Will Disney buy DWA? No! Universal did!

[ShyViolet]

They haven't been doing so great, and I read they might have to take a write-down for Peabody. I think Dragon will do very well but I'm not as sure about Home. I really think they're on the edge of something here. All can I say is that if they do get bought, I really hope it's by Disney.

[EricJ]

I'm sure a lot of people with old Shrek grudges are just HOPING Dreamworks has to be bought out by Disney, too.
But the fact that they're not even doing successfully enough for that is also acceptable.

[ShyViolet]

They do have a relatively large library of mostly financially successful films, and some critically acclaimed ones too. I should think Disney would be interested in acquiring that. Also, if they end up doing worse than they are now that will probably make their buying price a whole lot cheaper.

[Dacey]

Really not doing well? Turbo may not have been the biggest hit domestically, but thanks to merchandise, international ticket sales, DVDs, and especially the Netflix TV series, they're going to see a profit from it. As for Peabody and Sherman, it has made more than $100 million here in the states and is doing better overseas. And How to Train Your Dragon 2 is set to be the biggest movie of the summer, so it's a little early to talk about them looking for a buyer, I think.

[ShyViolet]

I guess so. Deep down I still wish Disney would buy them, IMHO their characters would get much more exposure and become part of the Disney canon, which I think would be great. Also, not every film would have to be a hit the way it is now.

They may be "OK" right now but Guardians basically flopping was a disaster for them. (true, it did do better on DVD but they had to take a write-down on it, which really hurt the company, as we know.)

EDIT: Also, we have no idea how Home is going to do, even with Rihanna attached.

[Randall]

Disney has enough properties. I'd hate to see them buy out DWA. I'd rather that DWA release fewer films and make them great.

[ShyViolet]

I don't know, I'd love to see Po and Hiccup as Disney characters. It just seems like a natural fit in my opinion.

I do agree that DWA releases too many films, but a lot of it is because they have to. One a year like Dragon or Panda would be great, but like I said earlier they can't take the chance of releasing so few because if one flops or doesn't make as much as it should, they're screwed.

If they join Disney, they won't be under as much pressure, they'd work more carefully on each film to make it great, and their old films (including 2d) would get a whole lot more exposure.

[Ben]

I love how Vi brings this up every now and then.

I can't ever see Disney buying a company that was essentially founded as a direct result of one of their exécutives being fired. DWA wouldn't exist if JK hadn't left, and even if it might have been founded later it would have been seen more as a Pixar clone than the independent studio it is today.

While DWs films do share a lot with Disney in terms of personell and technical innovations, there's also a lot of history there...too much to wipe away. ID DWs was bought by Disney, they would shut it down...they have too many labels as it is and the reason to buy would be to lose some competition. Maybe JK would get a job back at Mouse House HQ, but I couldn't see it with Lasseter now there.

The more likely scenario is that DWA continues to make its own acquisitions (like Classic) and deals (like the move into themed attractions) and live for a good while longer. If they do need a corporate parent, then their distributors Fox would be a natural fit (and is where the live-action DWs is probably going to wind up when their Disney deal ends).

[ShyViolet]

Uh-oh:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/en ... z30OOzcz9B

Hopefully Dragon will make up for this.

[Ben]

Well, Guardians wasn't a co-pro with Aardman, for a start...!

[Randall]

He said the studio was "evaluating our creative process" to ensure that movies have the broadest appeal

Oh, great.

I know they're a business, but I don't like the sound of that, from a creative standpoint.

[ShyViolet]

Same here.

[Randall]

But that's the problem with being a publicly-traded company, right? Gotta appease the investors.

Wouldn't it be nice, though, to see a really cool $40M film, which could make back twice its investment, and have that be considered great? Instead, DWA (like every other Hollywood studio these days) is trying to be in the blockbuster business.

[Dacey]

Unfortunately, when you spend $40 million on an animated movie these days, you don't get a DreamWorks movie, you get Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return.

Excuse me, did I say $40 million? I meant 40 dollars.

[Randall]

That's only if you're trying to do too much with too little. Look at Peabody and Sherman. Here was the perfect opportunity to do something more graphic and less photo-real, and save a fortune. But no, it looks like a lot of other CGI features--- not its production design per se, but in the attempt to look ultra detailed and "realistic."

When you look at "Art of" books, you can see the brilliant design work that is ultimately tossed out in favour of making a film look like all the other ones on the market. Boring! Expensive, too.