NBCU reshuffles after DreamWorks deal

DreamWorks Animation (DWA)’s Marjorie Cohn will head up the US studio and the animation side of new stablemate Universal following yesterday’s takeover by NBCUniversal (NBCU).

Marjorie Cohn

DWA is now part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, with Cohn, who joined DreamWorks as head of TV in 2013, now reporting to division chairman Jeff Shell.

She has been named head of animation TV at the merged group following Comcast-owned NBCU’s acquisition of DreamWorks yesterday, in a deal worth US$3.8bn.

Other changes resulting from the takeover will see DreamWorks feature execs Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria working across its animation output, reporting to Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley.

DreamWorks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and president Ann Daly are both stepping down, with the former becoming chairman of new media at DreamWorks.

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.