Pixar's deal with Disney is up after Finding Nemo and they're looking for a new financial arrangement with a studio. Reuters reports:
The studio is free to sign a new deal once after it delivers "Finding Nemo," an underwater adventure, due out in theaters on May 30.
Investors have been waiting for signs of a new accord, since Pixar said in February it had held informal talks with a number of studios, including Disney.
But in a presentation by chief financial officer Ann Mather at a conference hosted by A.G. Edwards on Wednesday, Pixar said it was not under pressure to sign a new distribution deal before 2004, allowing about two years to ready the first movie under the new deal and prepare for its marketing.
Pixar held up as a possible model the deal made by George Lucas with the 20th Century Fox studio. The deal with the "Star Wars" creator is one of the richest for a film maker.
Lucas pays a reported 7 percent of film gross to Fox for distribution, while Pixar currently pays Disney a fee within a range of 10 to 15 percent of gross and then splits profits.
Lucas also generally pays for theatrical and video distribution only, meaning that he retains the rights for toys and other consumer spin-offs, and has the sole right to make sequels, Pixar said.
By contrast, Disney has the right to make sequels to the films produced under its current deal with Pixar, including the popular "Toy Story" series.
From Comingsoon.net
The studio is free to sign a new deal once after it delivers "Finding Nemo," an underwater adventure, due out in theaters on May 30.
Investors have been waiting for signs of a new accord, since Pixar said in February it had held informal talks with a number of studios, including Disney.
But in a presentation by chief financial officer Ann Mather at a conference hosted by A.G. Edwards on Wednesday, Pixar said it was not under pressure to sign a new distribution deal before 2004, allowing about two years to ready the first movie under the new deal and prepare for its marketing.
Pixar held up as a possible model the deal made by George Lucas with the 20th Century Fox studio. The deal with the "Star Wars" creator is one of the richest for a film maker.
Lucas pays a reported 7 percent of film gross to Fox for distribution, while Pixar currently pays Disney a fee within a range of 10 to 15 percent of gross and then splits profits.
Lucas also generally pays for theatrical and video distribution only, meaning that he retains the rights for toys and other consumer spin-offs, and has the sole right to make sequels, Pixar said.
By contrast, Disney has the right to make sequels to the films produced under its current deal with Pixar, including the popular "Toy Story" series.
From Comingsoon.net
(even tho lucas is a co-founder of pixar..oops!)