May 8, 2012 The Walt Disney Company Investor Relations News • Direct Link

As Bob Iger concluded the call that day: "We are in a creative golden age. The combination of our brands—Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm (not yet acquired), and Disney Animation—gives us an unrivaled arsenal of storytelling for the next decade."

BURBANK, Calif. – May 8, 2012 – The Walt Disney Company today released its second-quarter financial results for fiscal 2012, delivering a performance that exceeded Wall Street expectations and sent a clear signal to investors: the magic was not only back but operating at record capacity. may 8, 2012 the walt disney company investor relations news

The primary catalyst? Marvel’s The Avengers , which had been released globally just four days prior to the earnings call (on May 4, 2012). At the time of the report, the film had already shattered opening weekend records, grossing over $640 million worldwide in less than a week. As Bob Iger concluded the call that day:

"I think 'The Avengers' is a perfect example of how we’ve managed the Marvel brand," Iger told analysts. "By integrating them into our global distribution and marketing machine while preserving the creative spirit that made them great, we have unlocked staggering value." The primary catalyst