The Disney/Comcast rivalry over 21st Century Fox‘s assets is about much more than just The Fantastic Four and the X-Men, even if those are the things that get most of the fans’ attention.
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In addition to physical assets, studio staff, and other standard elements of the business that will come with the sale, Fox will be selling off a great deal of intellectual property, including but far from limited to the Marvel properties to which they control the rights.
We’ve done our best to run down the biggest, most important and/or lucrative ones below.
Remember that these are all properties in which Fox has a significant financial stake. In many cases, they do not own the properties outright, as creators, networks, or studios who developed the properties likely retain a portion of the intellectual property rights.
This is also not an exhaustive list, but a kind of highlights reel. Certain properties, like Behind Enemy Lines and Night at the Museum, were big hits at the time but have limited upside right now, either because of franchise decay or other variables that make it less likely potential buyers are counting on them to rake in big money. Lake Placid, which just had a direct-to-SYFY sequel recently, might make an addition to this list (especially since NBC Universal is part of Comcast, and they own SYFY), but ultimately there had to be a cutoff somewhere.
Avatar
Besides being the highest-grossing movie of all time, Avatar has numerous sequels currently in development that director James Cameron promises will challenge cinematic conventions in the same way the original did.
It also has a significant presence at Disney parks, meaning that in addition to the theatrical, home video, and licensing revenue offered by Avatar, Disney would be saving themselves whatever license fees and royalties they might have been paying to Fox for the use of Avatar.
The Simpsons
The longest-running series in primetime TV, The Simpsons is more than just a show: it’s a licensing bonanza, with everything from toys and video games to theme park attractions and theme restaurants.
The TV series has also ventured into the world of theatrical releases, and with some success — although it is difficult to carve out enough time, and to come up with a story “special” enough, to justify making a sequel when the show is still running.
Kingsman
While the second Kingsman film was a box office disappointment, the movies are relatively inexpensive to make and they give Fox a non-Marvel comic book franchise to call their own.
The first was a surprise hit, and managed to excite audiences for something new in the same way Deadpool did, so if Kingsman could somehow find a way to hang onto that manic energy, maybe they could have a big hit in the vein of Deadpool 2 on the horizon.
Recently, reports came out that the studio was looking to branch out with its Kingsman franchise as well as rebooting the long-dormant Kick-Ass movies, also based on comics by writer Mark Millar.
Planet of the Apes
After years in limbo, Planet of the Apes has become one of Hollywood’s most lucrative franchises in the last few years, thanks in large part to advances in technology that make the titular apes look more real than ever.
The last three films combined have raked in over $1.5 billion at the global box office, establishing Apes as one of the biggest franchises in Fox’s portfolio — and unlike most film series, it is relatively easy to swap out all or most of the cast from film to film since identifiable humans are not the thing that makes people watch.
The X-Files
While the show’s original run petered out and follow-up movies and TV seasons have never really recaptured the magic of The X-Files‘s early days, in this age of reboots, revivals and reinventions, it is not difficult to think of the potential for big money flowing through The X-Files.
Gillian Anderson’s lack of interest in carrying on could be a blessing in disguise as far as the franchise is concerned, since if Fox were to think they could make it work, that could set the stage for a spinoff set in the world of the show but not centered around Anderson and co-star David Duchovny.
A successful X-Files would breathe life into a brand that has sold millions of dollars in t-shirts, comics, video games, and more over the years.
Alien
If there is a continuum of science-fiction movies that begins with adventure stories and goes to horror, few franchises are out there doing sci-fi horror better than Alien.
Originally conceived by Ridley Scott, who has returned to the franchise for recent installments, critical reception has been bumpy, but the Alien franchise typically delivers solid box office numbers, and has been reinvented enough times to prove itself more resilient than many similar properties.
Predator
Another sci-fi/horror franchise, Predator has been in mothballs for a few years, but has a big comeback slated for later this year.
Independence Day
Independence Day might be another franchise with only two movies, one of which didn’t really move the needle, but it is difficult to ignore the fact that the first Independence Day was one of the biggest blockbusters of all time when it came out, and there is still a great deal of goodwill attached to the film.
Merch, games, and years of anticipation for several rumored sequels that didn’t happen suggests that, in the right hands, Independence Day could still be a franchise that turns heads and gets moviegoers excited.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
From a modestly successful feature film to one of the biggest genre hits of its era on television, Buffy the Vampire Slayer became an unexpected franchise that has spawned toys, games, comics, and more over the years.
There have been murmurs about rebooting or reviving Buffy in some form over the years, and while conventional wisdom is that doing it without the original principals, or at least Joss Whedon, would be a bad idea, the reality is that argument has proven (at least commercially) ineffective in several other recent relaunches.
The Exorcist
The Exorcist was a big hit at a more modest time in box office history, but that does not change its overall impact on horror, cinema, and pop culture.
Besides the home media sales, toys, and other perks that comes from being embedded in the cultural consciousness for decades, The Exorcist continues to be continually the subject of movie and TV reboots and revivals.
In other words, for how little money it costs to make, Fox knows that even a modest success would mean big bucks.
