Dreamworks in talks to have Disney as it's new distributor

[DarthPrime]

I hate DreamWorks Animation and all it stands for. It doesn't try to make art (which is what all films should be - regardless of genre) it just tries to make a pop-culture joke infested film. These films are immediately dated and unlike the timeless Disney animations, will most likely fade in obscurity.

Apparently, you haven't seen Kung Fu Panda yet. That one's pretty timeless.

Agreed. Kung Fu Panda was really good.

[slave2moonlight]

Hopefully it works out. Maybe then we'll get another Roger Rabbit movie.

albert

That's the first thing I thought of! The original is my all-time favorite flick! Well, for those desperate for a sequel, seek out the old Marvel graphic novel, "The Resurrection of Doom"!

[2099net]

I suspect if Dreamworks Animation do change their name, it will be to just PDI.

Also, I'm not sure Spielberg would have much say in Disney live-action movies - certainly not in a Lasseter type way, as Dreamworks is still a seperate company to Disney (Disney is just distributing their films if the deal has indeed been inked) and Spielberg still has Amblin as well as Dreamworks to look after.

I'm surprised Spielberg hasn't gone with Universal to be honest. He seems to have a lot of respect for Universal, and Universal seem to have a lot of respect for him, not to mention almost all of his pre-Dreamworks big films have been through Universal and Amblin... ET, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List...

However, I know that over in the UK and some of Europe (and probably elsewhere in the world too), Universal actually shares the same distributor as Paramount (UIP - http://www.uip.com/ ) so switching from Paramount to Universal wouldn't be that big of a change probably. At least Disney does have its own distributor in most countries.

[Escapay]

DreamWorks Animation...just tries to make a pop-culture joke infested film. These films are immediately dated and unlike the timeless Disney animations, will most likely fade in obscurity.

For someone who has never seen a DreamWorks film, that's a pretty broad and partly-inaccurate generalization, especially since that statement will never apply to films like The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and their Aardman-distributed-and-sometimes-co-produced films (Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and Flushed Away).

I've boycotted all DreamWorks animated films, so I won't ever see it.

Your loss.

There is, after all, such a thing as a good animated movie that isn't done by Disney, and DreamWorks have made a few of them (the aforementioned films above, as well as ones like Bee Movie and Kung Fu Panda). And for everything anti-Disney that Shrek is (despite what its franchise has become), it's still a pretty damn good film.

Well, for those desperate for a sequel, seek out the old Marvel graphic novel, "The Resurrection of Doom"!

Ironically, the name of the graphic novel could also apply to the Roger Rabbit franchise, given that it has yet to happen due to both parties unable to come to any kind of agreement.

albert

[Neal]

I never said "I've never seen" I said "I've boycotted" - which came as a result of being burned one too many times.

Seen:

The Prince of Egypt
Chicken Run
Shrek
Shrek 2
Shark Tale
Madagascar
Over the Hedge
Shrek the Third

I enjoy many non-Disney animated films. I grew up with the many Don Bluth films, for instance. I love all the Studio Ghibli productions. There's also many other anime I enjoy such as the Satoshi Kon films. There's a few select features here and there such as "Cats Don't Dance" and "Once Upon a Forest" that I will always cherish. And many of the Gebeka distributed films such as the Michel Ocelot films, "Nocturna", and "The Secret of Kells" are fresh and different (not to mention traditionally animated).

Yes, when DreamWorks did traditional animation they felt (mostly) fresh. Now, you couldn't pay me to watch their films. With the mindset each film must be a franchise (Five Shreks and a spin-off, A planned five Kung Fu Pandas, etc.), and the many inane poop, fart, burp, Hollywood tie-in jokes - I have no interest in their films.

Film should be art regardless of the genre - not a stand-up comedy routine.

And I consider the Aardman films separate from DreamWorks - it's like Disney/Pixar - they really aren't one. I own Were-Rabbit but haven't seen it yet.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

I'm surprised Spielberg hasn't gone with Universal to be honest. He seems to have a lot of respect for Universal, and Universal seem to have a lot of respect for him, not to mention almost all of his pre-Dreamworks big films have been through Universal and Amblin... ET, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List...

Apparently, Steve's representatives were asking for too much money.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d21b438-f48e ... fd2ac.html

[Voiceroy]

I hate DreamWorks Animation and all it stands for. It doesn't try to make art (which is what all films should be - regardless of genre) it just tries to make a pop-culture joke infested film. These films are immediately dated and unlike the timeless Disney animations, will most likely fade in obscurity.

Why don't you tell that to the artists, animators and other individuals who were involved with such classics as "The Prince of Egypt" and "Chicken Run".

Seriously. It really bothers me when people make such broad-sweeping, unfounded, ignorant statements.

[Neal]

May the wrath of the language gods pour down upon my head, that ye, a pious and good fellow, has never used hyperbole yet I have.

[magicalwands]

Neal, have you seen The Road to El Dorado? I consider that one of my most cherished films. It was simple at its core, but the actions of the two main characters are wonderful. Hopefully you have watched it and just forgot it in your list, but I guess if you have not, I really want you to discover it!

[Neal]

No, I have not seen it. If the opportunity arises, I will check it out just for you.

[Mooky]

Neal, you should really give DreamWorks a (second) chance. I was pretty much like you: I loved their 2D movies and "Antz", then "Shrek" came along and made me hate DreamWorks (mostly because of all that Disney-mocking), and I decided to keep away from their movies. I also caught "Madagascar" on TV once, and it was enough to convince me my decision was right.

Then I got a "Kung Fu Panda" DVD for birthday, decided to watch it because I had nothing better to do, and I loved it. It's a really sweet, charming, touching movie, completely different from your usual DreamWorks stuff.

