Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

f1000 · Jan 24, 2006, 05:40 PM

By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer 9 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it is buying longtime partner Pixar Animation Studios Inc. for $7.4 billion in a deal that could restore Disney's clout in animation while vaulting Pixar CEO Steve Jobs into a powerful role at the media conglomerate.

Disney announced the deal for the maker of the blockbuster films "Toy Story and "Finding Nemo" after the close of trading.

http://www.yahoo.com/s/269245

f1000 · Jan 24, 2006, 05:51 PM

By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer 6 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it is buying longtime partner Pixar Animation Studios Inc. for $7.4 billion in a deal that could restore Disney's clout in animation while vaulting Pixar CEO Steve Jobs into a powerful role at the media conglomerate.

Disney will buy the maker of the blockbuster films "Toy Story and "Finding Nemo" in an all-stock transaction that makes Jobs Disney's largest shareholder. Jobs, who controls more than half of Pixar's stock and also heads Apple Computer Inc., will also join Disney's board.

Disney has co-financed and distributed Pixar's animated films for the past 12 years, splitting the profits. But that deal expires in June after Pixar delivers "Cars."

Disney and Pixar have been talking for months about a new relationship.

Pixar Executive Vice President John Lasseter will be become chief creative officer of the animation studios and principal creative adviser at Walt Disney Imagineering, which designs and builds the company's theme parks.

Pixar President Ed Catmull will serve as president of the new combined Pixar and Disney animation studios, reporting to Disney chief executive Robert Iger and Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

mindwaves · Jan 24, 2006, 06:02 PM

I think the premium to Pixar's stock price is very low. Disney got a great deal on the price of 7.4 billion dollars. But I think that Apple now has a very powerful media company backing them now so that future products will be able to take full advantage of the Disney-Apple-Pixar relationship.

f1000 · Jan 24, 2006, 06:05 PM

I'm interested in the Disney-Apple relationship as well. This could be the AOL/Time-Warner deal done right.

Monique · Jan 24, 2006, 06:09 PM

It is a very bad mistake.

nredman · Jan 24, 2006, 06:11 PM

my prediction - steve will get shanked by someone at disney

ironknee · Jan 24, 2006, 06:15 PM

fyi: CNBC is going to have steve and igor on

Turias · Jan 24, 2006, 06:18 PM

My prediction:

Disney's stock price will rise quite a bit.
Pixar's will fall (at least in the short-term).

rickey939 · Jan 24, 2006, 06:28 PM

Mickey is going to get a hawt make-over...Pixar style.

goMac · Jan 24, 2006, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by ironknee

fyi: CNBC is going to have steve and igor on

When?

ironknee · Jan 24, 2006, 06:34 PM

^^ jist happened

demibob · Jan 24, 2006, 06:36 PM

what will happen to the lamp

cant wait to see pixar films on itunes though

forkies · Jan 24, 2006, 06:36 PM

Disney on itms

demibob · Jan 24, 2006, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by forkies

Disney on itms

how did you find that

Leia's Left Bun · Jan 24, 2006, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by f1000

The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday it is buying longtime partner Pixar Animation Studios Inc. for $7.4 billion

angelmb · Jan 25, 2006, 10:14 AM

Time to switch Mail's icon !

- icon made by Mike Cosentino (mdc) -

Hugi · Jan 25, 2006, 10:39 AM

I expect we will get a much better Mouse for the Mac soon.

Goldfinger · Jan 25, 2006, 11:19 AM

Oh yeah.

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

Oh yeah.

I was hoping someone would mock up a new iMac with a set of Mickey Ears.

wdlove · Jan 25, 2006, 11:44 AM

I'm hoping that it will lead Apple more into the multimedia

.

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by wdlove

I'm hoping that it will lead Apple more into the multimedia

.

I'll second that.

Leia's Left Bun · Jan 25, 2006, 11:51 AM

How long do you think it will take Steve to muscle his way to being the Disney CEO?

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by Leia's Left Bun

How long do you think it will take Steve to muscle his way to being the Disney CEO?

From what I understand he now owns a majority share in Disney. So I would think that if he wasn't happy he would muscle his way into it.

andreas_g4 · Jan 25, 2006, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by typoon

From what I understand he now owns a majority share in Disney. So I would think that if he wasn't happy he would muscle his way into it.

He is the largest individual shareholder in Disney. He does own about 7 %, which is still considerable.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/busi...ney-Pixar.html

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Leia's Left Bun

How long do you think it will take Steve to muscle his way to being the Disney CEO?

