Tag: fox

  • Disney Removes Fox From TV Studios Ending an Era

    Disney Removes Fox From TV Studios Ending an Era

    Disney announced on Monday it would be rebranding one of its TV studios, 20th Century Fox Television, as 20th Television.

    The new name cuts both the “Century” and the “Fox” from the studio’s name.

    “Our new studio names and logos mark a new day for ABC Signature, 20th Television and Touchstone Television while honoring their rich histories and the creative power of The Walt Disney Company,” Craig Hunegs, Disney television studios president, said in a statement.

    The well known logo and title card, which has the words 20th Television stacked above spotlights, will stay the same minus the excluded words.

    The new logo and graphics will appear on new episodes of 20th Television TV series starting this fall. Older titles, which have already aired before the rebrand, will maintain the former logo and name.

    The move follows Disney dropping the Fox name from its 20th Century Fox film brand in January. The company, which closed a $71 billion deal to acquire many of Fox’s assets last year, renamed the longtime studio as just 20th Century Studios.

  • The Simpsons are Coming to D23 Expo 2019

    The Simpsons are Coming to D23 Expo 2019

    Disney just announced, Springfield’s number one family will be making their way to Anaheim this August when The Simpsons comes to D23 Expo for the first time ever.

    Now that the Disney/Fox merger is complete, the longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, The Simpsons, is now part of the family and will be headed to D23 Expo this year. They’ll be talking all about the upcoming season in a panel on Saturday, August 24, at 10 a.m. in the D23 Expo Arena.

    Creator Matt Groening, Executive Producer Al Jean, Executive Producer Matt Selman, Supervising Director Mike B. Anderson, and stars Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith will all be in attendance, and you can expect lots of surprises, including an exclusive Simpsons collectible item for everyone in attendance.

    If you head over to the convention floor during D23 Expo 2019, you’ll have the opportunity to get close and personal with Bart, Lisa, and the rest of The Simpsons family. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll even get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Matt Groening and the rest of the panelists during a one-hour autograph signing session of an exclusive The Simpsons mini-poster right after the panel.

    For fans of the long running series this is news that’ll make you say, “Ay caramba!,” and run all the way from Moe’s to D23 Expo 2019!

  • Disney Reveals Post-Fox Merger 2019 Movie Release Schedule

    Disney Reveals Post-Fox Merger 2019 Movie Release Schedule

    Walt Disney Studios previewed their 2019 blockbuster movie schedule, including Fox titles, this week at CinemaCon in Las Vegas and it is packed!

    Disney recently acquired Twenty-First Century Fox’s assetss for $71.3 billion and they’re ready to show off their post-Fox merger movie lineup.

    The company showcased 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight and Blue Sky Studios right alongside its other movie divisions, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. Take a look at the entire 2019 schedule below:

    Breakthrough – April 17, 2019

    From producer DeVon Franklin (Miracles from Heaven) and adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte (Seven Pounds) from Joyce Smith’s own book, Breakthrough is an enthralling reminder that faith and love can create a mountain of hope, and sometimes even a miracle.

    Disney Nature’s Penguins – April 19, 2019

    Disneynature’s all-new feature film Penguins is a coming-of-age story about an Adélie penguin named Steve who joins millions of fellow males in the icy Antarctic spring on a quest to build a suitable nest, find a life partner and start a family.

    Avengers: Endgame – April 26, 2019

    After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

    Tolkien – May 19, 2019

    Tolkien explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “Fellowship” apart. All of these experiences would inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.

    Aladdin – May 24, 2019

    The Aladdin cast includes: Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (Ali, Men in Black) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s Jack Ryan) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (Homeland) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (Homeland) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.

    Ad Astra – May 24, 2019

    Two decades after his father embarked on a one-way trip to Neptune, an Army Corps engineer takes it upon himself to travel to the outer edges of the solar system for answers. Along the way, he begins to uncover secrets that could reveal a threat to our planet’s survival.

    Dark Phoenix – June 7, 2019

    In Dark Phoenix, the X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiraling our of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite – not only to save Jean’s soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy.

    Toy Story 4 – June 20, 2019

    Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy. Directed by Josh Cooley (Riley’s First Date?) and produced by Jonas Rivera (Inside Out, Up) and Mark Nielsen (associate producer Inside Out).

