Pixar and Disney relationship finished

[removed 0]

January 30, 2004 - It's official: Steve Jobs and Pixar Animation Studios have ended their long and hugely successful co-production relationship with Walt Disney Pictures after spending most of 2003 in negotiations to extend their pact. "After 10 months of trying to strike a deal with Disney we're moving on," Jobs said in a statement. "We've had a great run together – one of the most successful in Hollywood history – and it's a shame that Disney won't be participating in Pixar's future successes."

 

 

A statement from Disney Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said The Mouse House rejected the Pixar deal because it "would have cost Disney hundreds of million of dollars it already is entitled to under the existing agreement."

 

And now rival studios are swiftly closing in on Pixar like sharks to little Nemo. But more on that later.

 

Variety says that Jobs wanted "100% of the box office, a modest distribution fee and the lion's share of ancillary revenue." Disney honcho Michael Eisner balked at the demands even though The Mouse House reportedly seemed willing to compromise last fall.

 

Indeed, the New York Times reports that "Wall Street analysts are set to meet with Disney executives in Florida in two weeks, when Mr. Eisner will face tough questions about Disney's future in animation. Its own films have not had nearly the success of those produced by Pixar and Disney has effectively closed its Florida film animation operations. ... The collapsed talks will probably put pressure on Mr. Eisner to shore up his relationships with other partners, including cable companies that are warring with Disney over rates charged for its programming and with Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of Miramax Films, who has been dueling with Mr. Eisner over his division's profits."

 

The Times speculates that Jobs might even get Eisner's position running Disney should the axe fall.

 

So which studio might become Pixar's new distribution partner? According to Dow Jones Business News, Time Warner Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group Inc. "would be likely new partners based on their domestic and international film-distribution strengths."

 

Pixar's divorce from Disney isn't final quite yet, mind you. Dow Jones reports that they still have to work together on three more future releases – The Incredibles, Cars, and another project due in 2006 (although Variety says the "current coproduction pact will end with the release of Cars in 2005.")

 

Variety adds "that some believe the news will ultimately prove a negative for Pixar, as it will be walking away from any participation in potential sequels to such successful Mouse co-prods as Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. or even a Toy Story 3."

From ign.com

 

Awwww. I wanted a Monsters Inc 2.

[trekzone 0]

sad, so very very sad....i wanted a MI2 too!

[BorgAssimilator 0]

I donno, my dad works for zzsoft (an online subscription service program), and they've talked with disney, and from what I hear, they were stupid.

[Shrek 0]

That is very sad.......... I what to see a Toy Story 3,and a MI2.

[removed 0]

Maybe that project that is mentioned in 2006 is Monsters Inc 2. *Fingers Crossed* I doubt it though.

[xenexian 2]

This is the best news ever coming out of the animation world. Disney has shown itself to be an arrogant, overbaring slavemaster when it comes to how the house of mouse is run. Their present deal calls for a 50-50 split among profits even though all Disney has been doing is the distribution. They take more than their share for doing next to nothing in production. Pixar wanted to re-structure the deal to reflect a more accurate picture of what each contibutes. Their offer of 90 for Pixar and 10 for Disney is by far more fair. Disney balked. Their animation department has been decimated. Lay-offs. Direct to video produced cartoons that absolutely suck. No originality. Pixar made the correct decision by severing ties. After Cars, the fifth movie from Pixar, Disny will no longer have their hand in anything Pixar does. Unfortunately, they will still retain rights to the characters from those movies and Disney has already said it will produce Toy Story 3 on their own but who are they kidding? That's akin to saying that a five years olds drawings are just as good as a Rembrandt. Would you buy it? Once Eisner is gone perhaps they will see the error of their ways.

[removed 0]

Ya I don't know if Disney could pull off a Toy Story 3 alone. Pixar is the Industrial Light & Magic of animation, way superior to everything else. Maybe there can be some sort of deal made between Pixar and Disney to produce a Monster's Inc 2, because with an ending like the one in the first, that is just asking for a sequel.