NY Post: Steve Jobs Offers Pixar If Disney Boots Eisner

April 8th, 2004 at 3:00 PM - News by Bryan Chaffin

The New York Post has published an unsourced piece saying that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has offered monster carrot to Disneyis board. According to the newspaper, Mr. Jobs is letting it be known that he would bring his other company, Pixar, back to Disney if Disneyis board were to can Michael Eisner.

This offer stems from Pixaris highly publicized divorce with Disney after its current contract expires. Steve Jobs has been attempting to negotiate a more favorable distribution deal for Pixar, whose films have generated the lionis share of Disneyis profits over the last several years, and whose films have broken all the records once held by Disney-produced animated films. Talks between the two company ended in January of this year, with Mr. Jobs since shopping Pixar around to other distributors. The Postis report says that those other talks have been put on hold while Mr. Jobs has let his offer make its way to Disneyis board.

Michael Eisner officially has the term "beleaguered" attached to him, as he was recently stripped of the chairmanship of Disneyis board, often a first step in removing a high-profile CEO. Mr. Eisner has come under attack as many of Disneyis films have tanked at the box office, and many others saying that Mr. Eisner has stripped his company of the creative talent for which it was once known.

From the Postis report:

Steve Jobs wants to return to the Disney fold if Michael Eisner is ousted as CEO, The Post has learned.

In January, Jobsi Pixar Animation Studios dealt a serious blow to Eisner when it announced it was ending talks on extending a lucrative movie deal with Disney.

But lately, Jobs has told associates in Hollywood that he would like to re-up with Disney if Eisner is pushed out, according to sources close to Jobs.

When Pixar ended the talks with Disney, Jobs said in a statement that the company would enter talks with other studios. But now those talks are on hold as Jobs waits to see what Disneyis board of directors does in the wake of a shareholder revolt against Eisner, sources say.

You can find the full article at the NY Postis Web site.