[Press] – DISNEY ACQUIRES RADICAL’S OBLIVION

For Immediate Release

DISNEY ACQUIRES RADICAL’S OBLIVION

August 5th, 2010, Los Angeles, CA – Radical Publishing is proud to announce that Disney has acquired the film adaptation of OBLIVION, based on Radical Publishing’s illustrated novel created by Tron: Legacy director, Joseph Kosinski, written by Rex Mundi creator, Arvid Nelson, and with illustrations by Andrée Wallin. OBLIVION will be directed by Joseph Kosinki and will be produced by Radical’s President and Publisher, Barry Levine, and Kosinski. Radical Studios’ Executive Vice President Jesse Berger is signed on as Executive Producer. Kosinki is repped by Verve and Anonymous Content while Radical is repped by CAA and David Schiff.

In a future where the Earth’s surface has been irradiated beyond recognition, the remnants of humanity live above the clouds, safe from the brutal alien Scavengers that stalk the ruins. But when surface drone repairman Jak discovers a mysterious woman in a crash-landed pod, it sets off an unstoppable chain of events that will force him to question everything he knows.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Joe Kosinski on OBLIVION,” said Barry Levine, president of Radical Pictures. “Joe is one of the most creative forces in filmmaking today. From the moment he teamed with Radical to produce the book and film, he had such a clear vision of the OBLIVION landscape and universe. Add to that Joe’s successful partnership with Disney on Tron: Legacy, and you have all the ingredients for a phenomenal action/adventure film.”

OBLIVION, the 128-page illustrated novel, will be released in Summer 2011 and will feature prose, combined with over 40 fully painted landscape renderings. OBLIVION will be distributed worldwide through Random House.

Fans are encouraged to visit the Radical Publishing websites www.radicalpublishing.com

, www.facebook.com/radicalpublishing and www.twitter.com/radicalcomics for more information.

About Radical Publishing
Radical Publishing is founded by Barry Levine (producer for Hercules, Caliber, Freedom Formula, Shrapnel, Abattoir, Oblivion, The Last Days of American Crime, Legends, Damaged, Earp: Saints for Sinners and executive producer for the in-development Rex Mundi movie for Warner Bros., written by Jim Uhls and starring Johnny Depp) and entrepreneur Jesse Berger (executive producer for Hercules, Caliber, Freedom Formula, Shrapnel, Abattoir, Oblivion, The Last Days of American Crime, Legends, Damaged and Earp: Saints for Sinners).
For their quality and excellence in 2008, Radical Publishing was granted the Gem Award for “Best New Publisher of the Year” from Diamond Comic Distributors. Radical brings the best writing, storytelling, and fully painted cover and interior art to the global comic book market, from prominent international talents such as Yoshitaka Amano, Keith Arem, Rain Beredo, Marc Bernardin, John Bolton, Darren Lynn Bousman, Ron L. Brinkerhoff, Bing Cansino, Matt Cirulnick, Tomm Coker, Clayton Crain, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Flint Dille, Marko Djurdjevic, Ian Edginton, Warren Ellis, James Farr, Adam Freeman, E. Max Frye, Antoine Fuqua, Justin Gray, Paul Gulacy, David Hine, Taka Ichise, Joseph Kosinski, Clint Langley, Adam Lawson, David Lapham, Richard Lee, Rob Levin, David Liss, Alex Maleev, Leonardo Manco, David Manpearl, Stephan Martinière, Francesco “Matt” Mattina, Peter Milligan, Steve Moore, Arvid Nelson, Wayne Nichols, Steve Niles, Jimmy Palmiotti, Nick Percival, Troy Peteri, Vincent Proce, Steve Pugh, Patrick Reilly, Rick Remender, Terry Rossio, Luis Royo, Nick Sagan, Kirsi Salonen, Sam Sarkar, Stjepan Sejic, M. Zachary Sherman, Bill Sienkiewicz, Wesley Snipes, Jim Steranko, Arthur Suydam, Patrick Tatopoulos, J.P. Targete, Greg Tocchini, Andree Wallin, Rich Wilkes, Dave Wilkins, Concept Art House, Haberlin Studios, Meduzarts Digital Environment Studio, Weta Workshop, Zombie Studios, and many more.
Currently, Radical Publishing has production deals with Spyglass Entertainment and Peter Berg’s Film 44 for Hercules, with Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil for Caliber, New Regency and Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry Productions for Freedom Formula, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment for Legends, Dreamworks, Sam Raimi’s Star Road Entertainment and Mandeville Films for Earp: Saints for Sinners as well as Walt Disney Pictures for Oblivion.

