UPDATE: It has now been officially confirmed that Comcast has withdrawn its bid for 21st Century Fox, paving the way for The Walt Disney Company to complete its acquisition.
“We’re extremely pleased with today’s news, and our focus now is on completing the regulatory process and ultimately moving toward integrating our businesses,” states Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Original story follows…
It looks like the saga of the 21st Century Fox acquisition may be drawing to a close, as CNBC is reporting that Comcast is unlikely to increase its bid for Fox’s film and TV assets, leaving the door open for The Walt Disney Company to complete its takeover.
Disney agreed a deal to purchase Fox’s assets back in December, only for Comcast – the parent company of Universal Pictures – to come in with a higher offer in June. In response, Disney then upped its offer to $71.3 billion, with the Mouse House’s proposed takeover subsequently gaining approval from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The acquisition includes the 20th Century Fox and FOX movie and television studios, FX Networks, National Geographic, Star India, and Fox’s stakes in Hulu and Sky.
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Included in this are franchises such as X-Men and Fantastic Four (which would enable these characters to appear in Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe), along with the likes of Avatar, Alien, Predator, Planet of the Apes and Die Hard.
