Dick Cook Resigns

[Jake Lipson]

I read somewhere that Depp's ontract is a loose deal which is contingent on script approval - so hypothetically he could still not do it, provided that he doesn't like the scipt (or waits until the script is delivered to withdrawl.)

[blackcauldron85]

Lasseter? Please no. Make it stop mommy! Make it stop!

Believe me, I am right with you. He can't possibly give as much attention (and quality attention at that) by spreading himself so thin on so many projects! I already have major issues with him being in charge of WDFA (but I am extatic about him returning hand-drawn animation).

Why Is Dick Cook Leaving Disney?
http://www.cnbc.com/id/32927926
(via disneyreport.com)

Industry insiders tell me—and this makes sense—that Disney could be moving towards a model of dramatically cutting back its own creative development. Instead Disney would focus entirely on distributing films from Pixar, DreamWorks, Marvel Entertainment, and Jerry Bruckheimer films, and perhaps also Disney Animation. DreamWorks plans to release six movies a year, Pixar generally produces one a year, Marvel is shooting for two a year, and if Bruckheimer releases two a year: that alone is 11 films for Disney to release annually.

The idea would be that Disney would reserve its powerful "Walt Disney Pictures" brand for a select few theatrical products (cutting its production overhead way back) and let its crackerjack marketing and worldwide distribution pipeline deploy the DreamWorks, Marvel, Pixar brands. Some of my Hollywood sources are speculating that Mark Zoradi, currently president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, which oversees marketing and distribution, would be a natural fit to take over the studio if it does indeed shift away from production.

So wtf is happening to Walt Disney Pictures?!?!?! Seriously, do NOT prioritize DreamWorks and Marvel. That angers me immensely. Do NOT use other companies as your crutch, Disney. Don't be freaking lazy...make your own quality movies, use your own money, make your own money.

Steven Spielberg and Stacy Snider are both huge fans of Cook and that relationship was key to establishing their distribution deal with Disney.

Is there any way that they'll be able to back out of their contract then? Probably not. And I don't feel the way I do about DreamWorks Animation towards the live-action DreamWorks, but, still, it's DreamWorks, and I don't feel that Disney needs to be releasing their films. Their films or anyone else's films.

Walt Disney Studios chief Dick Cook abruptly leaves the company
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-c ... 9626.story
(via disneyreport.com)

A person close to Cook said the movie chief "didn't see it coming." He was summoned into a meeting and was told the studio "wanted to go in a different direction," said the person. A Disney spokesperson denied the report.

A different direction? A lesser-quality direction, or a what-Iger-thinks-but-isn't-sure-about direction? I mean, maybe there will be hope that fewer lesser quality projects (think G-Force will be made in favor of some better quality projects (such as POTC: TCotPB). Especially if what the previous quote said comes true, the few Disney movies that will be released will have to be awesome quality, right?

first evidence of discontent bubbled to the surface in a conference call with analysts in May, when Iger described the studio's performance as "disappointing" -- and placed the blame on Burbank's doorstep, criticizing the choice of films and the execution. Cook's departure comes nearly three weeks after Disney agreed to buy comic-book publisher Marvel Entertainment, producer of the "Spider-Man" and "Iron Man" movies, for $4 billion.

So Iger hasn't been happy for a while, it seems. And, is that last sentence in the article to mean that this author, too, thinks that the head Marvel guy will replace Cook?

I think that Disney needs Cook...they need a Disney guy heading the film division. Part of me would rather Lasseter than the Marvel guy, because Lasseter technically is a Disney guy. What the heck does the Marvel guy know about Disney movies, I mean really?!? At the same time, as I said, I don't want Lasseter spreading himself too thin. I'm hoping that, if not with Lasseter, that Cook is replaced by a Disney person.

Disney's box-office performance for the last year has been propped up in large part by Pixar Animation Studios. Disney's attempts to create branded franchises that can be spread throughout the company's theme parks, TV and interactive divisions, a key priority, have been lackluster. July's "G-Force," March's "Race to Witch Mountain" and last Christmas' "Bedtime Stories" were all box-office disappointments.

Still, this summer's Touchstone-branded romantic comedy "The Proposal" was a surprise hit, selling more than $161 million of tickets domestically. And April's "Hannah Montana: the Movie," based on the Disney Channel series, grossed a solid $80 million. Pixar's "Up" has already collected $415 million around the world and is likely to exceed $600 million after finishing its foreign run.

