Fox Exec Says Disney Deal Is Hurting ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’

Fans finally got a new look at the latest X-Men film Dark Phoenix, which could also be the last to be released in theaters. And while the movie seems like it’s on track for its release later this year, the people attempting to promote the movie are dealing with a lot of setbacks. And it all comes down to the Walt Disney Company‘s impending acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

According to a new report from Vanity Fair, Fox marketing executives expressed concern over the strategy of the promotion of Dark Phoenix because of the impending purchase, which is affecting the rollout for the new film.

“We know when we are dropping a trailer, but we are nowhere near where we should be at this time,” a marketing exec told Vanity Fair. “It’s frightening. I would be mad if I were a filmmaker.”

According to the source, Fox marketing and distribution execs met with the creative leads behind Dark Phoenix to discuss their strategy. But because of some major departures of long-term employees due to the acquisition, some of those positions were being filled by temporary consultants.

“What’s not normal is the elephant in the room, which is that most people there are not going to be the people that are still in the job when the movie opens,” said another source at the meeting.

“Nobody has come around and said, ‘This is what’s going on.’ Why can’t they just tell us that there is no place for us? Why can’t they let anyone know?” added the marketing executive. “We are not leaving because we didn’t make money for the company or we did a bad job. We are leaving because of pure capitalism.”

Director Simon Kinberg previously addressed the impending Disney acquisition, but iterated that it doesn’t have any impact on the movie he made for Fox.

“I haven’t had formal talks with Disney. I know [Marvel Studios President] Kevin Feige very well. But we haven’t had formal talks because until the merger is official, they’re not allowed to have those kinds of conversations with the folks at Fox or myself,” Kinberg previously said to EW. “What’s interesting is obviously I started this movie long before Disney purchased Fox, and I approached the movie knowing that it was the fourth movie with our First Class cast and that the Phoenix story for me is the ultimate X-Men story.”

Dark Phoenix premieres in theaters on June 7th.

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