Gianluca Glazer
Director of Marketing
Radical Publishing
(323) 874-4400
gianluca@radicalpublishing.com
www.radicalpublishing.com
www.facebook.com/radicalpublishing
www.twitter.com/radicalcomics

In Wake of Disney-Marvel Deal, Cartoonist’s Heirs Seek to Reclaim Rights – Media Decoder Blog – NYTimes.com

In Wake of Disney-Marvel Deal, Cartoonist’s Heirs Seek to Reclaim Rights – Media Decoder Blog – NYTimes.com

September 20, 2009, 3:37 pm
In Wake of Disney-Marvel Deal, Cartoonist’s Heirs Seek to Reclaim Rights
By Michael Cieply and Brooks Barnes

The Walt Disney Company’s proposed $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment may come with a headache: a brand-new superhero copyright dispute.

Heirs to the comic-book artist Jack Kirby, who has been credited as the co-creator of characters and stories behind Marvel mainstays like the “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four,” among many others, last week sent 45 notices of copyright termination to Marvel, Disney, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures and others who have been making films and other forms of entertainment based on the characters.

The legal notices expressed an intent to regain copyrights to some creations as early as 2014, according to a statement from Toberoff & Associates, a Los Angeles firm that helped win a court ruling last year returning a share of the copyright in Superman to heirs of the character’s co-creator, Jerome Siegel.

Reached by telephone on Sunday, Mr. Toberoff declined to elaborate on the statement. A spokeswoman for Marvel had no immediate comment. Disney said in a statement, “The notices involved are an attempt to terminate rights seven to 10 years from now, and involve claims that were fully considered in the acquisition.” Fox, Sony, Paramount and Universal had no comment.

Marvel shareholders must still approve the sale of the company to Disney, which is already battling criticism from some Wall Street analysts that Marvel comes with too messy an array of rights agreements. The worry is that Disney will have a hard time immediately executing a coordinated exploitation of Marvel’s various brands.

Sony has the film rights to Spider-Man in perpetuity, for instance, while Fox has the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Paramount has a distribution agreement for Marvel’s next few self-produced movies, including a second “Iron Man” film. Meanwhile, Hasbro has certain toy rights and Universal holds Florida theme park rights to Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk, among other characters.

Mr. Kirby, who died in 1994, worked with the writer-editor Stan Lee to create many of the characters that in the last decade have become some of the most valuable in a Hollywood that hungers for super-heroes. Mr. Kirby was involved with “The Incredible Hulk,” “The Mighty Thor,” “Iron Man,” “Spider-Man,” and “The Avengers,” among others.

The window for serving notice of termination on the oldest of the properties opened several years ago, and will remain open for some time under the law. But Disney’s announced purchase gives a new reason for anyone with claims on Marvel to stake out a position.

Under copyright law, the author or his heirs can begin a process to regain copyrights a certain period of years after the original grant. If Mr. Kirby’s four children were to gain the copyright to a co-created character, they might become entitled to a share of profits from films or other properties using it. They might also find themselves able to sell rights to certain characters independently of Marvel, Disney, or the various studios that have licensed the Marvel properties for their hit films.

In July, a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled that Warner Brothers and its DC Comics unit had not violated rights of the Siegel heirs in handling internal transactions related to Superman, but an earlier ruling had already granted the heirs a return of their share in the copyright. In the late 1990s, Mr. Toberoff represented a television writer, Gilbert Ralston, who sued Warner over the rights to the film “Wild, Wild West.” The suit was ultimately settled.

Copyright issues have become increasingly difficult for Hollywood, as it continues to trade on characters and stories that were created decades ago, but are now subject to deadlines and expiration dates under federal copyright law.

Marvel, Disney And The $1.99 Comic Book | Bleeding Cool Comic News & Rumors

Holy crap!!

Marvel, Disney And The $1.99 Comic Book | Bleeding Cool Comic News & Rumors

Marvel, Disney And The $1.99 Comic Book
Submitted by Rich Johnston on September 10, 2009 – 9:00 am (1) comments
“Remember these days?”

Marvel publishing makes millions.

Marvel films and related licensing can, over time, make billions.

