Last I'd heard about this (a long time ago), Pixar was considering dumping the Disney partnership. Now they're considering selling out to them?

Pixar may have had a hard time getting into theaters without Disney's help early on. But now that they're so well-known, they don't need Disney's marketing clout anymore.

Right?

Man, I hope that deal doesn't happen.

Brian, those are my thoughts as well. The only possible benefit to Pixar is that Steve Jobs might eventually become Disney CEO and work his magic on the combined entity. That's not an unattractive scenario, although it has significant potential downside for Apple. Even Jobs can't be in two places at once...well, maybe occasionally, but not continously. ;-)

Telephone messages left Thursday morning for Disney spokeswoman Michelle Bergman in Burbank, Calif., and Pixar's Michele Clarke in New York were not immediately returned.

Must be true......they wouldn't return my call either!

Look at it from the Pixar employee view. Right now they are, basically, working one film at a time - with no real career growth. With the purchase they get the resources of a major company to make it possible for them to move from movie to movie - lots of potential career growth.

Or, look at it from this perspective. Right now they have, basically, the luxury of putting their full creative genius and resources on just one film at a time, thereby ensuring quality work and a rich financial return, while working for a relatively small company with the possibility of financial incentives that make job titles a laughable concept.

My experience with artists and other creative types is that they just want to do their thing, without the corporate bureaucracy and politics that, sadly, they'll inevitably be confronted with.

The hope is that since Pixar's execs are basically taking over Disney's creative areas, they'll be able to make that part of the company over into Pixar's image. For the sake of the employees, I hope that's the case.