Disney Could Own 21st Century Fox as Early as Next Week

Sources say Disney's deal to purchase Fox could be final in the very near future.

Mickey Mouse at the New York Stock Exchange
Getty

Image via Getty/Drew Angerer

Mickey Mouse at the New York Stock Exchange

Remember how last month everyone went ham over news of Disney being in talks to purchase 21st Century Fox (which would give Mickey Mouse control over everything from the X-Men films and Fox's stake in Hulu to the FX and National Geographic channels), then it quietly went away, only to resurface again over the weekend? In a new report from CNBC, which is the outlet that first broke this story, Disney is looking to make the deal happen once again, and make it happen sooner than you may think.

CNBC's sources say Disney's talks with Fox have "progressed more significantly" as of late. While there's no confirmed price tag, CNBC says the Fox properties (which essentially include everything that isn't Fox News, Fox Sports, and their news network and divisions) are coming in at "above $60 billion."

News of the possible sale is said to have caused a 3.2 percent jump in 21st Century Fox's stock, while Disney's fell.

Interestingly, James Murdoch, aka 21st Century Fox's chief executive, is maintaining radio silence when it comes to the sale. Deadline reports that when Murdoch was asked to comment on the "elephant in the room," Murdoch's response was, "It would be wrong to comment on market speculation, on what’s out there in the press. So no there’s nothing to add to that, other than the nothing that we’ve said so far."

What does that mean? Hard to say. He isn't really saying "no, this Disney/Fox deal isn't happening." He's saying he won't comment on it. Quite possibly because the deal is still in the works, you know? Or it could be because there's no deal, and the world is just blowing smoke. Either way, if this happens, just ponder the possibilities of Disney owning all of those properties. It can get either VERY good, or extremely bad.

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