BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios announced they have reached an agreement under which Disney has acquired all of the distribution rights previously held by Paramount for Marvel Studios’ Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger. Under terms of the deal effective June 30, 2013, Paramount was paid for the transfer of the distribution rights. Paramount will continue to honor and service existing distribution commitments. All other distribution activities will be transitioned to Disney over the next several months.
The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, purchasing the worldwide marketing and distribution rights for Marvel’s The Avengers and Marvel's Iron Man 3 from Paramount the following year.
About The Walt Disney Studios
For nearly 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. The Walt Disney Studios encompasses the creation, production, promotion, sales, acquisition and domestic and international distribution of live-action and animated motion pictures, home entertainment releases, music and soundtrack recordings, and live stage plays. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney; Walt Disney Animation Studios; Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!. For more information, please visit www.disney.com.
About Marvel
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 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). Marvel's strategy is to leverage its franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world, including feature films, consumer products, toys, video games, animated television, direct-to-DVD and online. For more information, visit www.marvel.com.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.