Grayskull: Masters of the Universe - Part 2

[Gabe99]

From BC:
Dreamworks Animation May Nab Rights To Archie, Casper, He-Man, Lassie And More

From Variety:
D'Works Animation eyes 'Casper' company
Studio in talks to buy Classic Media for over $150 million

DreamWorks Animation is in talks to acquire Classic Media for more than $150 million.

While DWA and Classic Media have declined to comment, sources close to the situation confirmed to Variety that the offer has been made.

Should the deal close, DWA would own a vast library of characters, including Archie, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Waldo of "Where's Waldo?," Voltron, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the VeggieTales characters, Lassie and the Lone Ranger -- the last of which is being turned into a bigscreen actioner by Jerry Bruckheimer at Disney.

Gotham-based Classic Media also owns "Veggie Tales" producer Big Idea Entertainment.

Classic Media's characters are exploited mostly through consumer products and licensing deals, primarily because it doesn't own other elements like film or TV rights to all the characters. That could pose a problem for DWA down the line, but the privately owned company generated $376 million last year through licensing.

DreamWorks Said to Bid for Owner of ‘Casper the Friendly Ghost’

DreamWorks Animation is leading the bidding for Classic Media, the closely held owner of characters like Casper the Friendly Ghost and the Lone Ranger, according to a person briefed on the matter.

DreamWorks Animation has offered more than $150 million, far outpacing what others had offered for Classic Media, said this person, who asked for anonymity because no deal had been completed. That high valuation has prompted other media companies to consider walking away from the sales process, this person said.

A spokeswoman for DreamWorks Animation declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Classic Media did not have an immediate comment.

Like all studios, DreamWorks Animation needs a constant supply of source material for its movies. Existing franchises like Casper the Friendly Ghost, however faded, are coveted because studio marketers don’t have to build marketplace recognition from scratch.

DreamWorks Animation has suffered a steep erosion in its stock price, with its shares down more than 8 percent over the past year. Under that backdrop, it has been looking to build more of a consumer products business.

Classic Media properties could hold promise in that area. Founded in 2000 and based in New York City, Classic Media owns an eclectic mix of older media properties, including Where’s Waldo, Lassie and He-Man. It also owns Big Idea Entertainment, the producer of the VeggieTales series of Christian animated home videos.

The company has been sold a number of times, including to private equity firms.

But while Classic Media has a number of prominent characters in its portfolio, the company does not control all of the rights associated with those properties. That limits the value of the company, since it may not receive lucrative licensing fees for some of its more coveted holdings.

For instance, Walt Disney Studios is producing a $225 million big-screen remake of “The Lone Ranger,” set for release next year and starring Johnny Depp as Tonto. But it is unclear how licensing and merchandise rights are arranged between Disney and Classic.

 

[Panthro]

^^Not sure how I feel about that.

 

[terry78]

Just snatching up everything to turn into a CG cartoon. Ehhh....

 

[TheVileOne]

I don't think this means anything. I think it just means they own the distribution rights to the animated series library for MOTU. I doubt it gives them production rights to make new animation. They'd still have to license for Mattel. Just remember, Mattel owns MOTU, not the studio. Plus I think Sony currently has the film rights ATM for MOTU.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

Jesus orko with the dream works grin, the Sony movie is dead, I don't care what is said its dead in the water

An animated film is more likely sadly with DW behind it really will pander to kids. Though sony may own the moth rights it does not have the she ra ones. And could an animated she ra work without the connection to motu

 

[Thundarr]

The way things have been going lately for movies based on old 80s cartoons I have expect to see MOTU turned into a horrible action comedy starring Will Ferrell as He-Man, Seth Rogen as Skeletor, Jonah Hill as Ram-Man, Russell Brand as Hordak and God knows who as Evil-Lynn.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The way things have been going lately for movies based on old 80s cartoons I have expect to see MOTU turned into a horrible action comedy starring Will Ferrell as He-Man, Seth Rogen as Skeletor, Jonah Hill as Ram-Man, Russell Brand as as Evil-Lynn.

Fixed. You're underestimating them. t:

 

[Prison Mike]

I would actually see that movie...

