Comcast Buys Dreamworks Animation for $3.8bn

[Parkscope Joe]

Next thing you know Comcast/Uni will acquire Royal Caribbean

/waits for Q2 results for 2017

 

[quinnmac000]

This is actually a huge deal. (Though I'm pretty sure NBC is trying to get their hands on the Broadway Video Catalog as it holds all the early SNL, Tonight Show and Late show tapes)
Just a list of IPs hidden under Classic Media. I tried to find a complete listing but here is basically all of them.

• UPA catalog (Mr. Magoo, Gerald McBoing-Boing, etc.)
• Harvey Entertainment catalog (Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, Baby Huey, etc.)
• Golden Books/Gold Key Comics catalog (Magnus, Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar, Turok, Little Lulu, etc.), including the Broadway Video catalog (Lassie, the Lone Ranger,Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, etc.)
• Big Idea Entertainment catalog (VeggieTales)
• Entertainment Rights catalog, including the Filmation (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, BraveStarr, etc.), Woodland Animations (Postman Pat, Charlie Chalk)and Tell-Tale Productions (Tweenies, Boo!, etc.)catalogs.

• Noddy
• Olivia
• Felix the Cat
• Where's Waldo?

• Theodore Tugboat
• Voltron
• Jay Ward Productions catalog (The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, George of the Jungle, etc.)
• Tribune Media Services catalog (Dick Tracy, Brenda Starr, Reporter, Gasoline Alley, Broom-Hilda, etc.)
• Several Godzilla films, under license from Toho

 

[*Q*]

Next thing you know Comcast/Uni will acquire Royal Caribbean

They should buy Loews first.

 

[Viator]

This is actually a huge deal. (Though I'm pretty sure NBC is trying to get their hands on the Broadway Video Catalog as it holds all the early SNL, Tonight Show and Late show tapes)
Just a list of IPs hidden under Classic Media. I tried to find a complete listing but here is basically all of them.

• UPA catalog (Mr. Magoo, Gerald McBoing-Boing, etc.)
• Harvey Entertainment catalog (Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, Baby Huey, etc.)
• Golden Books/Gold Key Comics catalog (Magnus, Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar, Turok, Little Lulu, etc.), including the Broadway Video catalog (Lassie, the Lone Ranger,Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, etc.)
• Entertainment Rights catalog, including the Filmation (He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, BraveStarr, etc.), Woodland Animations (Postman Pat, Charlie Chalk)and Tell-Tale Productions (Tweenies, Boo!, etc.)catalogs.

• Noddy
• Olivia
• Felix the Cat
• Where's Waldo?

• Theodore Tugboat
• Voltron
• Jay Ward Productions catalog (The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, George of the Jungle, etc.)
• Tribune Media Services catalog (Dick Tracy, Brenda Starr, Reporter, Gasoline Alley, Broom-Hilda, etc.)

Eliminated the ones I didn't find useful..but even then. This is big for a lot of the categories. It may actually help translate extremely well to all of Film, TV and the Theme Parks; if Comcast gets it.

 

[Blue]

Wow, this could be huge.

Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods... a lot of potential with them.

 

[Nick]

Lots of IP choices for the third park. Some really good and some too old and not so good. ....3 Billion for the acquisition. That's also probably in the neighborhood of what a new park would cost.

Disney opened a ride based on a 1939 movie two years ago. Nothing in DW's catalog is "too old".

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Disney opened a ride based on a 1939 movie two years ago. Nothing in DW's catalog is "too old".

My 75 year old property is more relevant than yours!

 

[Viator]

My 75 year old property is more relevant than yours!

Why did I imagine this when you said that..

 

[GadgetGuru]

Who wants to go contract hunting?

It looks like DWA has pre existing agreements with:

* Universal (USA, Singapore)
* Royal Caribbean (worldwide?)
* Mariott / Gaylord Palms (USA)
* Merlin (London + others)

Missing anything in the theme park realm? I think these have the potential to be a far larger issue than the Marvel contract.

 

[Nick]

I'm fairly certain that Royal Caribbean was in the process of phasing out Dreamworks characters.

 

[Viator]

I'm fairly certain that Royal Caribbean was in the process of phasing out Dreamworks characters.

I think that's the case also for the Gaylord Palms aswell, so that could really just leave Mariott. Merlin, i'm not sure would be of a problem; per-say.

 

[WAJAS]

Who wants to go contract hunting?

