'The Simpsons' Predicted Disney Acquiring Fox Almost Twenty Years Ago

Disney has acquired 21st Century Fox in a landmark deal, which now gives Disney major advantages like X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the complete rights to Star Wars, and of course popular Fox TV properties like The Simpsons.

Like so many other things that happen in popular culture, The Simpsons predicted that the Disney/Fox deal would happen way before the world did. As you can see above, a 1998 episode of the show titled "When You Dish Upon a Star" (S10E5) definitely called that such a merger would occur within the industry.

The episode in question sees Homer discover that Alec Baldwin and Kim Bassinger (with friend Ron Howard) are hiding out in Springfield. Homer becomes a personal assistant for the couple, until his need to impress townspeople has him out the celebrities, leading to a paparazzi swarm. When the celebs make a run, it leads to a Mad Max-style chase with Homer, which ultimately ends with the famous stars returning to Hollywood. An epilogue set in Hollywood features the Fox-Disney connection, as Ron Howard steals Homer's pitch for a crazy movie, and ends up getting major financing from the studio.

This Simpsons prediction has fans buzzing, as the show was renowned for also predicting the Trump presidency many years before it happened.

(Disney's) The Simpons airs Sundays @ 8/7c on Fox.