Katzenberg has steered the Glendale film studio through a number of financial challenges during the past few years as he has worked to diversify the company. On the flip side, by adding DWA to its fold, Universal would have two animation studios competing for coveted release slots in the crowded family-film market. With both DWA and Illumination in-house, Universal could challenge DisneyвЂ™s animation powerhouse combination of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. So, any linkup with ComcastвЂ™s Universal would be timely.В The bid also comes several months after SpielbergвЂ™s reinvigorated DreamWorks Studios - now called Amblin Partners - signed a sweeping distribution deal with Universal.Д«uying DWA would give Universal two of HollywoodвЂ™s leading animation studios, since it already owns Chris MeledandriвЂ™sВ Illumination Entertainment, home of the blockbuster Minions franchise. The studio currently has a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox that runs out at the end of 2017. The animation studio was spun off as a separate company in 2004, with Katzenberg at the helm. It was not clear if Katzenberg would maintain a role in running the studio he helped to form in 1997 under parent company DreamWorks SKG, which he had created five years earlier along withВ Steven Spielberg and David Geffen. In November, he held advanced talks with toymaker Hasbro about a possible tie-up after months earlier holding a round of discussions with Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank.В The mogul also has courted everyone fromВ 20thВ Century Fox to various Chinese companies.ДWA declined to comment on the news, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, and a spokesperson for NBCUniversal/Comcast also declined to comment.ДЄ $3 billion price tag would offer a decent premium for shareholders who have invested in a company presently worth $2.3 billion. The move would provide Katzenberg, CEO of the animation company, with a strong buyer after years of searching.

Dreamworks animation productions