Is Dreamworks owned by Disney

[jenv]

My brother and his wife are know it all's if you know what I am saying. We were talking about the Shrek movie that's about to come out. I don't remember what we were discussing but it then was said that Disney owned Shrek. I said I didn't know that and was skeptical. My SIL chimed in that I go to WDW all the time I should know that!! Oh they also think its ridiculous that I go to WDW every year and am considering paying cash for my Disney Vacation Club!! (Shocking I know!!) Please clear this up for me. I guess its just for my own peace of mind. THANKS!

 

[jjms97]

I don't think so. If Disney owns a character then you'll see them and their merchandise at the parks.

 

[AmyBWV99]

Disney doesn't own DreamWorks. DreamWorks was started by an ex Disney employee (Jeffrey Katzenberg), Steven Speilberg and David Geffen (thus, the SKG in DeramWorks SKG). Due to incredibly poor performance and distribution problems over the past few years, Paramount recently bought DreamWorks.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Shrek's at Universal.

 

[EpcotLove]

No, Dreamworks is it's own production company. Movie characters like Shrek do appear at Universal Studios, so I'm not sure what kind of connection/contract they have together.

EDIT* Paramount owns dreamworks

 

[Lucky82061]

Most of this has been said but:

Dreamworks was founded by the three people mentioned above, most notably Katzenburg. He was fired from his position as the head of Disney film Studios. Once let go, he created Dreamworks with Spielberg and Geffen.

Dreamworks has co-produced films with many different studio's... EXCEPT MGM and Walt Disney... due to some remaining hostilities. So your SIL is absolutely incorrect in saying that Disney owns Shrek... Disney has nothing to do with Shrek.. in fact Shrek is basically a punch in the gut to everything Disney...

Dreamworks parent company is now Paramount which is owned by Viacom. I believe Universal purchased the rights to use Shrek at their theme parks, which is why you will see Shrek at Universal and not Disney.

 

[disnut8]

Are Disney Cast Members even supposed to say "Shrek"? Heck, I felt guilty for enjoying the movie so much and then BUYING it!. Hope that doesn't get me banned from this board. Shrek NOT Disney by a long shot.

 

[bbump]

In Shrek 2, remember the scene where a Mermaid (looking like Ariel) washed onto the shore with Shrek and then Fiona threw her back in the Ocean???

 

[BeckWhy]

Another question sorta on the same topic.. does Disney own Fox?

 

[holcomb-mania]

Fox is owned by News Corp., IIRC.

Disney does own Pixar.

I believe the bad guy in Shrek, Lord Farquaad, was based on Michael Eisner.

 

[BeckWhy]

I believe the bad guy in Shrek, Lord Farquaad, was based on Michael Eisner.

I have never seen any of the Shreks... I am a Disney Loyalist... lol . Anyawys... I was gonna say... "Ooooo Michael Eisner as a bad guy...wow that's scary..." (FYI I am not making fun of you, I am making fun of Dreamworks for modeling their bad guy off Michael Eisner.. and I believe they would do it too. So don't think I'm being mean... )

 

[ChrisFL]

and not surprisingly there's a LOT of Disney spoofs at the Shrek 4D attraction at Universal, but it's all lighthearted fun, nothing mean.

 

[HopperFan]

Your SIL is very wrong !

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

... it then was said that Disney owned Shrek. I said I didn't know that and was skeptical.

The following information is taken from Wikipedia.org:

Disney's original (and, until 1955, only) business is motion picture production. Disney Studio Entertainment, also known as the Walt Disney Studios, includes Disney's movie and animation studios, record labels and Broadway-style stage shows. Since 2002, it has been headed by chairman Dick Cook.

Motion Picture Production
Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group: Disney's movie studio, which includes the Walt Disney, Touchstone, Hollywood, and Miramax labels
Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios: Disney's animation studios, which operate independently of each other
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution: distributes and markets company's motion pictures in the United States
Buena Vista International: distributes company's motion pictures internationally
Buena Vista Home Entertainment: distributes company's motion pictures to rental and retail markets
Buena Vista Music Group: releases original music and movie soundtracks under four labels
Buena Vista Theatrical Group: produces Broadway-style shows
Disney Live Family Entertainment: produces Disney on Ice

Media Networks
Its Media Networks unit is centered around the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network, which it acquired through a merger with Capital Cities/ABC in 1996. Properties include:

Walt Disney Television
ABC Television Studio (formerly Touchstone Television)
ABC Entertainment
ABC Television Network
Buena Vista Television
ESPN
SOAPnet
Lifetime
Walt Disney Internet Group
Disney also owns a group of cable networks including: Disney Channel, ABC Family, Toon Disney, the ESPN group, and SOAPnet. Disney also holds substantial interest in Lifetime (50%), A&E (37.5%), and Jetix Europe N.V. (100%). Disney also owns 25% of the GMTV company that operates the Breakfast Programmes on ITV, in the UK.

Through ABC, Disney also owns 30 local television stations, 2 local radio stations, and ESPN Radio, Radio Disney, and the ABC Radio (to be sold with other properties to Citadel Broadcasting, which carries such radio personalities as Sean Hannity and Paul Harvey and distributes news bulletins by ABC News). Buena Vista Television, which also is a part of the Media Networks unit, produces such syndicated television programs as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Live with Regis and Kelly, and Ebert & Roeper.

Disney also operates its Hyperion publishing company and Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) through Media Networks. Hyperion has recently published books by comedian-author Steve Martin and bestselling author Mitch Albom. WDIG includes the Go.com web portal, Infoseek search engine which it purchased in 1998, and leading websites such as Disney.com, ESPN.com, ABCNews.com and Movies.com. In March 2007, it was reported that Disney is launching a new Web site, Disney Family, which is a one-stop site for parents, especially mothers.

Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products
Disney Store
Jim Henson's Muppets
Disney Interactive Studios (formerly Buena Vista Games)

Disney Parks
Disneyland Resort
Walt Disney World
Disneyland Resort Paris
Hong Kong Disneyland
Walt Disney Imagineering
Tokyo Disney Resort (controlling interest only, not ownership)
Disney Cruise Line

 

[BrianD]

Just the fact that Shrek the Third opens Friday and POTC3 opens next Friday should be a clear indicator to them that Disney does not own Dreamworks & Shrek. Shrek will get killed once Pirates opens, so basically it will get one good week at the box office in.

 

[Claymax]

and not surprisingly there's a LOT of Disney spoofs at the Shrek 4D attraction at Universal, but it's all lighthearted fun, nothing mean.

I don't know....

Whenever I do the Shrek 4D show at Universal I always cringe at the Disney references, there are quite a few and they're almost all derogatory. I guess it could be meant to be light hearted but seems more mean spirited than any thing else. (Though I may be a little Disney-defensive!)

 

[wdwnomad]

Until last year, Dreamworks was its own studio. A couple of years ago Dreamworks spun off and made public the animation studio into its own company. I think it is called Dreamworks Animation and it is still its own company. The remaining parts of Dreamworks were bought by Paramount last year.

 

[mickeymousemom]

I think they're getting Dreamworks mixed up with Pixar.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I think that people who don't really know much about animation think that any movie like that is Disney because they were the first and are the best!

 

[EpcotLove]

I'm not crazy about Shrek at all, I'd take a Disney/Pixar movie over a Shrek movie anyday.