Film Production
Q3-2015: Dreamworks Animation YoY revenue up 43% at $259.22 million
BENGALURU: DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) reported 43.3 per cent YoY revenue growth in the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 (Q3-2015, current quarter) at $259.22 million as compared to the $180.86 million, which was driven by performance across all operating segments.
For Q3-2015, DWA posted adjusted operating income of $26.8 million. The increase in revenues and segment gross profit was partially offset by an increase in adjusted general and administrative expenses says DWA.
“DreamWorks Animation delivered solid third quarter results, highlighted by strong top-line growth and meaningful segment gross profit across all of our businesses. While we still have considerable work ahead of us, I am proud of the team’s collective efforts and remain confident that we are well positioned to meet or even exceed our stated goals for the year while continuing to drive long term value for our stakeholders,” said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Segment Revenue
Feature Film segment
Revenues for Q3-2015 from the Feature Film segment increased to $157.9 million, up from $142.4 million in the prior-year period. Segment gross profit decreased to $54.3 million compared to $64.3 million in the same period of last year, primarily due to contributions earned in the prior-year period in the worldwide theatrical market from How To Train Your Dragon 2, which was a higher margin title.
Home contributed feature film segment revenue of $49.7 million in Q3-2015. Home was released in the digital market on 26 June, 2015 and into the physical domestic home entertainment market on 28 July, 2015. The film reached an estimated 4.7 million home entertainment units through the end of the third quarter, net of actual and estimated future returns claims DWA.
The Penguins of Madagascar contributed feature film segment revenue of $39.8 million in the current quarter, primarily from domestic and international pay television. Through the end of the third quarter, the film reached an estimated 3.6 million home entertainment units sold worldwide, net of actual and estimated future returns.
How To Train Your Dragon 2 contributed feature film segment revenue of $7.4 million in the quarter, primarily from international pay television and home entertainment. The film reached an estimated 8.9 million home entertainment units sold worldwide through the end of the third quarter, net of actual and estimated future returns.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman contributed feature film segment revenue of $2.6 million in the quarter, primarily from home entertainment. The film reached an estimated 4.2 million home entertainment units sold worldwide through the end of Q3-2015, net of actual and estimated future returns.
Television Series and Specials segment
Revenues for the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 from the Television Series and Specials segment increased to $50.7 million in Q3-2015, compared to $14.3 million during the prior-year period. The increase in revenues was attributable to a significantly higher number of episodes delivered under DWA’s episodic content licensing arrangements. Segment gross profit increased to $15.3 million in the current quarter, from $2.3 million in Q3-2014. The increase was primarily driven by higher revenues along with favourable amortisation rates associated with episodic series, partially offset by up-front marketing costs associated with the release of DWA’s new television series.
Consumer Products segment
Revenues from the Consumer Products segment increased to $27 million in Q3-2015, compared to $12.1 million in the same period last year. The increase was primarily due to revenues earned from new and extended location based entertainment license arrangements in the quarter, as well as merchandise licensing agreements related to intellectual property rights associated with characters from DWA’s feature films and episodic television series. Revenues also included contributions from merchandising and other licensing activities. Segment gross profit increased to $15.8 million in Q3-2015 from $4.2 million in Q3-2014, as revenues earned from location based entertainment license arrangements have lower associated costs.
New Media Segment
Revenues for Q3-2015 from the company’s New Media segment were $20.7 million compared to $8.5 million during Q3- 2014. This increase was primarily attributable to revenue generated from licensing and distribution of content and brand sponsorship arrangements. In Q3-2014, DWA reported certain advertising and talent management revenues in this segment on a ‘gross’ basis rather than on a ‘net’ basis. For comparative purposes, if the New Media segment’s revenues had been reported on a ‘net’ basis during Q3-2014, revenues for Q3-2015 would reflect an increase of 226 per cent compared with the prior-year period. Segment gross profit, which is not affected by this item, increased to $10.9 million from $2.3 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to higher revenue contributions from licensed content and reduced amortisation of intangible assets.
All other segments
Revenues from All Other segments for Q3-2015 were $2.9 million compared to $3.6 million in the prior-year period and gross profit was $2.4 million compared to a loss of $1.1million in Q3-2014.
Film Production
Disney to cut 1,000 jobs under new chief executive
The entertainment giant’s freshly installed boss inherits a restructuring already in motion, with marketing and corporate roles bearing the brunt
CALIFORNIA: Walt Disney is preparing to slash up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, as the entertainment giant’s freshly installed chief executive moves swiftly to trim fat and tighten the ship.
The cuts, less than 1 per cent of Disney’s global workforce of 231,000, will fall hardest on marketing and corporate roles. The planning, notably, began before D’Amaro formally took the top job in March, suggesting the new boss inherited a restructuring already in motion rather than one of his own making.
Driving the push is Asad Ayaz, Disney’s newly appointed chief marketing officer, who in January assumed command of a unified, company-wide marketing operation spanning film, television and streaming. His consolidation drive has been given a suitably cinematic internal name: Project Imagine.
The move is modest by Disney’s recent standards. Between 2023 and 2025, under former chief executive Bob Iger, the company eliminated roughly 8,000 positions across several brutal rounds of cuts, saving $7.5 billion, comfortably exceeding its own targets. As recently as June 2025, several hundred more jobs were axed across Disney Entertainment, hitting film and television marketing, publicity, casting, development and corporate finance.
Disney’s structural headaches are well-documented: shrinking streaming margins, a weakened box office, and fierce competition from Amazon and YouTube gnawing at its flanks. The company is merging its Disney+ and Hulu teams into a single app, has brought in consultants from Bain & Co to guide its broader cost strategy, and is betting heavily on digital growth.
The wider entertainment industry offers little comfort. Sony Pictures, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have all taken the knife to their workforces in recent years, and further cuts loom if Paramount’s acquisition of Warner goes through.
For D’Amaro, the message is clear: there will be no honeymoon period. The magic kingdom still has some cost-cutting spells left to cast.
