Monday, June 20, 2016

Revving Up the Acquisition

The trades clue us to this:

In the first major post-acquisition synergy move between NBCUniversal and DreamWorks Animation, NBCU Cable Entertainment’s preschool channel Sprout has picked up Noddy Toyland Detective, DWA’s first original preschool series. Sprout will be the U.S. distributor of the CG-animated series, co-produced by DWA and Gaumont Animation, which was originally made for France Télévisions’ France 5. ...

Even though the deal won't be finalized until the end of the year, it makes sense that the boys and girls at Comcast-Universal want to steer a little of that DWA-tv magic to their wallets rather than Netflix's. ...

Just a week ago, the big conglomerate let it be known that

Comcast hopes to breathe new life into Shrek and crank out as many as four animated movies a year following its acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, NBCUniversal chief Steve Burke [said]. told an investor gathering today.

The goal is to create characters that will lead to theme park attractions and licensed merchandise to take “the low-single digit returns of the movie business and turn it into a different kind of business.” ...

What Diz Co.'s Robert Iger has been doing for the past decade, gobbling up various entertainment brands (Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfulm) and turning their intellectual property into ATMs that vomit money has not escaped the notice of NBCUniversal. And clearly NBCUniversal is looking to replicate the Walt Disney Company's massive success with other brands.

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