    Stuber – July 12, 2019

    When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he’s thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating.

    The Lion King – July 19, 2019

    From Disney Live Action, director Jon Favreau’s all-new The Lion King journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

    The New Mutants – August 2, 2019

    Little is known about The New Mutants, a horror-infused X-movie from director Josh Boone that is reportedly based at least loosely on the Demon Bear Saga from the comics. The Rotten Tomatoes page says only, “The story of the New Mutants, a team of mutant heroes comprised of the first graduates from Charles Xavier’s school.” At one point not long ago, rumors were flying that the film would be delayed yet again and eventually released on the Disney+ app, but tonight at CinemaCon that is not the way it was being discussed.

    Artemis Fowl – August 9, 2019

    Directed by Kenneth Branagh and based on the beloved book by Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl follows 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl, a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, as he finds himself in a battle of strength and cunning against a powerful, hidden race of fairies who may be behind his father’s disappearance.

    Spies in Disguise – September 13, 2019

    Spies in Disguise is a buddy comedy set in the high octane globe-trotting world of international espionage. Will Smith (Aladdin) voices Lance Sterling, the world’s most awesome spy. Cool, charming and super-skilled, saving the world is his occupation. And nobody does it better. Almost the exact opposite of Lance is Walter, voiced by Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming). Walter is a great mind but perhaps not a great socializer. What he lacks in social skills though, he makes up for in smarts and invention: Walter is the scientific genius who invents the gadgets Lance uses on his missions. But when events take an unexpected turn, Walter and Lance suddenly have to rely on each other in a whole new way. And if this odd couple can’t learn to work as a team, the whole world is in peril.

    The Art of Racing in the Rain – September 27, 2019

    Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Martin Donovan and Gary Cole are among the human cast of The Art of Racing in the Rain. The film is based on a book in which a family dog named Enzo (voiced here by Kevin Coastner) evaluates his life through the lessons he has learned from his human owner, a race car driver named Denny Swift.

    The Woman in the Window – October 4, 2019

    Man of Steel’s Amy Adams stars in The Woman in the Window, based on A.J. Finn’s best-selling novel, which debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and remains the biggest-selling adult fiction title of 2018. The story centers on a woman who’s a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine, watching old movies, recalling happier times and spying on her neighbors.

    Maleficent: Mistress of Evil – October 18, 2019

    A fantasy adventure that picks up several years after Maleficent, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora, Maleficent II continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen, as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.

    Ford v Farreri – November 15, 2019

    Set to be released under the 20th Century Fox label, Ford v Ferrari “is an upcoming action biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. It stars Christian Bale and Matt Damon while Jon Bernthal, Remo Girone, Caitriona Balfe, Noah Jupe and Tracy Letts have been signed in supporting roles.

    Frozen 2 – November 27, 2019

    A sequel to one of the highest-grossing animated movies of all time, the movie will have Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf heading deep into the forest to learn an ancient truth regarding the kingdom.

    Star Wars Episode IX – December 19, 2019

    The upcoming untitled American epic space opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It will be the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the final episode of the main Star Wars film franchise.

    Call of the Wild – December 25, 2019

    Harrison Ford stars in an animated adaptation of the classic Jack London novel, in which a domesticated St. Bernard/Scotch Collie dog named Buck is stolen from his Santa Clara, California home and sold to freight haulers in the Yukon.

    Very few surprises here as many of these films were already scheduled, but with the addition of the Fox releases Disney plans on changing a few release dates so major film releases don’t step on each other. One thing is for sure, 2019 is going to be one awesome year of Disney Movies!

  • BREAKING: Disney’s Acquisition of 21st Century Fox is Finally Complete

    BREAKING: Disney’s Acquisition of 21st Century Fox is Finally Complete

    As of 12:02 am this morning Disney’s multi-billion dollar quest to obtain Twenty-First Century Fox’s assets is now officialy complete.

    Last December, Disney made an initial $52 billion offer for the bulk of Mr. Murdoch’s Fox empire. A bidding war broke out with Comcast submitting a $65 billion offer for the assets, but Disney quickly pushed back on Comcast’s offer with a higher bid of $71.3 billion, which Mr. Murdoch and his board quickly accepted. 

