Marvel’s X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool will be reunited with the Avengers and the Guardians Of The Galaxy under the Disney banner when The Walt Disney Co buys a large part of 21st Century Fox.

As the company acquires the Fox movie empire of Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, it will make possible a project considered a hopeless dream for comic book fans until this point.

James Gunn, the director of the Guardians Of The Galaxy films, celebrated the news on Twitter, writing: “While there are many aspects to Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s assets, I am personally incredibly happy about it, for obvious reason.

“Welcome home, old friends.”

Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds was also swift to respond to news of the deal, tweeting a photograph of the foul-mouthed superhero being arrested at Disneyland.

Disney will also take ownership of the Avatar franchise, which has four sequels in the pipeline from director James Cameron.

In the television arm it will also take on Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, with shows including The Simpsons, Family Guy and Modern Family.

James L. Brooks, the co-creator of the animated show, acknowledged the deal by posting a cartoon of Homer Simpson strangling Mickey Mouse.

He captioned it: “Simpsons say ‘hi’ to Mickey with respect (he’s a lot older than we are).”

The deal is yet another event predicted in an episode of The Simpsons, which also includes the election of Donald Trump, Greece’s economic collapse and the FIFA scandal.

An episode featuring  a sign reading 20th Century Fox – A Division of Walt Disney Co sign aired back in November 1998.