NBC/Universal Merger by jebbypal

NEWS HEADLINE DISCUSSIONS

NBC/Universal Merger

POSTED BY: JEBBYPAL
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 6, 2004 01:28
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Thursday, May 13, 2004 5:43 PM

Okay, surprisingly haven't seen this on the board today but maybe I missed it. Just in case, saw in the entertainment business section of the newspaper today that NBC and Universal have completed a merger deal!

NBC execs look to be taking the most leadership role from the story, but hopefully they are smarter than FOX execs. Just made me excited to see that there would be a possible non-capable option for Firefly/Serenity series whenever the PTB decide to give into destiny.

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Friday, May 14, 2004 10:42 AM

KEVSCOAT

I'm surprised I've heard very little talk about the possibilities this would have for bringing Firefly back to the small screen. That's the first thing I thought of when I heard the NBC/Universal news.

Maybe we fans are waiting with baited breath. I think if Serenity does well, it should be a shoe-in for continuing the series. With either NBC, USA, or Sci-Fi channels available, I'd think there'd be some options for giving the series another chance. Here's hoping anyway.

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Friday, May 14, 2004 1:53 PM

JEBBYPAL

I think everyone is just still depressed over the news that Universal made the agreement w/ Fox (or ME i don't know for sure) that the show would not return to tv as a series for 5 years. As a result, 5 yrs seems like a long time for all the actors to still be willing to participate. Movies might be the best we'll get but still, who knows.

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Friday, May 14, 2004 3:58 PM

WYDRAZ

Cheer up, jebbypal, 5 years isn't written in stone - it was written on paper. Contracts can be renegotiated...

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Friday, May 14, 2004 4:45 PM

JEBBYPAL

Ehh, I'm fine. I'm getting the movie after all:) Not many cancelled shows can say that. Besides, I still anticipate the day that fox goes to oblivion.

No, seriously, was just explaining the reasons no one was reacting to the news unlike our grief at the potential 5 yr delay on TV

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Friday, May 14, 2004 5:19 PM

SHADESIREN

When I saw the other thread, "Unification Day" - I thought they were talking about the NBC/Universal merger, until I read the thread :P

Yeah.. I'm a dork.

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Friday, May 14, 2004 9:29 PM

KEVSCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by jebbypal:
I think everyone is just still depressed over the news that Universal made the agreement w/ Fox (or ME i don't know for sure) that the show would not return to tv as a series for 5 years.

What!?!?!? I guess I haven't been around here enough; I hadn't heard that one. Now that just bites. First fox is stupid enough to cancel the show, then they're cruel & unusual enough to make Universal sign that kind of agreement! That's simply ridiculous that they won't let someone else profit from a concept that they didn't seem to give a gorram flip about. Pathetic. I've reached new lows of expectations for f....

Well, I can understand the lack of enthusiasm given that. But like someone else said, contracts can be renegotiated. I'm hoping for at least a great film to get the ball rolling.

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Friday, May 14, 2004 9:53 PM

DYAIRVATREE

Dang! I ain't been around here enough 5 years? Well things could change if the movie does well trust me.

Even though I never heard about five years here's what I do know despite American press it's Vivindi-Universal! And Vivindi is owned by the French. The only reason the Vivindi aspect hasn't been played up is everyone hates the French!

Am I wrong about Vivindi? Does this mean Joe Scarborrow must watch his toungue?

And folks fear not if the movie does well a deal will and can be made if someone wants to return it to television all it takes is money!

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Friday, May 14, 2004 10:31 PM

DYAIRVATREE

You know as shocking as it may sound even if the original Firefly crew is forbidden from returning to T.V. that doesn't mean Joss couldn't give us something else from the same universe no?

It's all a question do they own just Firefly or the whole universe Wheadon created?

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Friday, May 14, 2004 11:02 PM

DYAIRVATREE

You know I'd be thrilled if Joss created some new charactors and put them in the same universe. To me as much as I love the the actors of Firefly I really think it's about Joss. So as long as the universe is open to Joss I could be happy.

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Saturday, May 15, 2004 5:27 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by dyairvatree:
You know I'd be thrilled if Joss created some new charactors and put them in the same universe. To me as much as I love the the actors of Firefly I really think it's about Joss. So as long as the universe is open to Joss I could be happy.

Just think about it. Joss' new show could be Badger and Niska: Together Again!

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Saturday, May 15, 2004 5:33 AM

TRACER

Quote:
Originally posted by dyairvatree:
Even though I never heard about five years here's what I do know despite American press it's Vivindi-Universal! And Vivindi is owned by the French. The only reason the Vivindi aspect hasn't been played up is everyone hates the French!

France isn't so bad, its just a shame about the people

thing is why would such a deal be arranged? 5 years....can only say i'm disappointed. But maybe when those five years are up...then Kapow!
you know

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Saturday, May 15, 2004 5:48 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Five years should bring us to the end of the film trilogy. As usual, Joss has perfect timing.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Saturday, May 15, 2004 6:52 AM

MAKEROFPATHS

Quote:
Originally posted by dyairvatree:

Even though I never heard about five years here's what I do know despite American press it's Vivindi-Universal! And Vivindi is owned by the French. The only reason the Vivindi aspect hasn't been played up is everyone hates the French!