Marvel films’ success are based, in part, by the good feeling towards their comics, the media buy in of the fans buzz, the A-list actors willing to take lower salaries to be in something cool, the genuine enthusiast experience that is infectious to the mass market.

If the comics get too expensive, the casual fans may drift away. Marvel may make more money at a higer price point, but with less readers, and less buzz. Which, eventually, may impact on the movies and licensing.

However, what if Disney was premptive? What if Disney want to do something that makes a big impact on the comics business. It may make less money, it may cost them in instant revenue, but it also may reignite the kind of buzz that will help the slew of Marvel and Marvel-related films and merchandise.

What if the comics, rather than creeping towards the $3.99 price, suddenly dropped. To $1.99. Across the board. Sales would rocket, market share would sour, other publishers would be squeezed off the shelves, plastic rings or no plastic rings, comics revenue would fall. But buzz would increase, increase, increase.

It might even just save the direct market.

Naturally such a publisher would need deep pockets to do this on a mass scale.

Oh, it’s Disney.

Lose a million, make a billion. I understand this approach is seriously being discussed at the publisher.

And suddenly Vampirella and Fell won’t seem that special…

And it might just make Marvel’s reluctance to go below $1.99 for digital downloads of single issues moot, and see them support the 99 cent model rapidly becoming the norm…

Cup O’ Joe: Cup O’ Q&A: The Disney Acquisition – Comic Book Resources

Rest of the article at the link below

Cup O’ Joe: Cup O’ Q&A: The Disney Acquisition – Comic Book Resources

CUP O’ JOE is back with a very, very special Wednesday edition CUP O’ Q&A. Here, for the first time, Joe Quesada, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, answers questions posed by CBR News and CBR readers regarding the recently announced acquisition of Marvel Entertainment by The Walt Disney Company.

This will be Quesada’s exclusive, one and only interview on the matter for the next several months, until the SEC formalities are concluded and the Marvel-Disney deal is done, as detailed in the lengthy legal statements found at the bottom of this story.

CUP O’ JOE is Executive Produced by Jonah Weiland and Produced by Kiel Phegley.

Stan Lee gives Disney-Marvel his blessing – Reuters

I just hope that Stan gets a little piece of that pie

Stan Lee gives Disney-Marvel his blessing

Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:55pm EDT

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Stan Lee, who co-created many of Marvel Entertainment Inc’s most famous characters, gave Disney’s takeover bid a thumbs-up on Monday and waved off fears the entertainment conglomerate might undermine decades-old comics mythology.

Lee, who helped dream up some of the most enduring icons in popular culture from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, dismissed notions the core young male audience — notorious for attacking virtually every comic-book adaptation’s faithfulness — had anything to worry about.

“To me, becoming ‘Disneyfied’ is not a bad thing. I mean look at (Disney) movies like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’” Lee, who parted ways with Marvel years ago, but remains its Chairman Emeritus, said in a telephone interview with Reuters.

“Disney knows how to do movies. They know how to do colorful characters and I think the fans, if they think about it, they’re going to love it.”

Disney agreed on Monday to buy Marvel for $4 billion.

Former Marvel executive Shirrel Rhoades said on Monday that some Marvel readers were worried the “comic books will get watered down in a Disney-like way.”

But for Lee, that spells great things ahead for his creations, such as Thor, the Norse God of Thunder who will anchor a big-screen adaptation in 2011.

The 86-year-old Lee is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company he helped build into a comics titan from the unknown arm of a pulp-fiction publisher. These days he is the creative force behind his own media company, called POW! Entertainment, which itself has a business partnership with Disney.

In 2011, Marvel Entertainment plans to release the movie “Thor,” based on a Stan Lee character borrowed from European mythology.

“I was trying to think of something that would be totally different. What could be bigger and even more powerful than the Hulk? And I figured why not a legendary god,” he said.

To give Thor more rhetorical punch in the comics, Lee said he gave him dialogue borrowed from the Bible and Shakespeare.

Gareb Shamus, CEO of Wizard Entertainment and the organizer of several comic-book conventions, said Lee remains a legend in the comic book world and he described meeting Lee to coming face-to-face with a character from the pages of a comic.

“It doesn’t matter where he goes, anywhere around the world, he’s the man that created some of your best friends,” Shamus added.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Edwin Chan and Andre Grenon)

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making – Deal Journal – WSJ

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making – Deal Journal – WSJ

* August 31, 2009, 3:05 PM ET

What Disney-Marvel Means for More Deal Making

Walt Disney’s $4 billion acquisition of Marvel Entertainment represents the kind of deal that the global financial crisis had practically silenced.

