NBCU completes DreamWorks deal

Comcast-owned NBCUniversal (NBCU) has completed its acquisition of DreamWorks Animation in a deal valued at almost US$4bn.

DreamWorks’ slate includes the Shrek movies

The studio will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group with the US$3.8bn deal coming several months after the US media giant revealed its intention to buy the company behind Shrek and Kung Fu Panda.

When the deal was revealed in April, NBCU CEO Steve Burke said it would help his company expand its film and TV businesses, as well as its theme park and consumer products divisions.

DreamWorks’ slate includes the Madagascar movies and How to Train Your Dragon, while Trolls is planned for later this year. It also has a multi-year deal to produce hundreds of hours of television for US SVoD service Netflix.

Earlier this year, US telecoms giant Verizon took a 24.5% stake in DreamWorks Animation’s online youth network AwesomenessTV, valuing the latter at US$650m.