NBCUniversal has big plans for Chris Meledandri to serve as the creative guru overseeing its animation operations, Jeff Shell, chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, told Variety on Thursday.
NBCU parent Comcast’s $3.8 billion investment in DreamWorks Animation, announced Thursday, is a bold bid to challenge Disney in the family film space. But the studio is being careful to stress that the new acquisition isn’t intended to edge out Meledandri, whose Illumination Entertainment is responsible for the studio’s “Despicable Me” franchise.
“The model that we’re trying to use is John Lasseter,” said Shell, referencing the Pixar co-founder who oversees the creative direction of both Pixar and Disney Animation.
“Chris has built Illumination from scratch, so we want to make sure that whatever we do with Chris, we don’t lose the special sauce that made that place so fantastic,” he added. “The number one most important thing...
NBCU parent Comcast’s $3.8 billion investment in DreamWorks Animation, announced Thursday, is a bold bid to challenge Disney in the family film space. But the studio is being careful to stress that the new acquisition isn’t intended to edge out Meledandri, whose Illumination Entertainment is responsible for the studio’s “Despicable Me” franchise.
“The model that we’re trying to use is John Lasseter,” said Shell, referencing the Pixar co-founder who oversees the creative direction of both Pixar and Disney Animation.
“Chris has built Illumination from scratch, so we want to make sure that whatever we do with Chris, we don’t lose the special sauce that made that place so fantastic,” he added. “The number one most important thing...
- 4/28/2016
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
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