While reading the first paragraph I just quoted, I thought that, "Well, families are choosing to rent or buy DVDs instead of going to the theater to save a lot of money". At the same time, though, explain Hannah Montana: The Movie, but Hannah/Miley has such a devoted fanbase, that maybe we can chalk that movie's performance to her rabid fans.

Cook, the onetime Disneyland ride operator who rose to head the studio, is viewed as a traditionalist at a time when Iger is seeking new ways of doing business. Cook tended to be uncommunicative to the point of secretiveness -- a personal style that frustrated Iger, who emphasizes collaboration.

Again, what is the new business that Iger wants?!? Cheaper movies that make a bazillion dollars?

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Lasseter?..... that would be interesting.

If that happens we can kiss Zemeckis and his creepy-ass motion capture goodbye. I mean we all now how he feels about that But if Lasseter were to run Disney's entire film division, who could possibly run Pixar and Disney?

In addition to running two animation studios, Lasseter is running Disney Imagineering, which I think really takes more time, concentration and hard-work than any movie studio requires.

Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of Lasseter, I think we can all agree we wouldn't want to see him die of a heart-attack.

As for the news...yeah a shame. I was just starting to get back into Disney after the D23 expo.

[Disney Duster]

Why don't they just ask for Dick Cook back?

Can we all start a giant internet wave of outcry and trying to get him back?

But since some of the Platinum Editions suffered under his name...I don't know...I think they would just suffer more with a Marvel guy, though.

[pap64]

Jim Hill offers his analysis on the Cook news:
http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... eturn.aspx

I know some of you don't like Jim Hill, but he makes some interesting points and analyzes how some of these movies might be affected by his resignation. Though it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Also, I have the feeling that some fans are speaking out of personal bias rather than truly thinking about this whole fiasco.

First off, we don't have the WHOLE story regarding Cook's resignation. Yeah we've been saying how great he was but the truth is that we don't know if things were peachy keen at the company. Remember, Disney is still a company that seeks profit. There's a good chance that the things Cook did might have bothered the company and we just didn't know about it.

Second, PLEASE let's not go crazy with rumors. Sure, uncertainty always brings fear and doubt, and rumors are born out of lack of information. But let's not behave like the rumors will actually happen. Once again, Disney keep things secret and I am pretty sure they are talking about this. If you are starting to feel angry over rumors maybe you should back away from the discussion because its likely the fanboy/girl in you is just talking rather than your logical self, and the former tends to ruin good discussion.

So long story short, it sucks that Cook was fired/he quit, but let's not go crazy now since we don't know exactly why this happened and let's not freak out over rumors and play Chicken Little.

[goofystitch]

Why don't they just ask for Dick Cook back?

Can we all start a giant internet wave of outcry and trying to get him back?

But since some of the Platinum Editions suffered under his name...I don't know...I think they would just suffer more with a Marvel guy, though.

Unless you own a lot of Disney stock and have a lot of friends with stock who agree with you, there isn't too much we can do. It sounds like the main reason for Cook's dismissal was that Iger wants to take the studios in a new direction.

Also, I think you are a little confused about how much involvement Dick Cook had with the home entertainment division. He didn't actually put together any of the releases. WDSHE has their own president. Dick Cook was that guy's boss. So basically, that guy would say "Hey Dick, we want to start a line called the Platinum Editions that will feature the best animated films in the cannon" and Cook would make sure they had the budget and resources needed to make it happen. He was more in charge of the studios and oversaw the other divisions. While it is a fact that some of the Platinum Editions got weaker in terms of bonus features during the time that Dick Cook was president of the studios, he can't be directly blamed for it.

[goofystitch]

I know some of you don't like Jim Hill, but he makes some interesting points and analyzes how some of these movies might be affected by his resignation.

...

So long story short, it sucks that Cook was fired/he quit, but let's not go crazy now since we don't know exactly why this happened and let's not freak out over rumors and play Chicken Little.

It's funny you should end your post like that because Jim Hill is sort of known for spreading a lot of rumors and exaggerating the truth. I didn't read more than a few paragraphs because right off the back, he starts his article with a bunch of rumors.

For a more reliable read, you should check out this recent L.A. Times article here.

[2099net]

Why don't they just ask for Dick Cook back?

Can we all start a giant internet wave of outcry and trying to get him back?

But since some of the Platinum Editions suffered under his name...I don't know...I think they would just suffer more with a Marvel guy, though.

