Disney have bought Fox for $52bn - here's what it means for your favourite films and TV shows

In one of the most momentous media deals we’ve seen in some time, Disney has acquired 21st Century Fox assets in a deal worth in the region of $52 billion (£38.8 billion).

The deal is expected to strengthen Disney’s push into streaming services, with the company taking over the rights to a number of high-profile film franchises and TV series.

But what does this all mean for you, the viewer?

We’ve tried to make some sense of it all.

So Disney owns The Simpsons now?

Correct. And we’re not entirely sure yet what this means for the long-running series.

Some have suggested this might see the release of more box sets of the show – the most recent season to get that particular treatment was Season 20, which originally aired in 2009.

Others have speculated that the ownership change could restore the show to its former glories, though that might be a harder ask than imagined.

What other TV shows are affected?

In addition to The Simpsons, adult animations such as Family Guy, Archer and Bob’s Burgers come under the Fox banner, while older episodes of the now-discontinued Futurama and King of the Hill also qualify.

It’s not just animation, though. Cult favourites including The X-Files and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia also come under the deal.

These shows will be added to a portfolio that already includes Disney’s Marvel original shows currently available on Netflix, such as Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.

How about films?

We’re all very familiar with the existing Disney canon, from its animations (both pre- and post-Pixar) to its live-action franchises under the Marvel and Star Wars banners.

So yes, it’s already looking pretty healthy, but then you can throw some other big-ticket films into the mix. Films such as Deadpool and Avatar, both of which have sequels on the way.

In addition to those two, you’ve got Fox-owned franchises to bring into the equation. The highest-profile of those is probably X-Men, though there’s a pretty wide range here, from Taken to Ice Age and their respective sequels. Oh, and if you’re feeling festive, all the Die Hard and Home Alone films fall into the same category.

Will all of this stuff be leaving Netflix?

Disney movies are already due to leave Netflix in 2019, when the company’s own service is slated to launch, and we can now expect some Fox content to join films from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises in leaving the platform.

The deal is also expected to see Disney take over Fox’s share in existing streaming platform Hulu, so it will be interesting to see the direction the various parties take.

However, you’re probably already used to shows and films you like no longer being available to stream on Netflix. Plenty of them are on their way out in the coming weeks.

And besides, Netflix is making a whole lot more in the way of original content, so there ought to still be plenty to go round.

(Images: Marvel Enterprises/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)