It doesn't work like that.
Stock holders in the company do not know where their money is going or what it is being used in/on. They only care about stock price day to day and dividends at the years end.
FOX wants to sell the rights, that's where they see the big money is someday.
They can't sell the rights if they have a profitable on going concern.
So they just have to make shitty movies that can be swept under the rug after making one more dollar than they put into it.
Q. How much did Fox pay for the Rights form Marvel 20 something years ago?
Q. How much do they want to sell them for tomorrow?
Are you seriously basing your opinion on studio activities on the movie the Producers?
I'm sorry but that's a childish illusion.
And the question was do they care about making a shitty movie. You all of a sudden went from "they want to punish the fans for not believing we can make a good movie", to "they don't care about $120 million", to "the real money is in the movie rights". Where is your argument? It's changed 3 times in 3 posts.
First of all. No, they're not out to get us. They're going to put out the best product possible, because they want to make a profit. You don't spend $120 million to do a rights retaining move. This is the era of shared universes. They want that avengers money. They want F4 to appear in a movie with Deadpool, and X-men, and Gambit, etc.
Secondly. No, they do care about $120 million. Any business man that is in a position to spend $120 million, absolutely cares about even $100000. The idea that they don't, is completely juvenile. And that attitude that "the big bad corporation is out to get us" is silly. No they're out to get paid. Believe me. They care. And if their costs exceed their net margin, they are going to raise hell. You think the shareholders will allow these studio heads to stay in charge if they put out movies that lose millions upon millions? Really? When someone invests money, they're expecting to make a few points off that investment. Not make a net loss. I'm just completely baffled how anyone can think this.
Third. They absolutely do not want the rights to go back to marvel. They are holding on to those rights for the end of time. They want that avenger money. Spiderman is worth $5 billion, and Sony still won't let it go even after that whole debacle and their company being in flames. Why is that? Because they want to make $billion movies, and merchandising. That is worth more to a company than a one time sale. You don't sell an asset that generates hundres of millions of $'s unless you are going to use the capital to acquire another asset that will generate more revenue. Comics books are THE investment right now. There's nothing bigger than shared universes in hollywood. That is a multi billion $ prospect. No company will sell that. Why do you think Sony brokered a deal with Marvel? Because they want Avenger money, and they saw they weren't handling the property well.
4th. You're not going to get a shit load of money for this property if you keep dragging it through the mud. The value depreciates with every crappy movie, and every wrong decision. F4 first of all, is nowhere near as valuable as spiderman. And 2nd, with the reputation of never having developed a good movie, it's a stinker in the eyes of the public.
This isn't about a one time sale. No business man/woman worth their salt is looking at a comic book property and thinking "man I'm just going to wait it out and sell this thing for profit". They're looking at the avengers, and their shared universes, and their merchandising, and their tv shows, and chomping at the bit. It's about long term projections, and diversifying your asset. And the shareholders didn't get to where they are by being childish, and petty, or losing millions to make a point.