    Fox Corp. consists mainly of Fox Broadcasting, Fox Sports and Fox News. However; Disney is acquiring the Fox movie business, including Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000 as well as Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, with shows including “The Simpsons” and “Modern Family.”

    On Friday, Disney revealed the selections made by 21st Century Fox shareholders on whether to receive $38 in stock or cash in exchange for their Fox shares in the transaction. Slightly more than half — 51.57% — chose cash, while 36.65% chose Disney stock. The remaining 11.79% of holdings of roughly 1.8 billion shares outstanding did not make a selection by Thursday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline. Disney had projected that the compensation breakdown in cash and stock would be about 50-50.

    Fox Corp., the Fox assets that are not part of Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox’s entertainment assets, began trading as a stand-alone company on Tuesday.

    Last year, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger emphasized the business and strategic benefits of the takeover. “The acquisition of 21st Century Fox will bring significant financial value to the shareholders of both companies, and after six months of integration planning we’re even more enthusiastic and confident in the strategic fit of the assets and the talent at Fox,” Iger earlier said in a statement. “At a time of dynamic change in the entertainment industry, the combination of Disney’s and Fox’s unparalleled collection of businesses and franchises will allow us to create more appealing high-quality content, expand our direct-to-consumer offerings and international presence, and deliver more personalized and compelling entertainment experiences to meet growing consumer demand around the world.”

    There was so much more at stake here for Disney than the obvious rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four brands. They now finally have the distribution rights for the original Star Wars trilogy and prequel trilogy. Most of those rights reverted back to Disney in 2020, but the original 1977 film’s rights would have remained at Fox.

    Another bonus is the Avatar franchise. With an entire land devoted to the franchise holding ownership over it was of great importance to the company. James Cameron’s Avatar is a potentially massive film franchise that Disney already has a vested interest in seeing succeed. It means potentially huge business not just at the movie theater, but also when it comes to merchandise and theme park success.

    Disney now get its hands on the FX channel. And of course the vast, impressive, lucrative library of Fox movies and TV series from past and present, that they can add to their upcoming streaming service Disney+, Hulu or anywhere else the choose.

    Disney also gets Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu. Disney already has a 30 percent stake in Hulu, so that arrangement now gives the company majority ownership of the streaming platform. And as Disney prepares to launch its own streaming services in 2019, it could become an actual contender against Netflix by combining its existing content with Fox’s movie, television and sports content.

    The deal that brings an end to era of the ‘Big Six’ studios. Disney Now takes ownership of one of the United States’ largest movie studios in a deal that solidifies their position as media super giant. With this deal Disney now owns seven of the top ten worldwide highest grossing movies of all time.

  • Disney CEO on Fox’s X-Men: ‘There Shouldn’t Be Two Marvels’

    Disney CEO on Fox’s X-Men: ‘There Shouldn’t Be Two Marvels’

    Disney recently acquired Fox and its assets, including X-Men and various other Marvel titles, raising questions about how Disney plans to integrate the franchises into the MCU. In a recent interview, Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed his own ideas on the future Fox’s “X-Men” franchise, and it doesn’t exactly involve Fox

    Iger has said, he’d like Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to oversee the franchise after Disney’s acquisition of Fox, but didn’t want to make any definitive statements because of what has already been communicated to Fox.

    “I think it only makes sense,” Iger said. “I want to be careful here because of what’s been communicated to the Fox folks, but I think they know. It only makes sense for Marvel to be supervised by one entity. There shouldn’t be two Marvels.”

    At this point it’s clear the “X-Men” franchise in its current iteration are at an end and a reboot into the MCU seems like a strong possibility.

    Disney is developing a TV series spinning off of the MCU that would star Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch, and characters that haven’t been introduced yet, according to a report from Variery. Feige would have a “hands-on role” in the making of them.

    A Scarlet Witch TV series being in the works could mean Disney is already thinking of ways it can include X-Men characters into the MCU. In the comics, Scarlet Witch is the daughter of X-Men villain Magneto.

    Iger’s comments have added a little fuel to the fire for fans who would love to see Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and others fighting side-by-side with the likes of the MCU’s Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and more.

  • Disney, 21st Century Fox Shareholders Vote to Approve $71.3 Billion Merger

    Disney, 21st Century Fox Shareholders Vote to Approve $71.3 Billion Merger

    Disney’s acquisition of fox is nearly complete. Friday, shareholders approve Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox entertainment assets.

