Disney Baits DreamWorks
by Lia Haberman
Jun 5, 2003, 2:30 PM PT
The Mouse has some major cojones.
Bucking convention, Disney has slapped a November 5, 2004, release date on Pixar's The Incredibles--the same date previously picked by DreamWorks to release its animated feature Sharkslayer.
And the calendar conflict is causing major problems for DreamWorks execs, who must time merchandising and licensing deals to the movie's release date.
Now, despite having claimed the date last December, they're reportedly fishing for another weekend to launch the CG franchise, which has been described as an underwater mob movie featuring the voices of Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, René Zellweger and Angelina, among others.
But it won't be easy.
The Friday before Thanksgiving is already tied up by another family friendly twofer, Warner Bros.' CG release Polar Express, which reteams longtime collaborators Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis, and a big-screen adaptation of TV's SpongeBob SquarePants from Paramount.
Early November has been good to Disney and partner Pixar since the release of Monsters, Inc. two years ago. Ironically, Disney was forced to juggle its November 2001 schedule to avoid going up against Warners' Thanksgiving release Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
That proven track record might explain the Mouse House's confidence. The company wasn't talking about its scheduling standoff except for a brief comment in Thursday's Variety.
"It looks like the moviegoing public will have lots to choose from on November 5, 2004," said a spokesperson.
Along with Disney's The Incredibles, about a family of superheroes trying to live quietly in the suburbs, and the soon-to-be-gone Sharkslayer, the weekend was already tapped by 20th Century Fox for their release Fantastic Four, about a family of superheroes trying to deal with evil plots and the pressures of fame.
Smells fishy.
According to the trade, there are a couple of factors at work over the dueling date and they've got nothing to do with pleasing the moviegoing public.
First, the well known rivalry between Disney CEO Michael Eisner and DreamWorks principal Jeffrey Katzenberg, who sued for millions in unpaid bonuses after quitting the Happiest Place on Earth in 1994 and was subsequently dubbed "the little midget" by his former boss, Eisner.
Also at stake is Pixar's contract with Disney, which expires soon. Showing a little love for the successful animation studio, which is behind Finding Nemo, could be a top priority for Disney.
Pixar's fish tale reeled in a whopping $70.3 million last weekend, the best-ever opening for an animated movie or for any Disney film, including previous collaborations Monsters, Inc ($62.5 million) in 2001, Toy Story 2 ($57.3 million) in 1999, A Bug's Life ($33.2 million) in 1998 and the original Toy Story ($29.1 million) in 1995.
Until now, Disney split production costs with Pixar but took 60 percent of the profits and retained ownership and sequel rights.
Pixar owes Disney two mores movies as part of that deal but has been in discussions with other studios about a distribution agreement that would let the animation company retain ownership of its flicks.
As such, Eisner confessed to investors in New York on Tuesday: "I suspect we will change the kind of relationship we have with Pixar, but I am fairly confident we will continue to be in business with them."
Not on the Mouse's top priority list: showing any love for DreamWorks. In general, studios work to avoid the type of scheduling clashes that could cost box office dollars.
But the 'toon market seems to have taken a particularly childish approach to the competition.
In 1998 Katzenberg rushed Antz into theaters eight weeks before the release of A Bug's Life after Disney refused to budge Bugs's Thanksgiving release date which would interfere with Katzenberg's pet project, Prince of Egypt, which was later pushed back.
DreamWorks continued the tit-for-tat rivalry in November 2001 when it launched the DVD of its pride and joy Shrek the same day Monsters, Inc. opened in theaters, even after Disney had staked out the date first.
by Lia Haberman
Jun 5, 2003, 2:30 PM PT
The Mouse has some major cojones.
Bucking convention, Disney has slapped a November 5, 2004, release date on Pixar's The Incredibles--the same date previously picked by DreamWorks to release its animated feature Sharkslayer.
And the calendar conflict is causing major problems for DreamWorks execs, who must time merchandising and licensing deals to the movie's release date.
Now, despite having claimed the date last December, they're reportedly fishing for another weekend to launch the CG franchise, which has been described as an underwater mob movie featuring the voices of Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, René Zellweger and Angelina, among others.
But it won't be easy.
The Friday before Thanksgiving is already tied up by another family friendly twofer, Warner Bros.' CG release Polar Express, which reteams longtime collaborators Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis, and a big-screen adaptation of TV's SpongeBob SquarePants from Paramount.
Early November has been good to Disney and partner Pixar since the release of Monsters, Inc. two years ago. Ironically, Disney was forced to juggle its November 2001 schedule to avoid going up against Warners' Thanksgiving release Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
That proven track record might explain the Mouse House's confidence. The company wasn't talking about its scheduling standoff except for a brief comment in Thursday's Variety.
"It looks like the moviegoing public will have lots to choose from on November 5, 2004," said a spokesperson.
Along with Disney's The Incredibles, about a family of superheroes trying to live quietly in the suburbs, and the soon-to-be-gone Sharkslayer, the weekend was already tapped by 20th Century Fox for their release Fantastic Four, about a family of superheroes trying to deal with evil plots and the pressures of fame.
Smells fishy.
According to the trade, there are a couple of factors at work over the dueling date and they've got nothing to do with pleasing the moviegoing public.
First, the well known rivalry between Disney CEO Michael Eisner and DreamWorks principal Jeffrey Katzenberg, who sued for millions in unpaid bonuses after quitting the Happiest Place on Earth in 1994 and was subsequently dubbed "the little midget" by his former boss, Eisner.
Also at stake is Pixar's contract with Disney, which expires soon. Showing a little love for the successful animation studio, which is behind Finding Nemo, could be a top priority for Disney.
Pixar's fish tale reeled in a whopping $70.3 million last weekend, the best-ever opening for an animated movie or for any Disney film, including previous collaborations Monsters, Inc ($62.5 million) in 2001, Toy Story 2 ($57.3 million) in 1999, A Bug's Life ($33.2 million) in 1998 and the original Toy Story ($29.1 million) in 1995.
Until now, Disney split production costs with Pixar but took 60 percent of the profits and retained ownership and sequel rights.
Pixar owes Disney two mores movies as part of that deal but has been in discussions with other studios about a distribution agreement that would let the animation company retain ownership of its flicks.
As such, Eisner confessed to investors in New York on Tuesday: "I suspect we will change the kind of relationship we have with Pixar, but I am fairly confident we will continue to be in business with them."
Not on the Mouse's top priority list: showing any love for DreamWorks. In general, studios work to avoid the type of scheduling clashes that could cost box office dollars.
But the 'toon market seems to have taken a particularly childish approach to the competition.
In 1998 Katzenberg rushed Antz into theaters eight weeks before the release of A Bug's Life after Disney refused to budge Bugs's Thanksgiving release date which would interfere with Katzenberg's pet project, Prince of Egypt, which was later pushed back.
DreamWorks continued the tit-for-tat rivalry in November 2001 when it launched the DVD of its pride and joy Shrek the same day Monsters, Inc. opened in theaters, even after Disney had staked out the date first.
). And while RTE is not a great movie, some of the animation is absolutely beatiful.