To be fair, most Marvel films (via various studios) have had excellent DVDs, with in-depth "making ofs" for the films, normally a commentary or two, and normally an hour or so documentary on the comics that inspired them, including interviews with various comic creatives. Plus other bits and bats. The Incredible Hulk is only the only film from the past three or four years that probably misses the boat as far as supplements go - but it had a comic documentary on the old Hulk movie disc at the time (which sadly was only 20mins or so as their policy seemed different at that time). Even the Lionsgate DTV animations have supplements that would put most of Disney's recent movie DVDs to shame.

Don't just hate the guy because he's not from Disney. I don't agree with Marvel's general direction over the past few years (basically since the Ultimate line was created) but Marvel films have grown at such an exponential rate since they began taking their films in-house because they are generally good films (Elektra being perhaps the only stinker, but I rather liked it. I've not seen Wolverine yet) and they offer good value on home video.

[pap64]

I know some of you don't like Jim Hill, but he makes some interesting points and analyzes how some of these movies might be affected by his resignation.

...

So long story short, it sucks that Cook was fired/he quit, but let's not go crazy now since we don't know exactly why this happened and let's not freak out over rumors and play Chicken Little.

It's funny you should end your post like that because Jim Hill is sort of known for spreading a lot of rumors and exaggerating the truth. I didn't read more than a few paragraphs because right off the back, he starts his article with a bunch of rumors.

For a more reliable read, you should check out this recent L.A. Times article here.

I posted it because it might offer some information on the whole Cook thing, but I agree in that I should have labeled it as "To be taken with a grain of salt".

I do wonder if Depp was friends with Cook so much that it puts the movie in jeopardy.

Didn't Depp one said that he would always play Jack Sparrow no matter what? Am I wrong?

[SpringHeelJack]

I'm sure Johnny will continue to be Jack Sparrow. It's a good gig. I imagine he's concerned for the studio that's signing his paychecks, but I'd be surprised if he dropped out of the role because of this.

[goofystitch]

In regards to Johnny Depp appearing in Pirates 4, he is not actually locked into a contract. It is dependent on his liking of the script. The reason that he came out and announced his involvement in the film is because he trusted Dick Cook so much. He knew that if he had any problems with the script or the new director, Dick would be there to take care of it for him. I've read that during production of the first Pirates film, executives kept begging Depp to tone down his performance... everyone except for Dick Cook, who encouraged him to portray Jack Sparrow the way he saw fit.

In fact, the only reason that Johnny Depp wanted to work with Disney in the first place is because he wanted to work with Cook. Johnny Depp has always seemed like more of an artist than a celebrity to me. At this point in his career, paychecks probably don't matter to much, so I don't think he can be bought into a film he doesn't want to make. He seems like a guy who would rather make a great film that will be around for a while rather than continue to cash in on something just because it makes money.

I'm not saying that I think that Depp will drop out. The main reason is because he went out of his way to dress up as Jack Sparrow and announce his involvement in the film to his fans, who he is extremely devoted to. I think he will end up making the film just for his fans. But like I pointed out, he has no reason to be loyal to Disney, as his friend and confidant is no longer there to help him out.

[Disney Duster]

Goofystitch discussed something he HEARD from a friend and that MAY BE A RUMOR, but...

Goofystitch, after what you said about Dick Cook's resigning drastically decreasing the quality and effort in Beauty and the Beast's 3D release and all the Diamond Editions...just repeating old bonus features...

AHHH, NO, I was right the home video releases will now suck even worse than before just when they were starting to get so great?!!!

You may want to post again what you heard in here.

[goofystitch]

Goofystitch, after what you said about Dick Cook's resigning drastically decreasing the quality and effort in Beauty and the Beast's 3D release and all the Diamond Editions...just repeating old bonus features...

AHHH, NO, I was right the home video releases will now suck even worse than before just when they were starting to get so great?!!!

You may want to post again what you heard in here.

Earlier, you implied that the Platinum Editions decreased in quality as a direct result of Dick Cook, which isn't the case since he wasn't directly involved with each individual release. His responsibilities with Home Entertainment was to make sure they had the resources required to run the business. I forget the name of the president of Home Entertainment, but he would be more to blame for the decline in quality than Dick Cook was.

And it's not that the DVD and Blu-Rays will "suck" now. As I explained before, the decision to switch Fantasia with Beauty and the Beast was to spend more time on Fantasia's restoration. The Blu-Ray release of BatB will suffer from this decision because they were expecting to have a year to get it ready, and now they only have 6 months. As a result, there won't be as many new bonus features as we have been accustomed to. The bright side is that Beauty and the Beast was already treated to a great 2-disc set, so the rerelease will still be good, even if there aren't hours of new features.

