What cultural phenomenon will “The Simpsons” prove true next?
“The Simpsons” predicted that Disney would purchase 21st Century Fox, which was then known as 20th Century Fox, nearly two decades before the companies announced a $52.4 billion merger on Thursday.
The screen-grab below features a billboard with the iconic logo and the words “A Division of Walt Disney Co.” underneath. It’s from the Season 10 episode “When You Dish Upon a Star,” which aired on Nov. 8, 1998 and featured Homer meeting with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.
If the deal wins regulatory approval in the next 12 to 18 months, Disney would acquire Fox’s film and TV studios and much of its non-broadcast television business, including regional sports networks and cable networks such as FX, FXX and Nat Geo.
Top franchises like “X-Men,” “Avatar,” “Deadpool,” “Fantastic Four” and “The Simpsons” will also fall under the Disney umbrella.
And Disney would also pick up Fox’s stake in the European pay-TV giant Sky — and be better positioned to win regulatory approval to complete the acquisition of the 61 percent of the company it does not already own.
“The Simpsons” has accurately predicted Lady Gaga performing at the Super Bowl, Donald Trump’s presidency and Bengt Holmstrom’s Nobel Prize win. So, while there’s no deal yet, we wouldn’t be surprised if “The Simpsons” is proven right once again.
With the possibility of 20th Century Fox being sold to Disney, let me be one of the first to point out the Simpsons predicted it: pic.twitter.com/U1uN5VjiEp
— Ryan W. Mead (@rwmead) November 6, 2017