Disney and Local Attraction News

Pixar Dumps Disney

In a surprise move on Thursday, digital animation studio Pixar ended talks with Disney aimed at reaching a new deal for the two powerhouses. The talks had been going on for almost a year but with the two sides still far apart, Pixar honcho Steve Jobs decided to pull the plug and look elsewhere.

Pixar originally signed on with the Mouse House thirteen years ago in a deal that gave both companies an equal share in the films, though Disney received an extra 10% of each flick for distribution. After a streak of successful films that began with A Bug's Life and continued through last year's Finding Nemo , Jobs felt that Pixar's contribution was worth more and was reportedly seeking a deal similar to the one George Lucas has with 20th Century Fox, in which Lucas owns the films and retains rights to all merchandizing. Disney, which generates much of its revenue from character merchandising and spin-offs, balked at the suggestion.

Jobs is now being courted by almost every major studio, with Warner Bros. and Fox seen as the front-runners. The news isn't so rosy for Disney honcho Michael Eisner who is already facing criticism from ousted board member Roy Disney. The Pixar films have accounted for half the compay's revenues in recent years, while Disney's in-house animated projects have had little box office juice. With Disney's shareholders meeting fast approaching, Eisner will need to do some pretty fancy footwork to put a positive spin on the split.

Many industry insiders are seeing the collapse in the talks as the result of battling egos. Eisner and Apple founder Steve Jobs have apparently not seen eye to eye on many issues, and both are used to being in control. After making a final offer last week, Jobs reportedly threw up his hands when Disney came back with yet another counter-offer that failed to deliver. For Disney's part, Eisner is claiming that signing the deal Pixar wanted would have cost the company over $100 million a year and that he couldn't justify that to shareholders.

Roy Disney, meanwhile, has been saying for months that Eisner's intransigence was going to result in the company his uncle founded losing its most profitable division. He has been calling for a shareholder revolt and the ousting of Eisner, an effort that seemed doomed to fail until yesterday.

Whatever the ultimate outcome, Disney will be releasing two more Pixar films under the old deal. First up is The Incredibles , which is slated for release later this year, followed by Cars in 2005.

 

Source: Walt Disney World

This website is in no way affiliated with Walt Disney World, Universal Studios,Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Cypress Gardens, Splendid China, Wet'n'Wild, Water Mania, Gatorland, Medieval Times,Church Street Station, Arabian Nights, Ripleys, Wonderworks, Kennedy Space Center, Holy Land Experience, Sleuth's Dinner Mystery, Green Meadows Petting Zoo, Jungle Adventures, Fun Spot Action Park, Guinness, Skycoaster, Skull Kingdom and anybody I may have forgotten. All information on this Website is provided as a service to the Web site Visitors. All logo and images used are copyrights of their respective owners which include one or all of the following: Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Cypress Gardens, Splendid China, Wet'n Wild,Water Mania, Gatorland, Medieval Times, Church Street Station, Arabian Nights, Ripleys, Wonderworks, KennedySpace Center, Guinness, Holy Land Experience, Sleuth's Dinner Mystery, Green Meadows Petting Zoo, Jungle Adventures, Fun Spot Action Park, Guinness, Skycoaster, Skull Kingdom and anybody I may have forgotten. Logo's are used solely for the purpose of aiding these companies in increasing the visitor count at their respective attractions. If you are a representative of one of these companies and wish to discuss appropriate use of your copyrighted material please feel free to contact us.

Partner Site

A collection of 3 to 6 bedroom executive pool homes less than 10 minutes from the Walt Disney World® Resort....Orlando Vacation Villas

 

Resources

Orlando Pool Homes near Disney