You are viewing the archive: “Classic Media”

DreamWorks Animation Talking To Distributors About Creating A Channel

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Tuesday July 31, 2012 @ 2:39pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Classic Media, DreamWorks Animation

“There does seem to be a lot of interest and a lot of opportunity” for the idea — and it’s something DreamWorks Animation is “actively talking about” with potential film distribution partners — CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg told analysts in a conference call to discuss company earnings. He had virtually no details about the plan, or his efforts to strike a distribution deal to replace the one with Paramount that expires at the end of this year. He offered, though, that “self distribution is not something we are pursuing right now.”

Related: DreamWorks Animation Q2 Earnings Fall Short Of Forecasts

But Katzenberg clearly wanted to impress analysts with the possibility of creating a channel following his recent $155M acquisition of Classic Media. “We have a bit of a gold mine here,” he says about Classic which has rights to baby boomer cultural icons including Archie, Casper the Friendly Ghost, The Lone Ranger, Lassie, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Gumby, Underdog, Fat Albert, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Godzilla, He-Man, Dick Tracy, Frosty the Snowman, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. “This will go a long way toward helping us to realize the idea of a DreamWorks branded channel.” The thinking appears to be in the early stages: Katzenberg says he’s not sure if a channel might be designed READ MORE »

Comments (7)

Classic Media Opens Doors For DreamWorks Animation: Jeffrey Katzenberg

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Monday July 23, 2012 @ 2:14pm PDTTags: Classic Media, DreamWorks Animation, Jeffrey Katzenberg

The DreamWorks Animation chief tells CNBC that his $155M acquisition of Classic Media, which has 450 properties, will help with his expansion plans — including launching digital channels and providing entertainment in China. “We’re going to build on that library,” Katzenberg says. “This is not a … Read More »

Comments (3)

DreamWorks Animation Agrees To Pay $155M For Classic Media

By DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor | Monday July 23, 2012 @ 6:39am PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Big Deals TV, Classic Media, DreamWorks Animation

Rocky & Bullwinkle Dreamworks AnimationDreamWorks Animation says in an SEC filing that the purchase price includes its assumption of Classic Media debt, although the amount was undisclosed. Also, either side can scrap the deal if it doesn’t close by October 20. It was widely known that DreamWorks was talking to Classic Media, and investors seem unmoved by the announcement: The studio’s shares are down 1% in early trading, roughly in line with the overall market. But Janney Capital Markets’ Tony Wible says he’s “incrementally more positive” on DWA with its acquisition of rights to baby boomer cultural icons including Archie, Casper the Friendly Ghost, The Lone Ranger, Lassie, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Gumby, Underdog, Fat Albert, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Godzilla, He-Man, Dick Tracy, Frosty the Snowman, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Classic also has Where’s Waldo?, Postman Pat, and VeggieTales. “The success of the deal will depend in part on how these older characters (many date back to the 1950s) resonate with today’s younger audiences,” Wible says. “Several previous attempts to re-launch these characters (Speedracer, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Underdog, etc.) were large disappointments.” DWA’s animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman is scheduled to be released on Christmas Day 2013. Here’s DreamWorks Animation’s release:

Read More »

Comments (17)

DreamWorks Animation Bids For Character Rights-Holder Classic Media: NYT

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday July 16, 2012 @ 5:09pm PDTTags: Classic Media, DreamWorks Animation

According to Classic Media’s website, its properties include Casper The Friendly Ghost, Dick Tracy, Archie, He-Man, Gumby, Voltron and Felix The Cat among many others — all rich fodder to be mined for feature film treatment. The New York … Read More »

Comments 21