In a move with broad implications for the future of the animation business, TMZ has learned that The Walt Disney Company has poached Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis from DreamWorks Pictures, and is a cat's breath away from signing his ImageMovers production company to a multi-year deal at The Walt Disney Company's Disney Pixar Animation.
Seeking entry into 3D animation, Disney paid $7.4 billion to acquire Pixar Animation last January, but that company's chief creative officer, John Lasseter, has been reluctant to tamper with Pixar's venerated tradition of - like Ernest & Julio Gallo - serving 'no wine before its time' - which at Pixar usually means a new film every 18 months or so.
His
latest film, "Monster House," is reported to have cost only $75
million, or less than half of what a typical Pixar film budget looks
like. Most appetizing to Disney is the idea that a CG-style film could
be made at such a reduced price, and still do well without needing to
fill 4,000 theaters to capacity nationwide. In short, Pixar movies
without the Pixar price or wait.
Insiders
say that under the terms of the new ImageMovers pact, Lasseter will
consult on all ImageMovers productions, leaving the studio to get
"Pixar"-like product without meddling with Pixar's sacrosanct corporate
culture. With the move, Disney is clearly aiming to own all
areas of animation once again: With Pixar, 3D animation. With Disney
Feature Animation, 2D. (As Animation Magazine recently reported,
"During a panel at Comic-Con, director Eric Goldberg ("Pocahontas")
mentioned that Disney is developing a 2D feature titled, "The Frog
Princess.") And now, with its new friend Robert Zemeckis, the goal is
clearly to own the more-economical motion capture space, too.
