DreamWorks Animation Shutdown

[D'Snowth]

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/business...-over-500-jobs-will-be-eliminated-108161.html

Seriously? All the money they've made off cash-cow franchises like SHREK and MADAGASCAR hasn't been enough to save them?

 

[dwayne1115]

Wow looks like Disney will have a new animation dept. soon.

 

[Muppet Master]

Well since 2012, Dreamworks has had at least one flop a year, which would lead to it falling a bit, but it could still improve.

 

[dwayne1115]

I still say within the year Disney will buy them out and merge them with Pixar.

 

[Drtooth]

This is a really obnoxious overreaction. Sure, the past few movies have been very audience alienating. Holiday Characters as bad&##es, snails that want to be race cars, and a movie based on a 60 year old cartoon series kids never heard from a franchise that has a history of flop movies (it was the most successful of the bunch, so that should count for something). Only thing that held Penguins of Madagascar back was bad timing. Then again, if it was very successful, it would come off of Big Hero 6.

Then there's the fallacy that HTTYD2 "disappointed." It didn't. Made over 500 million when you count the overseas market. Why do these studios forget the overseas market unless it's convenient? Kung Fu Panda 2 had the same bullcrap happen to it, opening up opposite a comedy sequel. Didn't stop them from doing a third movie. Why? The international. Counting the international, none of the "flop" Dreamworks movies lost money (or at least much money). They all made at least 200 Mil again, counting the international. The same racing snail movie that failed to find an audience in its initial release? Recouped its budget, almost doubling it thanks to Latin American and Asian markets.

I'm starting to think they're using these movies' "failures" as an excuse just to move all production exclusively to cheaper overseas markets. KFP3 is going to be animated exclusively in their new Chinese facility. They already have an Indian studio that does most of their input. Either that, or Fox is trying to screw up the marketing so everyone just goes to Blue Sky films (I have a lot of faith in the Peanuts one, but most of their output is meh at best). I mean, you'd either have to be sabotaging a film or just incredibly freaking stupid to blow HTTYD2's big reveal in the advertisements. I know trailers love to spoil, but that was just egregious.

 

[Muppet Master]

Wow looks like Disney will have a new animation dept. soon.

No way, Jeffery would never let them do that, he left Disney to make Dreamworks, they are basically rivals, he would not give the company.

 

[Drtooth]

You know... this also sounds like an overreaction to many of the companies proposing a buyout all backed out last minute. Dreamworks never really had a self sustaining company, and always needed to partner with another company. Be it Universal, Viacom, or Fox (which I'd say is doing the wost job of the bunch).

I really hope the Netflix original series market pans out for them. I've seen most of them, and they're real good. My only complaint about Puss in Boots is that they reused human models from Shrek to fill out some of the town residents, and they clash with original characters done in a different style. Especially the children characters.

That said, I wish they'd do something with the Classic Media rights besides that Peabody and Sherman movie and Bullwinkle short that's only available on the expensive 3-D Blu-Ray.

 

[mr3urious]

That said, I wish they'd do something with the Classic Media rights besides that Peabody and Sherman movie and Bullwinkle short that's only available on the expensive 3-D Blu-Ray.

They're supposedly working on a new P&S series for Netflix.

 

[Drtooth]

Holy crap! That true?

I was thinking maybe some new Underdog material to wash the bad taste of Disney's Generic Super Hero Talking Dog with Franchise Name film out. Or even just putting the old ones on there for those who don't want to buy the 60 dollar big set.

But yeah. Bullwinkle and co are ripe for a comeback. And I'm not talking that in name only George-ish of the Jungle-esque series that could have been called "Fartzan the Wonder Dummy" and it wouldn't have been any different. Problem is, unless you're a younger classic cartoon fan that grew up on reruns and video, the fanbase of the series is pretty dang old. Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful as heck for Mark Evainer's awesome 4 issue comic series and even the prequel movie Peabody and Sherman comics. But the last Bullwinkle project before this film was a small series of shorts on Youtube to promote season 3 of the Bullwinkle series.

And I know the old "we really don't want a comeback or remake because we're happy with the old stuff we've seen a hundred times" fan mindset, but the revivals, if done right, bring new life and interest into the series, leading to new merchandise and video releases.

Now, I loved the Peabody and Sherman movie. Unfortunately, Big Hero 6, Lego, and Boxtrolls have my hands tied for what was my favorite animated film last year, but it was still a great time at the movies. While not in the greatest company, it was easily the best Jay Ward based revival movie I've seen. Of course, I'd say only Bullwinkle and George of the Jungle (surprisingly the cheap sequel too) were the only good ones. I don't care much for the couple minutes of Boris and Natasha I saw online, and Dudley Do-Right was a movie I could only sit through and enjoy once. It would be great if DW had another movie based on any of the Classic Media franchises, though. They own so much of it. And I don't for a minute believe He-Man is going any further as a film (even though it's not a DW animated thing anyway). There was rumblings of a Hot Stuff film, but I don't think that's going anywhere.

 

[Dominicboo1]

I thought Peabody did well.....sadly Rise of the Guardians failed. I"m sorry to say this guys, but I wish movies like Madagascar 3 or whatever flopped instead, because as good as Madagascar 3 was if it failed it wouldn't stop them from making more animated comedies, the failure of Guardians meant no more movies like it in the future.