As for Fantasia/Fantasia 2000, apparently the idea was always to have it be a 2-disc Blu-Ray set and since the Fantasia Anthology was so in depth, there isn't much more to add to the set. It will be sort of the way that The Ultimate Toy Box was later rereleased as two separate 2-disc DVDs of Toy Story 1 and 2, except that all of the standard definition bonus features can comfortably fit onto the same Blu-Ray disc as the films.

To sum it up, the changes made to the Diamond Editions are more circumstantial than anything. I don't see it as a decline in the quality of the releases, but in the same way that Peter Pan was rushed when it was announced only 6 months prior to its release, a similar thing is now happening with Beauty and the Beast. The difference is that Peter Pan didn't have a 2-disc set previously, and so they were really strapped for bonuses to throw in. They didn't even have time to give it a proper making-of feature. The good news is that Beauty and the Beast already has a well done making-of feature. And with three versions of the film to include in the set, it should fill it up nicely.

[Disney Duster]

Actually I feared that the line would get even less in quality now that a big Disney fan who backed them left.

But thank you for clearing that up, I suppose that's alright for now, the only thing is that Beauty and the Beast 3D still needs to happen, because if that doesn't, that is indeed a great loss and the elimination of a wonderful thing that producers and fans wanted to happen!

[goofystitch]

Today, it was announced that Rich Ross, president of Disney Channel worldwide, the man responsible for bringing you Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Camp Rock, and Wizards of Waverly Place, will be taking the vacant spot left by Dick Cook's dismissal from the company. I can't say that I'm too ecstatic that this is Bob Iger's idea of the direction the studio should be going in, but I'll hold my judgment until I see a few films that Ross green lights. It will take about a year and a half before anything Ross works on will be seen by the public.

[Disney Duster]

WAIT...

Is this guy greenlighting all movies, or just the live-action ones?

And he will stay out of the home entertainment part, right, because that already is chock full of Disney Channel "stars" on every video release?

I already didn't care much for Disney's live-action films...but the classics on video is the most important thing, honoring the part of the company that started it all, that the company is built on...

[goofystitch]

WAIT...

Is this guy greenlighting all movies, or just the live-action ones?

He oversees all film output from Disney. Full details haven't been announced, but there are rumors that Iger is splitting up the studios (Disney, Touchstone, Miramax) so that one man isn't responsible for all three, so Ross might only be in charge of Disney branded films. And as I understand it, Dick Cook didn't have much to do with the animation studios, which are run by John Lasseter. He had some control over what got the green light or funding, but not really creative control, so that should be safe.

And he will stay out of the home entertainment part, right, because that already is chock full of Disney Channel "stars" on every video release?

Disney Home Entertainment has it's own president, Bob Chapek, but like Dick Cook, Rich Ross will be Chapek's boss. So he won't have direct control over every home video release, but he could certainly use his position of power to push more Disney Channel content through home entertainment if he wanted to. I'm not saying he will, but he is in a position where he could.

I already didn't care much for Disney's live-action films...but the classics on video is the most important thing, honoring the part of the company that started it all, that the company is built on...

Since Bob Chapek is still in charge of Home Entertainment, I wouldn't expect anything to change in terms of the older films being released. They have already announced the Diamond Edition titles and are committed to releasing those. And the fact that Dumbo is getting a Special Edition next year is also a good sign that these films are in good hands.

[Disney Duster]

Once again you are assuring with all the great things you know and can figure out, but I am surprised I'm not the only one worried. This man let a lot of...popular crap happen. Stuff that is popular now with kids but that no critics or serious people think is good at all. And Dumbo should probably be a Diamond Edition!

What I find even more unbelievable is that someone who ran television is now running films. That doesn't make much sense. Usually I would think you would bring in someone who worked with films before instead of TV.

[blackcauldron85]

So he won't have direct control over every home video release, but he could certainly use his position of power to push more Disney Channel content through home entertainment if he wanted to. I'm not saying he will, but he is in a position where he could.

Rich Ross isn't in charge of Disney Channel anymore, right? He'll move onto the film division and someone else will take his job? Just because he helped with HSM, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, etc., doesn't mean that it's his favorite thing...it was his job and he did a good job and made Disney lots of money. I'm saying this because he won't necessarily push Disney Channel content on DVDs...Disney Channel was his previous job (if he indeed is moving onto the film division and no longer is in charge of Disney Channel).

[Disney Duster]

Oh Amy your logic has brought me some hope and ease...