DreamWorks Animation buys Classic Media

I'm really surprised NO ONE has posted this yet....

The

L.A.Times

reports that DreamWorks has bought Classic Media for $155 million. DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Jeffrey Katzenberg said, “Classic Media brings a large and diverse collection of characters and branded assets that is extremely complementary to DreamWorks Animation’s franchise business, and we plan to leverage it across our motion picture, television, home entertainment, consumer products, digital theme park and live entertainment channels.” Classic Media holds the rights to over 450 properties including

Frosty the Snowman

,

George of the Jungle

,

Rocky & Bullwinkle

,

Casper the Friendly Ghost

,

VeggieTales

,

Lassie

, and

The Lone Ranger

.

I don't like this. But I guess the huge evidence is in the fact Dreamworks was trying to make a Peabody and Sherman movie.

Now, we could all call CM a "vulture," buying up old copyrights... but they gave us some great things. Bullwinkle DVD's, even after the Universal movie killed the franchise... half of this stuff they own would have fallen into public domain or bought into obscurity. The Filmation shows CM owns? Once were owned by a SHAMPOO company for no reason.

I really hope this doesn't affect DVD releases.

Also to me anyways....THIS news is just another "staple" in DreamWorks animations never ending quest to be a "Disney" company! in my eyes anyhow! Btw isn't classic media a mess any how? Like they dont own full rights to somethings to stuff they have or somthin?

From what I understand, there are a few shared rights. They don't fully own Bullwinkle and Jay Ward cartoons, just distribution rights. And they still share the rights for He-Man with Mattel. They own the cartoon, but not the characters or toyline.

Dreamworks will never be as big as Disney for one simple reason... they STILL need a distribution company. Universal was their silent partner for a while (the Shrek ride at Universal was one of the signs, Universal previews on Dreamworks DVD's and VHS for quite some time too), now it's Paramount. That's why Viacom half owns the cartoon shows Penguins of Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. Strangely, the cartoon series for How to Train Your Dragon will air on CN.

doesn't there Paramount/Viacom deal end this year is what I heard? I dont really keep tabs on DWA stuff, but this news just kinda caught my eye. There was rumor that SONY may soon be DWA's new distributed "home". Yea the Jay Ward stuff I heard is a joint thing with CM (Classic Media)

LOL, found this going around and getting a bunch of "Share" on facebook...

I Don't Get Why Everybody Is SO MAD About Dreamworks Animation Buying Classic Media!!, Sure, It's Everybody Childhood On There, But I Hated Classic Media For Not Releasing The ORIGINAL Boing Boing Show On DVD!!!, I Hope Dreamworks Classics Does A Better Job At Reviving The Classics Than Classic Media Did, And DOES Release The ORIGINAL Boing Boing Show On DVD!!, Seriously, I'll Do Anything To Get The ORIGINAL Boing Boing Show!! And NO THE UPA RELEASE DOSEN'T COUNT!!

Especially when everything it consists of was ALREADY bought by Classic Media to begin with. It is, however, perfectly fine to be weary of any major purchase of a smaller entertainment company by a larger one.

Disney's ownership of Saban for example... sure they did stuff with power Rangers until they stopped caring and Saban bought them back, and they found a home for old Saban produced Marvel cartoon shows, but they were sitting on anime dub rights (and rights to those characters, why the Genie wasn't in Tatsunoko vs Capcom) not to mention various Fox Kids shows like Eek the Cat.

Or then again, there's always the Turner/Warner Bros merger that put Hanna Barbera and Warner Bros cartoons together. Look at the early days of cartoon network and the Warner Bros store. They even market Scooby-Doo over the Looney Tunes now.

So it could easily be a very bad, purchase for the sake of purchase and sit on it forever case, or a case where they'd actually do something. I just hope the DVD's and hulu episodes aren't compromised.

yeah Dr.T is right....i remember back than when we where all freaking out about the Muppet buy out to Disney.....ok it took some time, 7 + years to REALLY get anything good out of it....but it looks like there in better hands with Disney than they are with JHC now!

also IMO, i would have liked another company (like FOX, Disney, Waner or Universal who has BIGGER muscle!) buy CM, but whats done is done! I have thos "Christmas Classics" on DVD and i REALLY enjoy them every year, but what to think DreamWorks would do to em? Add and fix stuff to em like adding some computer animation junk to it??

You know... I'm actually shocked Warner Bros didn't buy Classic Media, since they own the rights, lock, stock, and barrel to the Rakin Bass library, especially the Christmas specials and their entire 1980's animated programming (Thundercats, Silver hawks, and they're just sitting on The Comic Strip).

Yeah true.... i sorta for got that WB has the rest of the Rakin Bass stuff (Tho "Mad Monster Party", another great one to see during hallowen time, is owned by studio canal) Also so i kinda for got too that "Peter Cotton Tail" is part of the DWA buy out as well. Tooth, isn't the US right to Godzilla classic stuff belong to CM and, Felix the Cat & Lamb Chop too???

*bump*