As Ryan Scott of MovieWeb stresses, this is just a RUMOR, and nothing else at the moment, but it could be that eventually Vince McMahon will be looking to sell the WWE and if Disney is able to snap it up at a decent price then things are likely to change in a very big way. The rumor also includes that ESPN and the Disney-owned Fox properties will be looking to absorb the WWE if it is in fact put on the auction block, so the Mouse House would own yet another massive franchise that would continue to expand its reach in media and would likely see a very huge change in its appearance should such a thing happen. There are plenty of downsides and upsides to this to be certain since the WWE has been hurting financially for a while thanks to the coronavirus, but so has Disney. If this purchase does happen though one big question would be just how the WWE would be forced to change in accordance with Disney’s wishes. If anyone thinks that it wouldn’t change in the slightest then they’ve already forgotten or haven’t been watching the MCU and Star Wars movies that have emerged since the Mouse House took control. It could be that WWE would be left as a Fox property and thus allowed to retain the edgy and sometimes controversial aspect that people tend to enjoy, but the fact is that it would be owned by Disney and therefore subject to change in whatever way was seen fit.
It could be that some folks will worry for nothing since the Star Wars and Marvel properties haven’t been doing too badly despite what fans have to say at times, but there’s still that idea of doubt that remains since Disney is a family-friendly corporation (try not to laugh) and they tend to want things to be toned down in a big way so that kids and adults can enjoy them. That kind of makes people worry when they think about all the Fox properties that Disney now owns and has yet to really dive into, considering that Fox came with a heavy load of movies and content that were geared more towards adults and therefore would be just about ruined if they were brought down to the animated level or tone down in such a way as to make them more palatable for everyone. Think of how Deadpool, Aliens, and even Predator would be affected since they’re now technically under the Disney umbrella. It’s understood at this moment as Travis Clark of Business Insider would state that Disney would be careful in branding certain movies in a particular way so as not to confuse anyone, but the idea is still that once something is owned by Disney it’s not likely to be seen in the same light.
As far as business moves go it might be a smart one since otherwise the WWE, if Vince is really selling it, could be snapped up by any willing corporation with the cash to purchase it without hesitation. Change is bound to come one way or another, but in terms of business it might be wise of Disney to purchase the WWE and then continue to diversify as new generations of fans are born and grow up and current generations could find their needs catered to by an ever-expanding Mouse House that would operate on a different level, apart from the family-friendly form that a lot of people know and love. It might be kind of complicated to do but it could be feasible, perhaps, to create more mature Disney content that focuses on what adolescents and adults would like to see versus what is considered family-friendly. It might sound like an odd idea, but really it’s no stranger than trying to understand how a pro wrestling show would fit into a corporation that was built around a talking mouse. Nathaniel Eker of Inside The Magic has more to say on the topic. Disney is about entertainment to be fair, and while the mere name manages to make a lot of people think about the cute and cuddly versions of a lot of different characters it’s come to mean something else throughout the years as well. Disney isn’t exactly a haven of innocence any longer since violence and controversy has been a part of its movies and shows for quite some time.
Look at it this way, Bambi’s mom gets shot in the opening minutes of the movie, a good number of Disney villains end up falling to their death, burning alive, being hanged, or finding other gruesome ways to die. There are battles to the death that happen in the shows and the movies and are not taken out despite any desire on the part of the fans. Pro wrestling really wouldn’t need to change since honestly it’s no more violent than anything Disney has already unveiled.
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