    The tie-up brings together Marvel’s X-Men and Avengers franchises and creates an entertainment behemoth in the digital streaming era. The shareholder vote caps a saga that began in December 2017, when Disney made its first offer for part of Rupert Murdoch’s media conglomerate. It kicked off a bidding war with Comcast, which dropped out last week focus on attempted buyout of the European pay-TV operator Sky.

    The Fox deal will help Disney compete with technology players like Amazon and Netflix. The agreement is not expected to close for several months and still requires regulatory approvals.

    Source: AP

  • Disney Wins Bidding War Over Fox As Comcast Drops Out Of Battle

    Disney Wins Bidding War Over Fox As Comcast Drops Out Of Battle

    Disney and Comcast have been battling for months for control of Twenty-First Century Fox’s entertainment business, but today Comcast dropped out of the fight leaving Disney the winner of one of the highest-stakes duels in media history.

    “Comcast does not intend to pursue further the acquisition of the Twenty-First Century Fox assets and, instead, will focus on our recommended offer for Sky,” the company said in a statement Thursday.

    Comcast had been locked in a battle with the Walt Disney Company for the bulk of Mr. Murdoch’s Fox empire, with the cable company submitting a $65 billion offer for the assets last month topping Disney’s initial $52 billion offer. Disney quickly pushed back on Comcast’s offer with a higher bid of $71.3 billion, which Mr. Murdoch and his board quickly accepted. Shareholders for both Disney and Fox will vote on the proposed merger on July 27.

    CEO Brian Roberts, who had sought to outdo Disney given Comcast’s history with the company, which dates to an unsolicited takeover bid rebuffed by Disney in 2004, delivered a sporting statement. “I’d like to congratulate Bob Iger and the team at Disney and commend the Murdoch family and Fox for creating such a desirable and respected company,” he said.  The Department of Justice has already given the green light to Disney’s bid as long as it sells 22 regional sports networks.

    Comcast Corp. and Fox have been battling for Fox and Sky in order to amass more programming as they compete for viewers with both traditional TV networks and technology companies such as Netflix and Amazon.

    Comcast’s stock rose more than 2.5 percent today in premarket trading. Shares of Disney climbed 1.2 percent, while Fox’s stock dipped 1 percent before the opening bell.

  • Disney Wins U.S. Approval for Fox Deal, Putting Comcast On The Ropes

    Disney Wins U.S. Approval for Fox Deal, Putting Comcast On The Ropes

    It’s not a knockout yet, but Disney has dealt a big blow to Comcast for a potential rival bid in the Fox deal. Walt Disney Co. has just won U.S. antitrust approval for its $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox Inc.’s entertainment assets.

    In order to secure Justice Department approval of its acquisition of major 21st Century Fox assets, Disney has agreed to sell off Fox’s 22 regional sports networks.

    The Justice Department on Wednesday filed a complaint in federal court seeking to block Disney from acquiring the regional sports networks arguing that Disney’s ownership of the national sports powerhouse ESPN created anti-competitive conflicts, but announced a settlement agreement with Disney that calls for the divestitures.

    “American consumers have benefitted from head-to-head competition between Disney and Fox’s cable sports programming that ultimately has prevented cable television subscription prices from rising even higher,” said Delrahim, assistant attorney general and head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s settlement will ensure that sports programming competition is preserved in the local markets where Disney and Fox compete for cable and satellite distribution.”

    The DOJ’s sign off on Disney’s $71.3 billion transaction on Wednesday is a big hurdle for rival Comcast in the battle to acquire the major portion of Rupert Murdoch’s TV and film empire.

    Fox last week accepted a sweetened bid from Disney, after the two media juggernauts had been going head to head with a $65 billion offer coming from Comcast about two weeks ago, nearly six months after Disney initially bid $52.4 billion for Fox in December. The $38-a-share price is about $10 a share higher than what Disney offered in December — and $3 above Comcast’s bid.

    The fight is definitely not over. Comcast is expected to respond with yet another offer, amid reports it is reaching out to potential acquisition partners if the bidding should climb as high as $90 billion. Analysts have speculated the Fox assets could fetch as much as $42-$43 a share.

