Source: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/t ... 2yLJIGipmMDisney boss Bob Iger is weighing the future of Touchstone Pictures -- the film label created to house edgier fare -- as he looks to boost the company's lagging film division. Disney is in the early stages of considering options for Touchstone, including a possible sale of the film imprint, one source said.
In the past, Touchstone produced such iconic movies as "Pretty Woman" but has more recently served as a distribution pipeline for Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Studio, whose films include "The Help" and "War Horse."
The discussion over Touchstone's fate follows a broad shake-up of Disney's film division by studio chief Rich Ross, who has been streamlining operations since he came on board in 2009. Revenue at Disney's film division fell five percent to $6.4 billion in the fiscal year ended October, while operating income fell 11 percent to $618 million.
Like the other major studios, Disney produces and distributes films under various brands, including Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios, Touchstone Pictures and Hollywood Pictures. "There are simply too many labels and it wouldn't surprise me if studios wanted to rationalize the number of brands," according to Marshall Sonenshine, a partner at investment bank Sonenshine Partners.
A spokeswoman for Disney declined to comment on a potential sale of Touchstone. If Disney chooses to sell, it would be the second major movie asset that it has unloaded recently. Disney sold Miramax, the independent studio started by Harvey and Bob Weinstein, for $663 million to Colony Capital in December 2010.
Touchstone was formed in 1984 to allow Disney to release more adult-oriented movies, but it came close to being disbanded when the company began shifting popular films such as "Pirates of the Caribbean" to its Disney brand. In 2009, Touchstone was given a second life as a distribution pipeline for DreamWorks. Under the deal, Touchstone agreed to distribute 30 DreamWorks films over five years in exchange for at least an eight percent cut of the revenue.
Disney hoped that working with DreamWorks would allow it to bring more family friendly films to market that it could exploit across its various entertainment properties, including cable channels and theme parks. Disney has spent some $153 million financing DreamWorks productions and has an agreement to commit an additional $90 million if the Spielberg firm is able to obtain other equity funding.
Disney to Sell Touchstone?
-
Sotiris
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 21073
- Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:06 am
- Gender: Male
- Location: Fantasyland
Disney to Sell Touchstone?
-
Judah Ben-Hur
- Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:17 pm
- Location: In the Queen's Garden Painting the Roses Red.
Really?
What are they going to market Step Up 45, and their next rom-com with?
I really can't see how releasing something like 'The Proposal' under the Disney label without some kind of backfiring from audiences. And plus aren't they trying to market several Touchstone properties now? Nightmare before Christmas merch, last time I checked said (c) Touchstone Pictures, and they are trying to produce that 'Shakespeare in Love' broadway show, and not to mention Disney's half of Rodger Rabbit, and the hit 'Gnomeo and Juliet'.
I think this would be a really really stupid move on their part.
Now selling Hollywood Pictures, now that might work....
What are they going to market Step Up 45, and their next rom-com with?
I really can't see how releasing something like 'The Proposal' under the Disney label without some kind of backfiring from audiences. And plus aren't they trying to market several Touchstone properties now? Nightmare before Christmas merch, last time I checked said (c) Touchstone Pictures, and they are trying to produce that 'Shakespeare in Love' broadway show, and not to mention Disney's half of Rodger Rabbit, and the hit 'Gnomeo and Juliet'.
I think this would be a really really stupid move on their part.
Now selling Hollywood Pictures, now that might work....
-
danielshooley
- Member
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:40 pm
- Location: Statesboro, Georgia
The Future of Touchstone Pictures
According to the New York Post (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/t ... 2yLJIGipmM), The Walt Disney Company is taking into serious consideration selling Touchstone Pictures as early as THIS year.
The announcement comes after recent Touchstone Pictures films (including War Horse, a joint production with DreamWorks) have fared poorly at the multiplex.
I HOPE this happens, because if it does, I HOPE that the entire Touchstone library rights go to Walt Disney Pictures.
Among the MANY hit motion pictures released by Touchstone since 1984 include Splash, Good Morning Vietnam & Father of the Bride (the Steve Martin 1991 remake).
In 2007, Touchstone launched a television division, ABC Studios, which produces/distributes SEVERAL prime-time shows, including Scrubs (the hit 2001-2010 hospital sitcom starring Zach Braff, produced until 2007 by Walt Disney Television), as well as handles TV distribution rights to the entire Walt Disney Television live-action library.
The announcement comes after recent Touchstone Pictures films (including War Horse, a joint production with DreamWorks) have fared poorly at the multiplex.
I HOPE this happens, because if it does, I HOPE that the entire Touchstone library rights go to Walt Disney Pictures.
Among the MANY hit motion pictures released by Touchstone since 1984 include Splash, Good Morning Vietnam & Father of the Bride (the Steve Martin 1991 remake).
In 2007, Touchstone launched a television division, ABC Studios, which produces/distributes SEVERAL prime-time shows, including Scrubs (the hit 2001-2010 hospital sitcom starring Zach Braff, produced until 2007 by Walt Disney Television), as well as handles TV distribution rights to the entire Walt Disney Television live-action library.
-
Flanger-Hanger
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3746
- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:59 pm
- Location: S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
Selling Touchstone would just be a short-term, band-aid solution to the real problem of Disney making movies people don't want to see. Selling off that label would not raise revenue for duds like Prince of Persia, Sorcerer's Aprentice, Prom or Winnie the Pooh.
The label was vital to the company's success in the 80s and if used properly would help now too. Unfortunately, Disney's extremely narrow thought process into movie making these days ("can we sell toys too?") is killing any chance of that happening.
