Disney announced today they have finalized a deal to buy out most of 21st Century Fox for a whopping $52.4 billion. What exactly does this mean for the future of the “24” franchise?
Although the FOX broadcast channel is staying put, Disney has taken over the 20th Century Fox Television studio where “24” was produced. So essentially the future of the franchise is now entirely in Disney’s hands.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the deal might cause high-level Fox executives to either jump ship or be laid off. Fox Television Group Chairman Dana Walden who worked at Fox for more than 20 years is said to have already been approached by Amazon to become chief executive of Amazon Studios.
Anxiety has spread beyond the executive ranks. Producers who make shows for the broadcast network are uncertain how their businesses will be affected. “No one really knows what’s going to happen,” one producer said Monday.
Company insiders have been hearing that the broadcast network will become more dependent on sports events, news programs and unscripted reality series. Such programming is largely watched live at the time it airs — which means viewers are more likely to see the commercials.
We’ll have to see how things shake out in the following months, but in short, this does not seem promising for those wanting more “24” in the near future.