DreamWorks has been looking for a new distribution deal, and having trouble. Talks with Universal Pictures broke down leaving them without a partner. Now it looks like it may be Disney who ends up working with DreamWorks. According to Variety they’re close to a deal.
As part of the deal, Disney would help DreamWorks raise funding to finance six movies a year. The company had been having cash problems since breaking with Paramount Pictures, their previous distributor. No need to bore you with the financial details, but with DreamWorks’ track record for moneymaking films it’s somewhat amazing that it’s taken even this long for them to find a partner. In the long run, they’ll work something out with someone.
It’s worth noting that that when we’re talking about DreamWorks, we’re not talking about DreamWorks Animation. So anyone with nightmarish visions of a Disney monopoly on the three biggest animation houses in Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks can relax. DreamWorks Animation is, at least as I understand it, a completely separate entity and should have nothing to do with this or any other DreamWorks SKG distribution deal. DreamWorks Animation is still distributed by Paramount Pictures.
