LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Disney's $4 billion purchase of "Iron Man" moviemaker Marvel Entertainment signals a possible wave of media industry consolidation, but the cash to do deals may come from India or China, not Hollywood or Wall Street.Even before Walt Disney Co and Marvel Entertainment Inc made their announcement on Monday, Hollywood watchers said Indian firm Reliance ADA Group's recent $325 million investment in Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks movie studio was a sign that opportunity exists for similar deals.
As the recession took hold in late 2007, Hollywood saw financing from U.S. hedge funds and banks dry up, and experts say Indian and Chinese firms are now in a better position to invest. For its part, Hollywood needs overseas cash to continue expanding globally where growth opportunities are strongest.
"If you have capital to invest, you can probably cut a better deal now than any time in the last ten years," said Larry Gerbrandt, principal at consultancy Media Valuation Partners.
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