, Bert & Stirling made a revised pilot in February 1960, with George Maharis retained, and his character re-christened and re-named Buz Murdock, while Martin Milner joined the cast as Tod Stiles, a 24-year-old Recent Orphan whose dad dropped dead of a Massive Heart Attack sometime earlier, leaving Tod the only thing his dad got left--a Chevy Corvair. CBS soon bought the revised concept, by this time officially called "Route 66," and subsequently aired the show for 4 seasons until cancelling it in early 1964. During that time, the series was filmed entirely on location across America, with one episode filmed in Toronto, Canada. Many Before-They-Were-Stars moments occurred, including (but not limited to) Leslie Nielsen (in an episode filmed entirely on location at Marine Land in Palo Verdes, California, where Leslie appeared alongside established star and "Mayberry" resident Ronny Howard), Tom Bosley, and Boss Hogg (real name: Sorrell Booke), along with other stars past their prime e.g. Ethel Waters (in an episode filmed on location in Chicago).

Those are just SOME of the Sony Pictures film and television library The Walt Disney Company would gain IF Disney were to buy out Sony Pictures.

[James28]

Okay, as much as I hate Sony Pictures (specifically its Television division), I do NOT want to see The Walt Disney Company killing another major film studio, just like it did with 20th Century Fox. I'm saying no to something like this. No, no, no, no, no, no! A thousand times NO!

#IRejectThis
#MergersAreEvil
#WeDontWantThis
#NoMoreMergers
#NoMoreAcquisitions
#ThisShouldNeverEverBeConsidered

[KurtfromPitts]

Don't want that to happen either.

[TheLogoMan94]

I believe this isn't true. Disney is not buying or merging with Sony. The fact that there aren't many stories about this from any reputable financial source was already a red flag for me. Any big media merger would've made headlines, for example, WarnerMedia-Discovery or Viacom-CBS. Back in May, Sony Group's CEO said that Sony is not for sale and a sale or spin-off won't be happening "anytime soon". The only recent deal between Sony and Disney involved Marvel properties and also involved bringing some upcoming Sony movies to Disney+ and Hulu starting in 2022..

Link 1.) "No, Disney Isn't Buying Sony. Here's Why It'd Make No Sense". Observer Media. https://observer.com/2021/08/disney-...an-characters/

Link 2.) "Sony Pictures Not for Sale, Says CEO Yoshida Kenichiro. Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/bu...le-1234960009/

Linnk 3.) "Disney inks a huge Sony deal to bring Spider-Man and other films to Disney Plus and Hulu". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/21/2...eal-spider-man