    The bidding war was expected as the two media giants battle over Fox’s movie production business as well as FX, NatGeo, Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu and its international assets, including Star India and its 39 percent stake in European pay TV giant Sky. 21st Century Fox is the next big prize as the media industry consolidates to survive against competitors like Netflix.

  • BREAKING: Disney Raises Bid To $71 Billion For 21st Century Fox

    BREAKING: Disney Raises Bid To $71 Billion For 21st Century Fox

    The bidding war for Twenty-First Century Fox’s assets is in full swing and both Disney and Comcast are battling it out in an attempt to gain control of the companies lucrative assets. The Walt Disney Co. isn’t holding any punches either as the company raised its bid for Fox’s assets to $71.3 billion, the companies announced today.

    The two media juggernauts are going head to head with a $65 billion offer coming from Comcast just a week ago, nearly six months after Disney initially bid $52.4 billion for Fox in December. The new bid is $38 a share, up from Disney’s $28 a share offer in December and rivaling Comcast’s $35 a share all-cash bid last week.

    The bidding war was expected as the two media giants battle over Fox’s movie production business as well as FX, NatGeo, Fox’s 30 percent stake in Hulu and its international assets, including Star India and its 39 percent stake in European pay TV giant Sky. 21st Century Fox is the next big prize as the media industry consolidates to survive against competitors like Netflix.

    During a call with investors today, Disney CEO Bob Iger was extremely confident about the potential acquisition. “We believe that we have a much better opportunity — both in terms of approval, and the timing of that approval — than Comcast does in this case,” he said.

    Disney again emphasized the business and strategic benefits of the takeover for investors. “The acquisition of 21st Century Fox will bring significant financial value to the shareholders of both companies, and after six months of integration planning we’re even more enthusiastic and confident in the strategic fit of the assets and the talent at Fox,” Iger earlier said in a statement. “At a time of dynamic change in the entertainment industry, the combination of Disney’s and Fox’s unparalleled collection of businesses and franchises will allow us to create more appealing high-quality content, expand our direct-to-consumer offerings and international presence, and deliver more personalized and compelling entertainment experiences to meet growing consumer demand around the world.”

    Disney’s new bid allows Fox shareholders to choose cash or stock. Fox called the new Disney offer “superior” to the Comcast proposal.

  • Comcast Tops Disney’s Bid For Fox With $65 Billion All-Cash Offer

    Comcast Tops Disney’s Bid For Fox With $65 Billion All-Cash Offer

    The bidding war for 21st Century Fox has started. Today, Comcast made a $65 billion all-cash offer for the bulk of 21st Century Fox’s TV and studio assets, topping a previous $52.4 billion bid made by Walt Disney Company.

    If successful, the move would bring together Comcast’s NBC broadcast network and the Universal movie studio with 20th Century Fox, the FX cable network and the regional Fox sports networks. The offer is valued at $35.00 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 19% to the value of Disney’s all-stock offer, according to Comcast.

    “We have long admired what the Murdoch family has built at Twenty-First Century Fox,” Comcast CEO Brian Roberts wrote in a letter to Fox’s controlling Murdoch family, telling 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch and his sons Lachlan and James that Comcast “would be the right strategic home” for the parts of the company that are for sale.

    The financial bidding war comes just a day after a U.S. District Judge gave his blessing for AT&T’s to by Time Warner, without any conditions on the $85.4 billion deal. That approval signaled that Comcast might have less trouble getting the deal approved than previously expected.

    If Disney comes out on top of the bidding war, the acquisition could cement Disney CEO Bob Iger’s legacy. Sealing a deal for Fox would cap off a slew of massive acquisitions under his aegis at Disney, which include a $4 billion buy of Marvel Entertainment in 2009; a $4 billion purchase of Lucasfilm in 2009; and $2.58 billion over three years for BAMTech, the streaming-video unit that is meant to power Disney’s various subscription-based video outlets.

    But a deal would benefit Comcast similarly, adding new strength to its Universal movie production operations, its NBC Sports unit, and its cable programming operations.

    Comcast’s $65 billion all-cash offer for Fox’s entertainment businesses is higher than the $60 billion that pundits had been predicting. Experts are expecting Disney to make a counter offer.

    The battle for Twenty-First Century Fox comes as traditional entertainment companies try to amass more properties to compete better with technology companies such as Netflix for viewers’ attention — and dollars.