Well this came in from a source I trust, and I can't really tell you why, but expect an official announcement soon. While I love the audacity and the gigantic high stakes chess game, there's a part of me that feels like the Principal at a Pre-K watching two boys hurling rocks at one another... ya just want to break em up and say "play nice". But ya know, I'm just happy as can be because ANTZ is about 6 months closer than it was before I heard this... and that's cause for jubilation. You've seen the posters and the trailer before MULAN most likely. The thing is, both films will be great, and they really are very different films and just because they are ants on both sides of the fence doesn't mean we can't love em both. The real winner here is all of us. Here's the scoop from "Z"....
Yesterday Jeffery Katzenberg announced to everyone on the ANTZ film that we are releasing ANTZ on October 2 1998, not March 1999. We all have been suspecting this for a while, but now its official. It was deliberately kept a secret to scoop the people at Pixar and Disney. I heard John Lasseter and Steve Jobs were pretty steamed. And by the way, our movie kicks ass.
History:
1995: Jeffery Katzenberg announces Dreamworks to release "Prince of Egypt" Nov 22 1998. "You can take the summer and we will take the winter, and we can coexist."
1996: Disney announces "A Bugs Life" to be released Nov 22 1998.
1997: Jeffery has some Disney Reps over to show them 15 minutes of "Prince of Egypt." Says "Dont go up against us."
1997: Reps go back and report. Jeffery gets a call. "Screw you, we're releasing Nov 1998."
Feb1998: Jeffery moves POE release date to Dec 22 1998.
Feb1998: The next day, Disney moves Mighty Joe Young and a Will Smith movie release dates to Dec 22 1998.
Feb1998: Jeffery decides to pull a whammy on Pixar/Disney by releasing ANTZ on Oct 2 1998, 6 weeks ahead of "A Bugz Life."
Jun1998: Announces the secret schedule.
Conclusion: Dont mess with Jeffery.
