After months and months of unsuccessfully securing a new distribution deal with Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks has reached a 5 yr deal with 20th Century Fox worth billions. Starting in 2013, all animated films produced by DW will be distributed by Fox through 2017. What this means:
20th Century Fox now has DreamWorks Animated and Blue Sky (Ice Age, Rio) under it’s banner and becomes the dominant home in animated films. Yes, Disney/Pixar still puts out mostly better films, but they only make one a year. Now Fox has the luxury of being able to put 3 animated films out each year and really rake in the dough. Considering that most DW films have or will have sequels (Shrek, Madagascar, HTTYD, Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda), this deal has already paid for itself.
DreamWorks is now completely split between film and animation divisions. Disney distributes DreamWorks’ live action films, and Fox distributes the animated films.
Disney will have to ramp up it’s own efforts in Disney Animated, to make it not look like Fox is completely owning them.
Paramount has nothing. Which leads to my next article…