Disney has announced it is acquiring the rights to some of the most famous super heroes with the purchase of Marvel Entertainment.
Heroes including Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk will rub shoulders with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck under the stock and cash deal worth £2.5 billion ($4 billion).
Around 5,000 of Marvel Entertainment's best-selling and most marketable characters, including The Fantastic Four and Captain America, will come under Disney control.
The deal was approved by boards from both companies, but also requires the go-ahead from an anti-trust review and a vote by Marvel shareholders before completion.
The comic giant's acquisition by Disney follows a series of recent super hero cinema successes, something the entertainment giant will hope to see continue.
The news of Disney's takeover of Marvel pushed Marvel shares up by 25%, while Disney shares dropped by 1.8%.
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