 

[TheVileOne]

Sorry guys none of this means DWA is making a He-Man movie.

 

[CGHulk]

Well it's official Dreamworks owns Classic Media.
http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/dreamworks-animation-snags-rights-to-casper-voltron-and-more/

 

[Panthro]

Sorry guys none of this means DWA is making a He-Man movie.

Considering how underwhelming Transformers and GI Joe were as live action films perhaps it's just as well that there's no He-Man film at this time.

 

[Jordacar]

Plus, I think He-Man is a lot harder to make work on film than Transformers or GI Joe. I can just imagine the studio heads taking one look and getting John Carter flashbacks.

 

[Panthro]

Plus, I think He-Man is a lot harder to make work on film than Transformers or GI Joe. I can just imagine the studio heads taking one look and getting John Carter flashbacks.

Well not casting Shia Labeouf as Adam - or any other character - would be a step in the right direction.

 

[Thundarr]

Well not casting Shia Labeouf as Adam - or any other character - would be a step in the right direction.

I'd agree with that.

 

[The Guard]

Plus, I think He-Man is a lot harder to make work on film than Transformers or GI Joe. I can just imagine the studio heads taking one look and getting John Carter flashbacks.

Or MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE flashbacks.

 

[terry78]

Or Conan. Hell, any muscle bound shirtless dude fighting creatures.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

The longer this takes to get made the less chance we'll ever got of a live action movie. Mattel are in no rush to get MOTU to a new audience, they tried that 10 years ago, it failed sadly. That was the time we could have gotten a movie if MOTU were nearly as big as it originally was.

As the original fans get older the less chance we have of a movie. I imagine if John carter was huge MOTU would have had more chance, but with the way it went studios just wont want to risk it sadly.

 

[rogue trooper]

The financial dissapointments of John Carter and Conan The Barbarian would probably make producers uncertain of a He-Man movie, but at the same time there's also the success of Thor, which is a property that is also very much in the alley of He-Man, and if the Thor sequel, which supposedly will take place mostly on Asgard, is successful, that might ease the possibilities of He-Man a bit more. We'll see....

 

[terry78]

They could definitely do He-Man, but they'd have to go all out with it. No reality grounding or scaling it down. Make it the combination of sword and sorcery/sci-fi that it's always been.

 

[Airwings]

I would prefer if the film is done more as a fantasy than sci fi. Let magic/sorcery be dominant, but have a little high tech in the mix too.

 

[Jordacar]

The medieval/sword & sorcery elements always seemed more dominant, kind of the reverse of Star Wars. But He-Man and his friends seemed to rely more on technology while Skeletor preferred using magic.

 

[terry78]

It always struck me as something you'd see in Heavy Metal, but for kids.

 

[Thundarr]

The longer this takes to get made the less chance we'll ever got of a live action movie. Mattel are in no rush to get MOTU to a new audience, they tried that 10 years ago, it failed sadly. That was the time we could have gotten a movie if MOTU were nearly as big as it originally was.

As the original fans get older the less chance we have of a movie. I imagine if John carter was huge MOTU would have had more chance, but with the way it went studios just wont want to risk it sadly.

On the other hand, they've made live action movies based on several animated shows whose audiences are all grown up with varying levels of success. Mr. Magoo, Speed Racer, Scooby Doo, Yogi Bear, and The Smurfs, just to name a few. Who's to say they won't try again with He-Man?

 

[Pink Ranger]

I love the He-Man franchise (I have spent more money on MOTU Classics this year than on food and shelter) but I can't see how they would even begin to sell this movie to a studio. Best to leave it be.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

On the other hand, they've made live action movies based on several animated shows whose audiences are all grown up with varying levels of success. Mr. Magoo, Speed Racer, Scooby Doo, Yogi Bear, and The Smurfs, just to name a few. Who's to say they won't try again with He-Man?

While i'd love you to be right. It boils down to money, all those films are essentially a normal universe with a few CGI characters thrown in, MOTU would take a ton of unique sets, costumes CGI. It'd be on scale (as mentioned already) with Thor.