All your Fox are belong to us.
At the strike of 12:02 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Disney officially completed its takeover of 21st Century Fox.
The mammoth $71 billion acquisition includes Fox's film and television units, plus its 60 percent stake in streaming giant Hulu, among interests in other businesses.
As the acquisition kicked in, Marvel star Ryan Reynolds celebrated the Disney-Fox merger on Twitter.
"Feels like the first day of 'Pool," he wrote, with an image of his onscreen counterpart Deadpool sitting in a Disney-labelled school bus.
Tweet may have been deleted
Longtime The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean also commemorated the deal with a rather excellent illustration of Homer Simpson strangling Mickey Mouse on Twitter.
"Thank you Fox and welcome Disney!" he wrote.
Tweet may have been deleted
Disney said the acquisition would help "increase its international footprint" and "expand its direct-to-consumer offerings," which includes ESPN+, plus its much-anticipated video streaming service Disney+, set to launch in late 2019.
"This is an extraordinary and historic moment for us—one that will create significant long-term value for our company and our shareholders," The Walt Disney Company's CEO Bob Iger, said in a statement online.
"Combining Disney’s and 21st Century Fox's wealth of creative content and proven talent creates the preeminent global entertainment company, well positioned to lead in an incredibly dynamic and transformative era."
The merger hasn't only put question marks on the future of its content, but also on jobs at the merged company.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, 4,000 layoffs are expected as Disney promises $2 billion in cost savings, with cuts to be felt in roles that are overlap between the two companies, such as marketing, distribution, and home entertainment.
Topics Disney The Simpsons