I also rewatched "Shrek" movies, and now I don't find them that awful. I have yet to see "Shark Tale", "Over the Hedge", "Madagascar 2" and "Bee Movie" (most of which I expect to dislike), but now I know DreamWorks is capable of making great movies and that's enough for me.

With the mindset each film must be a franchise (Five Shreks and a spin-off, A planned five Kung Fu Pandas, etc.), and the many inane poop, fart, burp, Hollywood tie-in jokes - I have no interest in their films.

You could make the same argument for Disney films - none of them had planned sequels and yet they exist

[Neal]

Yes, but those sequels were direct-to-DVD where they belonged. Five Shreks in a theater plus a Puss in Boots movie. Three to five Kung Fu Pandas in theater. Three or more Madagascars in theater. Releasing all these sequels to theaters is too much for me.

[Mooky]

Then just ignore them and see the originals instead. But sequels can't all be bad. I mean, yes, for every "Shrek 2" you get "Shrek the Third", just like for every "Cinderella III" you get "Cinderella II". That still doesn't stop original movies from being great.

[pap64]

Using Neal's logic, we should hate Disney for releasing all those cheap DTV sequels, for releasing sub-par Pirates sequels, buying Pixar, the over-merchandising of the Princesses and we should hate Pixar because they made "Cars".

Like I said in the Annie Awards thread just because I love and deeply respect Disney and Pixar I am not that much of a fanatic in order ignore and bash other efforts, Dreamworks included.

I admit that at one point I used to be annoyed at Dreamworks because after the runaway success of Shrek all their films have tried to follow the formula almost royally, making their efforts look poor and shallow. The long list of celebrity voices annoyed me, especially in films in which the story was weak (like Sharktale).

But after watching their efforts, including the classic 2D animated films and their Aardman films I realized that they CAN make great movies if they set their minds on creating a solid production, one that isn't trying hard to outdo Shrek.

Kung Fu Panda is pretty much their best film to date. Ironically, its also the one that emulates Disney the most (you have a likable hero that tries his earnest to be the best, a mentor that sees good in him, a great supporting cast, a solid story, visuals and an over the top villain with emotional issues and ties to one of the leads).

Believe me when I say that I too am worried about the upcoming KFP sequels. But even with that it won't change the fact that they have created a timeless movie and I will always cherish it, just like I still cherish "Cinderella" despite the fact that "Cinderella II" exists.

A long time ago, I learned that hating something is useless and even stupid because it shields you from potential experiences and memories. I learned this back when I was a young gamer and the whole "Nintendo vs. Sega" thing was going on. But this can be perfectly applied to this situation.

You can still love Disney and Pixar and hold their works higher than any other film. But building hate towards any other company that tries to compete with them is being childish and you are preventing yourself from enjoying a potentially great film.

Give credit, praise and applaud Dreamworks when they get it right, criticize them when they do it wrong, in the same way that we praise Disney and Pixar when they do a great job and jeer at them when they release a poor effort.

Is this too much to ask?

NOTE: For those Disney zealots that worry about putting Disney and Pixar together the reason I put them as one is because Dreamworks compete with both Disney and Pixar, no matter the effort and the type of film they make, so it makes sense to compare the two companies and even include them as one.

[DisneyJedi]

Kung Fu Panda is pretty much their best film to date. Ironically, its also the one that emulates Disney the most (you have a likable hero that tries his earnest to be the best, a mentor that sees good in him, a great supporting cast, a solid story, visuals and an over the top villain with emotional issues and ties to one of the leads).

Believe me when I say that I too am worried about the upcoming KFP sequels. But even with that it won't change the fact that they have created a timeless movie and I will always cherish it, just like I still cherish "Cinderella" despite the fact that "Cinderella II" exists.

Funny. To me, Kung Fu Panda almost feels more like a Disney movie than Dreamworks with that in there.


And as long as they make the sequels good- if not, better than the first one-, along with the lack of pop culture references, I will be perfectly happy. ^_^

[NeoSuperBlissey]

The Deal Is Done!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090209/med ... 4plspxFb8C


DreamWorks films (according to this article) will be released through Touchstone Pictures. The first such film will be released in 2010. However, Dreamworks will remain in its "quarters" on the Universal lot.

[DisneyJedi]

The Deal Is Done!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090209/med ... 4plspxFb8C


DreamWorks films (according to this article) will be released through Touchstone Pictures. The first such film will be released in 2010. However, Dreamworks will remain in its "quarters" on the Universal lot.

Sounds good. But........ does this whole deal involve animated Dreamworks films as well?

[NeoSuperBlissey]

The Deal Is Done!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090209/med ... 4plspxFb8C


DreamWorks films (according to this article) will be released through Touchstone Pictures. The first such film will be released in 2010. However, Dreamworks will remain in its "quarters" on the Universal lot.

Sounds good. But........ does this whole deal involve animated Dreamworks films as well?

No. DreamWorks Animation films will still be distributed by Paramount, since D.A. was spun off as a separate company in 2004.

[MrIncredible]

So, basically DreamWorks will now just be a production company, and all their films will be released as Touchstone? I thought if the Touchstone name were involved with this deal it would that the Touchstone banner would be replaced by DreamWorks?

But what does this mean for DreamWorks titles on DVD/ Blu-ray, obviously the new titles will be, but will catalog titles be released through Disney? Could it include titles that are gonna be released between now and the 2010 date, like Transformers 2?

[DisneyJedi]

Sounds good. But........ does this whole deal involve animated Dreamworks films as well?

No. DreamWorks Animation films will still be distributed by Paramount, since D.A. was spun off as a separate company in 2004.

Rats. T_T