New Disney-Pixar Deal Likely
Jobs wants to stay at the House of Mouse.
by IGN FilmForce
November 9, 2005 - Nearly two years after Pixar topper Steve Jobs first announced that the CG animation studio was parting ways with Walt Disney Pictures, the entities appear poised to kiss and make up. During a recent third-quarter earnings conference call, Jobs was hopeful about renewing relations with the House of Mouse.
"We are in deep discussions with Disney," he said, noting that that they'd like to have a new distribution deal in place as soon as possible. "It's worth the few extra months of effort if there is a chance of continuing our relationship with Disney and our discussions right now are very productive," said Jobs.
That's a completely different tune than the Pixar CEO was singing back in early 2004 when then-Disney honcho Michael Eisner refused to meet the terms demanded by Jobs for a new Pixar distribution agreement. Pixar reportedly wanted 100% of the box office take on future films, a modest distribution fee and the lion's share of ancillary revenue. Eisner balked.
Things have warmed between the companies since Eisner's departure and serious talks restarted after his successor Robert Iger was put in place.
The box office success of Chicken Little may give Disney a little better footing, proving that they're not completely hosed without Pixar's brand of computer-animated movie magic. But Pixar isn't in a bad way either, the studio's earnings rose 22 percent last quarter on robust home video sales of prior releases like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/665/665580p1.html
Jobs wants to stay at the House of Mouse.
by IGN FilmForce
November 9, 2005 - Nearly two years after Pixar topper Steve Jobs first announced that the CG animation studio was parting ways with Walt Disney Pictures, the entities appear poised to kiss and make up. During a recent third-quarter earnings conference call, Jobs was hopeful about renewing relations with the House of Mouse.
"We are in deep discussions with Disney," he said, noting that that they'd like to have a new distribution deal in place as soon as possible. "It's worth the few extra months of effort if there is a chance of continuing our relationship with Disney and our discussions right now are very productive," said Jobs.
That's a completely different tune than the Pixar CEO was singing back in early 2004 when then-Disney honcho Michael Eisner refused to meet the terms demanded by Jobs for a new Pixar distribution agreement. Pixar reportedly wanted 100% of the box office take on future films, a modest distribution fee and the lion's share of ancillary revenue. Eisner balked.
Things have warmed between the companies since Eisner's departure and serious talks restarted after his successor Robert Iger was put in place.
The box office success of Chicken Little may give Disney a little better footing, proving that they're not completely hosed without Pixar's brand of computer-animated movie magic. But Pixar isn't in a bad way either, the studio's earnings rose 22 percent last quarter on robust home video sales of prior releases like Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/665/665580p1.html