The label was vital to the company's success in the 80s and if used properly would help now too. Unfortunately, Disney's extremely narrow thought process into movie making these days ("can we sell toys too?") is killing any chance of that happening.
-
milojthatch
- Collector's Edition
- Posts: 2646
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 1:34 am
I worry this may lead to "R" rated Disney films down the road. We'll see, but I'd be very disappointed if that happened. Unless Disney creates/ buys a new studio for such things. We'll see, this hasn't happened yet.
____________________________________________________________
All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
-Walt Disney
All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
-Walt Disney
-
DisneyJedi
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3737
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:53 pm
- Gender: Male
milojthatch wrote:I worry this may lead to "R" rated Disney films down the road. We'll see, but I'd be very disappointed if that happened. Unless Disney creates/ buys a new studio for such things.
I agree. I mean, an R-rated movie with the Disney label on it? I- It's just not right and it sounds even more wrong when spoken of!
Does Disney have short-term memory in something? The Help was a massive hit* and War Horse is doing decently enough. The grosses on the latter should especially pick up once the Oscar nominations are announced.
*Weirdly, as soon as I typed The Help, the Amazon box on the side shows the image of the DVD. Talk about advertising becoming psychic.
*Weirdly, as soon as I typed The Help, the Amazon box on the side shows the image of the DVD. Talk about advertising becoming psychic.
"There are two wolves and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. Which wolf wins? Whichever one you feed." - Casey Newton, Tomorrowland
-
DisneyDude2010
- Special Edition
- Posts: 815
- Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:48 am
I don't know about you, but I saw plenty of promotion and advertisements for The Help back in the summer. Ditto War Horse right now.DisneyDude2010 wrote: Disney should market Touchstone movies like the rest of their movies. Disney spends loads on promotion Pixar, Pirates and Marvel and yet films like this hardly have any Phmmmph.
"There are two wolves and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. Which wolf wins? Whichever one you feed." - Casey Newton, Tomorrowland
Wasn't the last film released under the Hollywood Pictures label back in 2006/2007? They should ditch that one, if they haven't used it in years.Sotiris wrote:They should sell Hollywood Pictures which is completely useless and not Touchstone.
Touchstone Pictures is just a label for PG-13/R-rated Disney fare. Ever since Disney instated that mandate back in 2010, all Disney-distributed films include the following "Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures" at the very end of the credits. That applies to Touchstone-branded films and DreamWorks productions like The Help, War Horse and Fright Night too.
Disney are ridiculously stupid.
I wonder who the hell runs the company these days.
They aren't doing well relatively because they continue to make such shit movies. Their whole micromanaging process of making sure everything is squeaky clean and lends itself to merchandising just hampers the creative process.
Cars 2. LOL. Too bad they're so rich. I'd love to see the downfall of those execs currently running things.
They have also no dedication to their non animated movies. Look at the recent releases of Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society. They release hardly anything and can't be bothered to do it properly when they do. Real jokers.
ACTUALLY I hope they sell Touchstone. I'd love to see those movies get decent releases and remasterings something Disney look only to fill the pockets of Ross and Iger whilst giving creativity the finger.
I wonder who the hell runs the company these days.
They aren't doing well relatively because they continue to make such shit movies. Their whole micromanaging process of making sure everything is squeaky clean and lends itself to merchandising just hampers the creative process.
Cars 2. LOL. Too bad they're so rich. I'd love to see the downfall of those execs currently running things.
They have also no dedication to their non animated movies. Look at the recent releases of Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society. They release hardly anything and can't be bothered to do it properly when they do. Real jokers.
ACTUALLY I hope they sell Touchstone. I'd love to see those movies get decent releases and remasterings something Disney look only to fill the pockets of Ross and Iger whilst giving creativity the finger.
I don't think Disney is looking to unload their Touchstone Pictures library like they did with Miramax last year. They said "film imprint", which is just the label and logo -- if they do sell it to a rival studio, all future Touchstone Pictures films from that company will be distributed by that studio. But I think Disney will want to keep home video rights to their more lucrative/critically popular Touchstone movies.BK wrote: ACTUALLY I hope they sell Touchstone. I'd love to see those movies get decent releases and remasterings something Disney look only to fill the pockets of Ross and Iger whilst giving creativity the finger.
I don't know why all of you are saying that Touchtone's releases don't get decent releases and major promotion. Was I the only one who noticed Gnomeo & Juliet, The Help and War Horse beat a lot of box-office expectations?
"There are two wolves and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. Which wolf wins? Whichever one you feed." - Casey Newton, Tomorrowland
It's holding on nicely if it gets a lot of Oscar nominations next week, I can see it still grabbing audiences. It's a better performer domestically than Tintin (which never connected with North American audiences, for some odd reason).
"There are two wolves and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair. The other is light and hope. Which wolf wins? Whichever one you feed." - Casey Newton, Tomorrowland
I'm not saying that. But even with the success of those movies, a lot of Touchstone-branded films have, to put it kindly, underperformed for the past few years (especially Dreamworks productions Fright Night and I am Number Four).estefan wrote:I don't know why all of you are saying that Touchtone's releases don't get decent releases and major promotion. Was I the only one who noticed Gnomeo & Juliet, The Help and War Horse beat a lot of box-office expectations?
If Touchstone-released fare continues to do well, I'm sure Disney will keep it. If they go back to underperforming or bomb, it makes sense to sell it and remove the stigma.