From what I understand he now owns a majority share in Disney. So I would think that if he wasn't happy he would muscle his way into it.

andreas_g4 · Jan 25, 2006, 12:42 PM

^^^ Do the servers burp?

Dork. · Jan 25, 2006, 01:38 PM

He may only own 7%, but I'll bet that if things keep going down the crapper at disney, he'll have no problem getting 44% of shares not owned by him to back him for CEO.

A side note to this: Jobs bought what was to become Pixar from George Lucas -- it was the animation division of Lucas's ILM, back in the 80's. He bought it for $10 million! $10 million to $3.6 billion is not a bad return on your investment! And we though nothing could make George Lucas look lamer than Attack of the Clones....

Leia's Left Bun · Jan 25, 2006, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by typoon

From what I understand he now owns a majority share in Disney. So I would think that if he wasn't happy he would muscle his way into it.

If you read his bio he has tried to overthrow whoever was in charge behind their backs.

He did it with Scully and Amelio.

ReggieX · Jan 25, 2006, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Leia's Left Bun

How long do you think it will take Steve to muscle his way to being the Disney CEO?

Considering his health, that'll never happen. CEO of Disney is for someone in their early 30s who can take a lot of crap trying to keep the gravy train running.

Cubeoid · Jan 25, 2006, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Leia's Left Bun

Funniest post ever!

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Leia's Left Bun

If you read his bio he has tried to overthrow whoever was in charge behind their backs.

He did it with Scully and Amelio.

True.

typoon · Jan 25, 2006, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dork.

He may only own 7%, but I'll bet that if things keep going down the crapper at disney, he'll have no problem getting 44% of shares not owned by him to back him for CEO.

A side note to this: Jobs bought what was to become Pixar from George Lucas -- it was the animation division of Lucas's ILM, back in the 80's. He bought it for $10 million! $10 million to $3.6 billion is not a bad return on your investment! And we though nothing could make George Lucas look lamer than Attack of the Clones....

I thought it was 50 million but whose counting at this point. Either way he got a great return on his money.

Monique · Jan 25, 2006, 05:27 PM

It is such a bad mistake. They will lose more than they will gain. With Pixar, Steve owned something very special; now it will loose its cachet and become part of a big corporation that is all.

TheMule · Jan 25, 2006, 05:49 PM

Jobs bought what was to become Pixar from George Lucas
========
Well Lucas is a Billionaire already so I doubt he cares.

Considering his health
==========
What is wrong with Steve Jobs health?

TailsToo · Jan 25, 2006, 11:28 PM

Good. Maybe now Toy Story 3 won't suck.

Weyland-Yutani · Jan 26, 2006, 01:20 AM

This was inevitable. Disney has shown they are embarrassing at digital animation and Pixar is the best in the business. For the right price, Pixar is/was for sale. A wise move by Steve Jobs.

As for Disney/Apple co-operation, that is not so certain - although a better possibility than before. Disney owns nothing of Apple nor the other way around. That Apple's CEO has a 7% share in Disney and is on the Disney board of directors doesn't mean much.

To answer the question of Disney/Apple interactions and co-operation: Steve Jobs owns 7% of Disney and some stock options at Apple. No real share. His affinity for Apple is also a big question and his vision for Apple in the future. After all Apple is on its way to become a media company like Sony in many ways.

Cloudy the future is

cheers

W-Y

f1000 · Jan 26, 2006, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani

That Apple's CEO has a 7% share in Disney and is on the Disney board of directors doesn't mean much. To answer the question of Disney/Apple interactions and co-operation: Steve Jobs owns 7% of Disney and some stock options at Apple. No real share. His affinity for Apple is also a big question and his vision for Apple in the future.

First of all, Steve Jobs AND HIS FORMER CO-OWNERS OF PIXAR now own a portion of Disney. I'm fairly certain that the Pixar gang will vote in unison with Jobs, and their combined share of Disney is going to be significantly greater than 7%. Kirk Kerkorian tried to buy Chrysler out when he only had 14% of that company, and Jobs and Co probably have nearly that much. Secondly, Jobs attracts common shareholders who might be willing to vote directors out according to his whims. Never underestimate the power of a charismatic leader.

As for Jobs' cloudy future at Apple, if share ownership had been the sole motivating factor Jobs would've been gone long ago.

JoshuaZ · Jan 26, 2006, 02:22 AM

I just want to watch the Little Mermaid via iTunes Music Store. Is that too much to ask?

typoon · Jan 27, 2006, 09:35 AM

An iMac in every room with Internet Access is that too much to ask for? Come one Steve make it happen. Please...