Since its 2013 announcement, Malaysians and fans all over have been excited about the upcoming attraction at Genting Highlands - the 20th Century Fox-branded theme park!
The 20th Century Fox World is a part of Genting Integrated Tourism Plan (GITP) which will see a major 10-year master plan of development, expansion, enhancement and refurbishment of hotels, theme park and infrastructure at Resorts World Genting.
The theme park, 250 acres in all, was expected to feature no less than 25 thrill rides and attractions based on diverse films and franchises like Ice Age, Rio, Life of Pi, Night at the Museum, Planet of the Apes, Alien vs. Predator and Sons of Anarchy.
The park, scheduled to open to public in 2019, is now on-hold as the Genting Group sues Walt Disney and Fox in a US$1 billion lawsuit, for breaching their contract related to its planned construction of the first Fox-branded theme park. The company had already made a “$750 million-plus investment” in Fox World. It is also seeking punitive damages.
Resorts World Genting is Malaysia’s only legal land-based casino, with seven hotels, shopping malls, performance venues, gondola lifts and scores of restaurants, bars and clubs within its complex. More than 23 million people visit the venue each year.
Genting said “seller’s remorse” induced Fox, with Disney’s help, to breach its 2013 contract with Fox Entertainment Group to license intellectual property for Fox World, a proposed addition to its Resorts World Genting complex. The problems began as Fox engineered years of delays to force a renegotiation of the contract, which did not give it a share of gate sales.
Disney apparently, is now “calling the shots,” and wants to end the contract because associating with a gaming company didn’t fit its “family-friendly” brand strategy.
Genting said Fox issued a default notice with the hope of terminating the contract, in a manner “entirely consistent with Disney wanting to kill the deal” to benefit itself.
“Given that FEG had no right to terminate the Agreement, Fox and Disney are liable for what will exceed a billion dollars in damages attributable to the bad-faith behavior of both Fox and Disney,” the complaint said.
Disney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles as Disney prepares to complete its $71.3 billion purchase of many Fox assets, expected in the first quarter of 2019.
The case is Genting Malaysia Bhd v Fox Entertainment Group LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, No. 18-09866.
Source: Reuters, NST
Photo: Ice Age Poster