Disney says its primary reason for acquiring Marvel–and for paying a hefty premium for the creator of Spiderman, Daredevil and other popular comic characters–is that it simply liked the company and wanted its assets.

“This was a company that we admired that we saw growing right before our eyes, that we were impressed with,’” Disney chief Bob Iger told investors during a conference call Monday. “So it was not driven by anything other than continued interest in what Marvel is and what they have done and a continued desire at this company to look for great creativity, great creative people, great intellectual property.”

He added: “We don’t have any…problematic strategic holes. We did not have any situation that in any way suggested that this was a must-do deal.”

Under most circumstances, there would be nothing unusual about Iger’s comments. But this is no normal year. Until Disney announced its bid for Marvel this morning, August had been the slowest month for M&A deal volume since researcher Dealogic began keeping records in 1995.

And many of this year’s deals have been driven by the interests of near-term survival, not primarily by long-term growth. Pharmaceutical giants have acquired bio-technology companies to replenish badly depleted drug pipelines. Mergers in the energy, agriculture and home building sectors have been driven largely by a belief that bigger companies are better able to weather a global recession and falling commodity prices.

Then consider Baker Hughes’ $5.5 billion acquisition of BJ Services, also announced today. Baker Hughes said it needed BJ’s pumping operations to better compete in the oilfield business internationally, while BJ Services determined it could compete more effectively when combined with a larger company. Baker Hughes paid a 16% premium to BJ Services’ Friday closing price. Investors, worried that Baker Hughes overpaid, sent the stock tumbling 8.5% in afternoon trading.

Disney didn’t do much to sugar coat the 29% premium it is paying for Marvel. “We are acquiring a premium company at a premium set of assets, and for that I think you have to pay a full and fair price,’’ Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said on the call. Disney shares fell 3%, mostly on concerns that the cash-stock deal would be dilutive in the near term.

For Disney, the deal means it can use Marvel’s Spidey and Hulk franchises to tap into an older, male audience. (Girls tend to like Disney more than boys.) Of course, Disney may have overpaid for Marvel. After all, how many more blockbusters can be created from Marvel’s library of 5,000 lesser known comic book characters?

And one deal does not a trend make. Still, Disney may have broached a psychological barrier in M&A by completing a deal that neither company says it needed to do. And it could signal that other companies with sizable cash reserves and strong balance sheets may start switching back to offense from defense. Perhaps the old normal is back.

UPDATE: Disney To Buy Marvel Enterprises For $4 Billion – Dow Jones Newswires

By Nat Worden

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Mickey Mouse, meet the X-Men.

The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) said Monday it agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc. (MVL), the creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men and thousands of other characters, for about $4 billion in the company’s largest acquisition since it bought Pixar Animation Studios in 2006.

The deal opens a new chapter in Disney’s long history, adding a slew of new, globally recognized movie characters – such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor – to its deep bench of classic and contemporary icons. It also adds countless lesser-known storylines and characters that Disney hopes to introduce to the world.

The deal marks the first big media deal since companies began hoarding cash last fall during the global financial crisis. Aside from the economic downturn, Disney’s move amounts to a rare display of confidence in an industry that’s muddling though a daunting transition to digital media amid growing doubts about its traditional business models.

Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger said during a conference call Monday that Marvel was an attractive target for Disney despite the challenges facing the media industry, such as the decline of DVD sales, that has hurt profitability at major film studios.

“They’re not bulletproof. They are not immune from the changes that we’re seeing, but they have established a footing that we think is more solid than what you typically see in the nonbranded non-character driven movie,” said Iger.

Disney shares were down 3.9% at $25.80 while Marvel shares jumped 25% to $ 48.32. Shares ofDreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) were up 5% to $33.25 on the prospect of more acquisitions in media and entertainment.

“This is another sign that confidence is returning to the marketplace, ” said Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce.

The Disney-Marvel marriage fits with the strategy du jour for major media conglomerates such as Disney andTime Warner Inc. (TWX) of driving revenue from popular content over time across the globe and multiple technology and entertainment platforms.

Disney has a unique array of businesses to execute the strategy with its global sales and distribution infrastructure, its theme parks, its video game and merchandising businesses and its cable and broadcast TV networks. For its part, Marvel is a particularly attractive target for the company given its appeal to younger male audiences, while Disney has shown outsized strength with females through properties like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers.

