DreamWorks Divorcing Paramount?

Spielberg gets Bollywood help to go solo

DreamWorks Divorcing Paramount?

by Helen O'Hara |
Published on

In a move that may not seem relevant now, but could change the films you see over the next few years, DreamWorks is planning to move away from its current relationship with Paramount and back towards being its own studio, with help from India's Reliance ADA Group.

DreamWorks was founded in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, who wanted to create a new, major player in Hollywood. After some success, but not quite enough, it was sold to Viacom, Paramount's parent company, in 2005. Now Spielberg's essentially trying to buy it back: Geffen is no longer involved, and Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation is definitely tied to Paramount until at least 2010 and probably 2012, so if he does move it won't be now.

But the 'Berg is trying to buy his company back, and he's doing it with the help of Reliance and their $500 million. Reliance owns Adlabs, Bollywood's largest production company, but this would significantly increase their Hollywood profile.

Spielberg's apparently planning a strreamlined DreamWorks structure, similar to the one he used to have back in the old Amblin days, and may still release films through Paramount. Which could mean that you see practically no change at all, should this deal go through. So, er, carry on.

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