Speilberg & Paramount Head for Divorce

Unhappy DreamWorks director will likely seek new backer
By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 21, 2007 3:35 AM CDT
Speilberg & Paramount Head for Divorce
This computer generated image released by Paramount Pictures shows a scene from "Shrek The Third." Pictured from center to left are animated characters, Shrek voiced by Mike Myers, Puss In Boots voiced by Antonio Banderas, cousin Artie voiced by Justin Timberlake and Donkey voiced by Eddie Murphy. The...   (Associated Press)

A split between the DreamWorks braintrust and Paramount appears inevitable amid reports that director Steven Spielberg and partner David Geffen will seek new backers as soon as they're free to do so. The duo have been upset almost from the moment they sold Dreamworks to Paramount two years ago, complaining that the parent label takes credit for hits like "Transformers," and treats their friends poorly.

If Geffen opts out of his contract when it expires next year, a clause in Spielberg's contract allows him to follow, which in turn could release Stacey Snider, who runs DreamWorks. Such a divorce would require the Dream Team to ditch all in-progress projects—including a film adaptation of the bestseller "The Lovely Bones," whose rights Spielberg sought for years. (More DreamWorks stories.)

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