Saw this on Jim Hill Media....may or may not be true, it may be nothing more than a rumor. Your thoughts?
What Pixar Reportedly Wants From Disney
Jim Hill Media
October 8, 2005
Jim Hill
All eyes (or should I say ears?) will be on Emeryville today, as Pixar Animation Studios holds a teleconference to announce earnings for its third quarter.
This teleconference (which will also be webcast) is expected to be chaired by Pixar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs. And among the issues that Steve is expected to address during the Q & A portion of today's teleconference is the current status of Pixar's negotiations with the Walt Disney Company.
Mind you, no one's expecting Jobs to announce today that Pixar has already forged a new partnership / distribution deal with the Mouse. In fact, given that the formal negotiation sessions between the two corporations aren't expected to get underway until later this month, Wall Street is already anticipating that Steve won't have anything significant to say about Pixar's dealings with Disney. Other than to say "We're still talking."
But -- that said -- there have been several developments lately that Mouse House insiders suggest are strong indications that the Walt Disney Company has already made some concessions to Jobs. With the hope that this will finally bring Disney's protracted negotiations with Pixar Animation Studios to a successful conclusion.
"What sort of concessions?," you ask. Well, how about that story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal? Where Disney reps -- as they were crowing about the $40.1 worth of tickets that "Chicken Little" had sold over its opening weekend -- let slip that WDFA is pushing back the release dates of two upcoming productions. With "America Dog" being pushed back from Summer 2007 to Summer 2008. While "Rapunzel Unbraided" is shifting its release date from 2008 to 2009.
"Now what's so significant about Disney Feature Animation pushing back the release dates of two still-in-production films?," you query. Well, you have to understand that one of the conditions that Steve Jobs has supposedly set for Pixar to continue its partnership with the Walt Disney Company is that Pixar Animation Studios now gets its pick of release dates for its upcoming films. Meaning that -- from 2007 on forward -- Pixar would get to select which release dates it feels will best suit its upcoming slate of pictures. While Disney Feature Animation would then have to settle for whatever slots are still left open.
So, by suddenly shifting their 2007 & 2008 productions out of their previously locked-in release dates, the Walt Disney Company is sending a very clear message to Steve Jobs. As in "We're willing to concede the whole release date issue. We'll do whatever we have to in order to finally close this deal."
Link to the full article.
What Pixar Reportedly Wants From Disney
Jim Hill Media
October 8, 2005
Jim Hill
All eyes (or should I say ears?) will be on Emeryville today, as Pixar Animation Studios holds a teleconference to announce earnings for its third quarter.
This teleconference (which will also be webcast) is expected to be chaired by Pixar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs. And among the issues that Steve is expected to address during the Q & A portion of today's teleconference is the current status of Pixar's negotiations with the Walt Disney Company.
Mind you, no one's expecting Jobs to announce today that Pixar has already forged a new partnership / distribution deal with the Mouse. In fact, given that the formal negotiation sessions between the two corporations aren't expected to get underway until later this month, Wall Street is already anticipating that Steve won't have anything significant to say about Pixar's dealings with Disney. Other than to say "We're still talking."
But -- that said -- there have been several developments lately that Mouse House insiders suggest are strong indications that the Walt Disney Company has already made some concessions to Jobs. With the hope that this will finally bring Disney's protracted negotiations with Pixar Animation Studios to a successful conclusion.
"What sort of concessions?," you ask. Well, how about that story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal? Where Disney reps -- as they were crowing about the $40.1 worth of tickets that "Chicken Little" had sold over its opening weekend -- let slip that WDFA is pushing back the release dates of two upcoming productions. With "America Dog" being pushed back from Summer 2007 to Summer 2008. While "Rapunzel Unbraided" is shifting its release date from 2008 to 2009.
"Now what's so significant about Disney Feature Animation pushing back the release dates of two still-in-production films?," you query. Well, you have to understand that one of the conditions that Steve Jobs has supposedly set for Pixar to continue its partnership with the Walt Disney Company is that Pixar Animation Studios now gets its pick of release dates for its upcoming films. Meaning that -- from 2007 on forward -- Pixar would get to select which release dates it feels will best suit its upcoming slate of pictures. While Disney Feature Animation would then have to settle for whatever slots are still left open.
So, by suddenly shifting their 2007 & 2008 productions out of their previously locked-in release dates, the Walt Disney Company is sending a very clear message to Steve Jobs. As in "We're willing to concede the whole release date issue. We'll do whatever we have to in order to finally close this deal."
Link to the full article.
