Indian entertainment group Reliance is investing $550 million dollars in DreamWorks SKG in exchange for 50 per cent of the new company. This will allow Steven Spielberg and Co. to exit their current deal with Paramount, which Spielberg has been planning to do for some time. DreamWorks partner David Geffen is said to be exiting the film business (possibly to pursue his real passion of hiring pool boys) and DreamWorks president Stacey Snider will be moving up to help Spielberg ruin more of the Indiana Jones franchise.
DreamWorks execs have had tiffs with Paramount since their studio was bought by Viacom in December 2005, Could it be that Viacom’s Sumner Redstone was wearied by the demise of the Indiana Jones franchise? His intuitions were right about Mission Impossible.
It has not yet been determined if the Mumbai-based Reliance will be pushing for a slate of Bollywood films under the new Dreamworks skein. But if Spielberg and his Get-Along-Gang want to generate international hits, I have two words: Dancing Transformers. There’s a challenge for Michael Bay! He should try not to blow stuff up and instead focus on Bhangra formations. Optimus Prime has swan-like grace! And Bumblebee has better moves than Debbie Allen on her best day.
