Disney has announced it is to acquire comic book giant Marvel. Image: Marvel Entertainment.

Disney has announced it is to acquire Marvel Entertainment and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters in a deal estimated to be worth $4 billion (£2.5bn).

Once the deal is approved, Disney will hold the rights to popular comic book and film characters such Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men.

Marvel shareholders will receive $30 per share as well as 0.745 Disney shares for each share when the acquisition has been finalised.

Both boards at Marvel and Disney have approved the deal, which is still awaiting the approval of shareholders and competition authorities.

Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of Disney, said: “This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters […] with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximises the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories.
 
“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation.”

Captain America, the Hulk, Thor and the Fantastic Four are also among Marvel’s most famous characters.

Ike Perlmutter, Chief Executive of Marvel, said: “Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing business.

“This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organisation and infrastructure around the world.”