Of Profits and Title Changes

While we're on the subject of DreamWorks Animation, the studio's third feature for 2010 has changed its title for a third time.

... [I]t was revealed that "Oobermind" has now changed its title to "MegaMind ...."

After earlier being called Master Mind.

Well, as long as they keep "mind" in the title, we'll give it pass, yes? ...

And the studio has inked a new video game deal:

THQ, which had already been developing a game for the toon studio's upcoming "MegaMind" (formerly "Oobermind"), has inked a multi-year deal with DreamWorks to exclusively produce games for all platforms based on "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom" and "Puss in Boots," as well as the TV series "The Penguins of Madagascar."

Rival gamemaker Activision has long been producing most of DreamWorks' games, including those for the "Shrek" franchise ...

What people tend to forget as we all trundle down life's highway, is that fourteen years ago, DreamWorks had its own video game division in a big building on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood. Just like it had a TV animation division on Ventura Boulevard in sun-kissed Encino.

But both of those divisions went away after a few years as they ate up lots of money but generated scanty profits.

Since those heady days, DWA has found it advantageous to partner with game companies and TV cartoon companies, thus its alliance with Nicktoons, Activision and THQ.