That five-year figure was something some attendees at the Fusion con a couple of weekends ago passed around.
Two fans in separate posts, however, distinctly remember Nathan Fillion confirming there is such a no-can-do-TV deal but he did not put a figure on it.

A Vivendi Universal unit named Vivendi Universal Entertainment was sold to NBC owner GE Capital. NBC Universal will be 80% owned by GE and 20% owned by VU of France.

And in answer to other posts: again it must be noted that Firefly was produced by 20th Century Fox TV Studios, which owns it outright. Fox Television Network bought the rights to broadcast but gave them up when they canned FF. So it's the producer, 20th, that holds the rights and sold the film-only rights to Universal. Although what's not clear is whether TV rights were signed away but don't take effect until some years down the road. Or not. Fox probably negotiated a no-TV clause so it could wait to see whether the film succeeds and consider reviving the TV series. Which it could sell to NBC or Fox TV (again) or anyone else.

That about covers it, methinks :)

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Monday, May 17, 2004 3:09 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Seems to me that everything hinges on the success of the movie, and subsequent sale of DVDs & VHS copies of the movie. If the movie does well in the theatre, and the DVDs sell well, the movie will be a success. A successful product will encourage Universal to look into sequels to the BDM, and perhaps even in to a return to TV.

Nathan confirmed there is some sort of time restriction on a return to TV (thanks 20th Century Fox

), but we all know that if Universal thinks there is money in it, they will go back to the table w/ Fox execs to renegotiate. It happens all the time in Hollywood.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Monday, May 17, 2004 10:05 AM

SAMURAIX47

If there is a five-year no-tv-series clause... then when would the 5-yr period have started? From the time the series aired? Or when it was cancelled? Or when the deal with Universal was signed. So it could be 2007 before a series could start production.

If they only take a year to produce BDM: Serenity... shoot in summer 2004... in theaters 2005 (April?) they could start on a sequel in 2005 and have it out in 2006... the third one 2006-2007...

Jaymes

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Sunday, July 4, 2004 2:10 PM

FIREFLEW

What's wrong with the French? Admittedly, some accuse them of being arrogant or rude, but then, so is everyone else. The same could be said of those who would go to war illegally.

I'm speaking as an English person, so I've got some close hand knowledge of this - from both perspectives....

If this post doesn't make sense, please disregard it. I've not slept for two days now. I don't know why, but, there you go.

Jayne: "Know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I beat you with till you understand who's in command."

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Sunday, July 4, 2004 9:19 PM

SOUTHERNMERC

Five years? I thought I read in the transcript from Jewel Saite's appearance in a con that the term was for 10 years? Which is it? Anyone have anything more concrete?

Jayne: "You got yourself lookin' mighty hideous!"

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Monday, July 5, 2004 5:39 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by SouthernMerc:
Five years? I thought I read in the transcript from Jewel Staite's appearance in a con that the term was for 10 years? Which is it? Anyone have anything more concrete?

There hasn't been anything officially announced that I am aware of, just things mentioned by Nathan and Jewel at cons. I doubt if they have seen the actual agreement between FOX and Universal. On another thread recently I speculated that it was more than likely Universal that wanted the stipulation that FOX could not pursue a new series, which would undercut their production of the film(s), rather than the other way around. I find it hard to believe FOX would not relent on giving up TV rights if enough money was involved, other than the fact they would be too stubborn to admit they were wrong for canceling the series in the first place. But then again, they essentially did that when they sold the theatrical rights.

And before anyone counters with the fact that Joss would not deal with FOX and Universal at the same time, bear in mind that FOX's tv rights probably have no stipulation that Joss would be the producer of the show. If they have the rights to the title Firefly, and the basic concept of the show, given enough incentive they could do a spinoff and leave Joss out of the loop entirely, unless Universal stipulated otherwise in their contract.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Monday, July 5, 2004 10:33 AM

SOUTHERNMERC

So we really don't know then, gordo? Dangit. In the dark it seems.

Jayne: "You got yourself lookin' mighty hideous!"

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Monday, July 5, 2004 10:56 AM

STEVETHEPIRATE

Read where Jewel said at a con that the timeframe is actually 10 years. Which begs the question – wha?

It's been said already in this thread, that whole agreement is all on paper. And there's probably an amount of another kind of paper - the green kind - that Fox would be willing to accept in exchange for the rights to a small-screen return.

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Tuesday, July 6, 2004 1:28 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I would not concern myself too much w/ the time frames we have heard floating around. Without official word from the PtB it is speculation at this point.

Remember that money is the ultimate power in Hollywood, and if Universal gets a hit w/ the movies and think a tv series will work well they will negotiate something w/ Fox.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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