High Price For Premium Assets

Under the agreement, Marvel shareholders will receive $30 a share in cash plus about 0.745 Disney share for each Marvel share. Based on Friday‘s closing prices, the deal is valued at $50 per Marvel share, about a 29% premium.

Miller Tabak’s Joyce noted that Disney is paying a steep valuation for Marvel, but he views the deal as a “good long-term strategic move” for the company.

“You can’t expect to pay a bargain price for premium assets,” said Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs. “Marvel is worth more inside Disney than outside Disney.”

During the conference call following the announcement, Staggs said the company will issue roughly 59 million Disney shares in order to consummate the deal, but the company plans to repurchase the same number of shares over the next year to avoid long-term dilution to its existing shareholders.

Staggs said he expects the deal to be dilutive to Disney shareholders in its fiscal 2010 by a a mid-single-digit percentage, but he expects it to be accretive to shareholders within two years.

The companies said the amount of cash and stock in the deal will be adjusted at closing so that the value of the Disney stock is at least 40% of the purchase price. Besides shareholder backing, the deal will require antitrust approval.

Moody’s Investors Service affirmed its rating on Disney’s debt despite the high cost of the deal, but said that its willingness to spend on acquisitions despite the uncertain economic outlook is inconsistent with the actions of its peers. The credit rating agency said that Disney is a weak A2-rated credit, but noted that the strategic benefit of the Marvel purchase and the ability to generate free-case flow should help improve the company’s debt profile.

Marvel has long-term production and distribution deals in place with Disney competitors, including Sony Corp.‘s (SNE) Sony Entertainment, News Corp.‘s ( NWSA) 20th Century Fox Films and Viacom Inc.‘s (VIA) Paramount Pictures, which complicate the company’s strategic position.

News Corp., which is parent of Dow Jones & Co., publisher of this news service, declined to comment.Viacom and Sony weren’t immediately available to comment.

In many cases, it will take years before Disney can garner anything more than licensing fees from some key Marvel characters, but Staggs said those revenue are attractive and the company will have the option of ending those deals over time and integrating them into Disney.

Marvel Chief Executive Ike Perlmutter will continue to oversee the Marvel properties, which have branched out into animated television series and live- action films. Marvel earned a net profit of $206 million last fiscal year, up 47 percent from a year earlier, on revenue of $676 million.

-By Nat Worden, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2472; nat.worden@dowjones .com

(Mike Barris contributed to this report.)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
08-31-09 1309ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment – MarketWatch

WTF?!?!?!?!

Coming soon Mickey and Spider-Man crossover

Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment – MarketWatch

Aug 31, 2009, 9:00 a.m. EST
Disney to Acquire Marvel Entertainment
Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters

BURBANK, Calif. & NEW YORK, Aug 31, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Acquisition highlights Disney’s strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value

–An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT August 31, 2009. Details for the call are listed in the release.

Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company /quotes/comstock/13*!dis/quotes/nls/dis (DIS 26.84, -0.17, -0.63%) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!mvl/quotes/nls/mvl (MVL 38.65, +0.41, +1.07%) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

“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,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “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.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

Investor Conference Call:

An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the participant pass code is 51214527.

The discussion will be available via replay on the Disney investors website through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, interactive media and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company with revenues of nearly $38 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.

Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in licensing, entertainment (via Marvel Studios and Marvel Animation) and publishing (via Marvel Comics).

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this communication may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements relate to a variety of matters, including but not limited to: the operations of the businesses of Disney and Marvel separately and as a combined entity; the timing and consummation of the proposed merger transaction; the expected benefits of the integration of the two companies; the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical fact. These statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Disney and Marvel regarding future events and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Neither Disney nor Marvel undertakes any obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

– legal or regulatory proceedings or other matters that affect the timing or ability to complete the transactions as contemplated;

– the possibility that the expected synergies from the proposed merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the anticipated time period; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully;

– the possibility of disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships;

– the possibility that the merger does not close, including but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions;

– any actions taken by either of the companies, including but not limited to, restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions);

– developments beyond the companies’ control, including but not limited to: changes in domestic or global economic conditions, competitive conditions and consumer preferences; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters; health concerns; international, political or military developments; and technological developments.

Additional factors that may cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Disney for the year ended September 27, 2008, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 20, 2008, under the heading “Item 1A–Risk Factors” and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Marvel for the year ended December 31, 2008, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2009, under the heading “Item 1A–Risk Factors,” and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by each of Marvel and Disney.

