Disney Inks Deal with Dreamworks

[ALIASd]

Posted: Mon., Feb. 9, 2009, 11:12am PT

Disney inks deal with DreamWorks

Company will handle distribution for six films

By Tatiana Siegel
Variety

Disney has inked an exclusive long-term distribution arrangement with DreamWorks.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Disney, under the Touchstone banner, will handle distribution and marketing for approximately six DreamWorks films each year. The first DreamWorks pic would bow in 2010.

DreamWorks principals Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider partnered with Mumbai-based Reliance in the fall to form a new company and immediately inked a distribution deal with Universal. The U deal fell apart Friday after the studio found out that DreamWorks was in negotiations with Disney.

"We're both thrilled and honored to be marketing and distributing all of DreamWorks' signature upcoming live-action motion pictures and to begin a new relationship with such respected colleagues as Steven, Stacey and their creative team at DreamWorks," Disney chairman Dick Cook said. "Steven has made some of the biggest and most loved films of all-time, and continues to be one of the great icons of our industry. Stacey has an impeccable reputation and a phenomenal track record for making a wide variety of quality films. Their motion pictures will be the perfect compliment to the already robust slate of Disney and Touchstone films being made by Oren Aviv and his team."

Disney inks deal with DreamWorks - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

So Disney can actually have some decent movies geared towards adult audiences again.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by Monkey joe

Yes, it is. Go see confessions of a shoplasic next week from Touchstone.

Touchstone Pictures [us]

I've only seen two of their releases since 2001.... in the 80s and 90s Touchstone was a bigger player.

[OogieBoogie]

I wonder if they are going to be doing any new Shrek movies and if they are, will they tone down the poking fun of Disney.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by OogieBoogie

I wonder if they are going to be doing any new Shrek movies and if they are, will they tone down the poking fun of Disney.

Yes they are planning another Shrek, but DW Animation will still be under Paramount for now. I suppose they might tone the Disney stuff down a little, but only out of courtesy, not because of any contractual relationship.

[mainstreetcm]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Yes they are planning another Shrek, but DW Animation will still be under Paramount for now. I suppose they might tone the Disney stuff down a little, but only out of courtesy, not because of any contractual relationship.

You know I really hope they don't tone the Disney stuff down. It's all really just harmless antics -- if we can't laugh at ourselves, why are we even laughing...

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by mainstreetcm

You know I really hope they don't tone the Disney stuff down. It's all really just harmless antics -- if we can't laugh at ourselves, why are we even laughing...

Me too, that's the best part of watching the Shrek films!

Sad about the rabbit, I mean you can have Rodger I just want to see more Jessica rabbit movies. I just can't get enough of that gorgeous redhead!

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

So Disney can actually have some decent movies geared towards adult audiences again.

That's what Miramax is for.

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by OogieBoogie

will they tone down the poking fun of Disney.

No. Katzenberg steered these films purposefully in that direction from the beginning and they've made billions. Think they'll mess with the formula now?

[Coheteboy]

Originally Posted by ALIASd

That's what Miramax is for.

And Dimension Films right? Or is that teenagers.

[phkna]

Jeffrey Katzenberg isn't apart of this deal (Thankfully) This is only for live action movies. DW Animation is it's own entity separate company that just retained the DW name cause he was apart of the original founding of the company.

[MagicWDI]

Originally Posted by Coheteboy

And Dimension Films right? Or is that teenagers.

Well, Dimension Films is a division of The Weinstein Company now. It was given to the Weinsteins as part of their departure agreements.

As for the distribution agreement, this is wonderful news! Absolutely wonderful!

[ALIASd]

Spielberg's corporate odyssey

DreamWorks’ trek from Paramount to Universal to Disney has riveted the community’s attention perhaps more than any other corporate journey in the last generation.

Announcement of the deal brought forth predictable quotes from the various suits involved, but one missing voice was that of Steven Spielberg, the man at the center of the storm. Spielberg is in his second week directing “Tin Tin” and is understandably pre-occupied, but still it’s his decisions that guided the machinations.

Given this anomaly, I initiated an email conversation with the filmmaker today which elicited this back-and-forth.

Does the Disney deal suggest a new business model for DreamWorks? I asked.

Spielberg insists not. “We remain focused on what we do best, live action films,” he says, adding that he may, at times “cross over into big family entertainment.” He adds: “We are keeping our overhead low and Disney has the best organization to manage our films and optimize our performance.”

The Disney deal, he insists, “is a significant step for our new company” and the fact that he regards DreamWorks as a “new company” is itself interesting. David Geffen is no longer a key element. Jeffrey Katzenberg focuses on the publicly owned DreamWorks Animation, which is a competitor of the Disney unit, Pixar.

Spielberg seems relaxed about these changes. “I’m looking forward to working with Bob Iger, Dick Cook, Mark Zoradi and Oren Aviv,” he points out. These become, in effect, the new members of the DreamWorks family, he seems to be saying. And he has made his peace with that fact.

While Spielberg’s roots are now at Disney, “Tin Tin” will be released by Sony abroad and Paramount in the U.S. And even though Paramount and Universal have expressed their dismay with DreamWorks’ corporate maneuverings, Steven Spielberg as a filmmaker clearly transcends corporate borders and is a creature of Hollywood at large.

Spielberg’s Corporate Odyssey - Peter Bart - Blog on Variety.com

[DisneyIPresume]

Aladdin...

Paging Aladdin...

[DisneyIPresume]

So does this mean that there won't be a Transformers ride at USH after all?

I know that DIP Jr will be heartbroken if he finds out they are not going to build that ride.