It looks like DWA has pre existing agreements with:

* Universal (USA, Singapore)
* Royal Caribbean (worldwide?)
* Mariott / Gaylord Palms (USA)
* Merlin (London + others)

Missing anything in the theme park realm? I think these have the potential to be a far larger issue than the Marvel contract.

The Merlin agreement has a 2017 time stamp I believe, so that shouldn't be an issue. It was mostly for the wax museum. Also, SeaWorld still has the rights for the use of the Madagascar characters in a theme park production. If you go online there are probably a bunch of Zoos that have the rights to the characters for attractions, but those likely don't effect anything at Universal.

 

[UNIrd]

This would be a big get as far as the parks are concerned. The stuff they're cooking up for that one overseas park (sorry I'm blanking on the name at the moment. The one with Hunger Games attractions..) looks REAL interesting.

 

[WAJAS]

This would be a big get as far as the parks are concerned. The stuff they're cooking up for that one overseas park (sorry I'm blanking on the name at the moment. The one with Hunger Games attractions..) looks REAL interesting.

I have to agree on that. The environments look great, but I expect the rides will underwhelm.

 

[Viator]

This would be a big get as far as the parks are concerned. The stuff they're cooking up for that one overseas park (sorry I'm blanking on the name at the moment. The one with Hunger Games attractions..) looks REAL interesting.

You mean Motiongate?

The Merlin agreement has a 2017 time stamp I believe, so that shouldn't be an issue. It was mostly for the wax museum. Also, SeaWorld still has the rights for the use of the Madagascar characters in a theme park production. If you go online there are probably a bunch of Zoos that have the rights to the characters for attractions, but those likely don't effect anything at Universal.

This. As I said also; this could pose as an ideal situation to where Universal gives SeaWorld Parks and Resorts, in a way; a "Sandwich" to where Comcast would pay SeaWorld a decent amount of money to help them. Much like a I scratch, you scratch situation.

 

[WAJAS]

You mean Motiongate?



This. As I said also; this could pose as an ideal situation to where Universal gives SeaWorld Parks and Resorts, in a way; a "Sandwich" to where Comcast would pay SeaWorld a decent amount of money to help them. Much like a I scratch, you scratch situation.

If a deal does happen, I think the money would only be part of it. What SeaWorlds need is some good cross-promotion with Universal and they just might get it.

 

[GadgetGuru]

There's one part of this that I think is even bigger than just the IP.

Jeffrey Katzenberg.

The guy ran Disney Animation and was in line for the CEO role at Disney. He's one of the most powerful people in the media world. I'd be shocked if he wasn't on the shortlist for Disney CEO now.

You could take this down some crazy rabbit holes (him or Burke running Disney), but I think he'd be a major player at Comcast.

 

[quinnmac000]

There's one part of this that I think is even bigger than just the IP.

Jeffrey Katzenberg.

The guy ran Disney Animation and was in line for the CEO role at Disney. He's one of the most powerful people in the media world. I'd be shocked if he wasn't on the shortlist for Disney CEO now.

You could take this down some crazy rabbit holes (him or Burke running Disney), but I think he'd be a major player at Comcast.

He most likely would be leaving based on the articles I have read or his role would be diminished especially after under his leadership Dreamworks has had 2 years of losses. At least thats what multiple media agencies are speculating if the deal goes through. But the same time a lot of this are seeing this as a positive for both Dreamworks and Comcast to finally rival Disney Animation/Pixar.

 

[graspthesun]

A lot of what I was thinking when I first read the news has already been stated. I think DWA has diluted their brand as far as tie-ins and licensing, but I think Comcast would be aggressive in buying out contracts to get the rights that they want, including paying millions to Seaworld Entertainment to get back the Madagascar rights back. Would be a great financial infusion for them without them having to give up too much.

 

[Brian G.]

Everyone thank Robert Niles.

Universal's owner is in talks to acquire DreamWorks Animation

The theme park rights to DreamWorks Animation franchises are split among multiple theme park companies around the world. Universal owns the rights to Shrek at all of its parks - in the United States, Japan and Singapore. Universal also owns the rights to Madagascar in Singapore, although those rightsbelonged to SeaWorld in the United States up until last year. DreamWorks Animation will have an entire section in the new Motiongate Dubai theme parkopening this October in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, you can find DreamWorks Animation attractions at DreamWorld in Australia and Beto Carrero World in Brazil.