Important Merger Information and Additional Information:

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed transaction, Disney and Marvel will file relevant materials with the SEC. Disney will file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of Marvel and which also constitutes a prospectus of Disney. Marvel will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its stockholders. Investors are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available, because it will contain important information. The proxy statement/prospectus and other documents that will be filed by Disney and Marvel with the SEC will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by directing a request when such a filing is made to The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521-9722, Attention: Shareholder Services or by directing a request when such a filing is made to Marvel Entertainment, Inc., 417 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

Disney, Marvel, their respective directors and certain of their executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Marvel is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on March 24, 2009. Information about the directors and executive officers of Disney is set forth in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on January 16, 2009. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the proxy statement/prospectus Disney and Marvel will file with the SEC when it becomes available.

SOURCE: The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company
Zenia Mucha
Corporate Communications
818-560-5300
or
Jonathan Friedland
Corporate Communications
818-560-8306
or
Lowell Singer
Investor Relations
818-560-6601

[Press]Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to Offer a Glimpse “Behind the Magic” at Disney’s D23 EXPO, Sept. 10-13

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to Offer a Glimpse

“Behind the Magic” at Disney’s D23 EXPO, Sept. 10-13

Burbank, Calif., Aug. 3, 2009 – What will Disney’s theme parks and resorts look like in the future? Fans will learn the answer to that question and many more as they take a “behind-the-magic” tour of their favorite Disney destinations at the inaugural D23 EXPO, where the entire world of Disney will come together under one roof at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from September 10-13.

Through a series of stunning displays and not-to-be-missed presentations, D23 EXPO attendees will explore the rich legacy and future of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts – a story that began in 1955 with Disneyland and has since grown to include 11 theme parks at five vacation destinations around the globe, as well as new immersive vacation experiences including the Disney Cruise Line, Adventures By Disney and the Disney Vacation Club. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo will share some “behind-the-magic” details as he pulls back the curtain on several new projects – including the 12-acre Cars Land that’s set to open at Disney’s California Adventure in 2012.

Here’s a sampling of exciting Disney Parks experiences that D23 EXPO attendees will discover:

• Never-before-seen models of classic Disney attractions and glimpses of coming projects that will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable Disney fans.
• An exclusive sneak peek at the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure that’s so big, it won’t fit inside the Blue Sky Cellar.
• The chance to meet, up close and personal, Lucky the Dinosaur and Wall-E.
• A preview of the most advanced Audio-Animatronics figures ever created.
• Displays showcasing cutting-edge effects technologies that are being developed for Disney attractions, shows and venues.
• New Disney Cruise Line itineraries for 2011.

Also, in the 500-seat Storytellers Theater, Imagineers and Cast Members who create and operate Disney’s parks, resorts, cruise ships and other vacation experiences will take fans behind-the-magic with a variety of presentations including:

• World of Color – Imagineer Steven Davison brings to life World of Color, the water-and-fire spectacular that will debut next year at Disney’s California Adventure.
• The Making of Toy Story Mania! – From its interactive elements and innovative ride system to its cutting-edge Audio-Animatronics figure of Mr. Potato Head, Toy Story Mania! represents a new kind of Disney theme park attraction. Meet the team who helped bring it to life.
• “So You Want to Become an Imagineer” – A panel of Imagineers will answer one of the most frequently asked questions of Walt Disney Imagineering – “How does one become an Imagineer?” – and will share what it’s like to be one.
• The Making of the U.S. Presidents – Imagineers will talk about updating both Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
• An Afternoon With Imagineering Legends – Disney Legend Marty Sklar will lead a celebration of the careers and accomplishments of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Cast Members who have been named Disney Legends.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO are available at http://www.D23Expo.com.  Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is $37 for a one-day adult ticket and $27 for children 3-12.  Four-day passes are $111 for adults and $81 for children. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on up to four same-day admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 EXPO for themselves and their guests.

Special vacation packages including Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations, D23 EXPO tickets and theme park admission are available at the D23 EXPO website. Packages are available from both the Walt Disney Travel Company and the Anaheim/ Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, which is offering a limited number of area hotel rooms at special rates to those attending the D23 EXPO.

Many more details about D23 EXPO entertainment, events and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.  Fans can keep up with all the news by visiting www.D23EXPO.com, as well as by following “Disney D23” at Twitter and on Facebook.

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