Spielberg’s DreamWorks May Move Over to Universal

For several years now, Steven Spielberg’s production company DreamWorks has partnered with Disney to distribute their films, while Spielberg has been free to produce and direct films with and for other studios. But a major change is brewing, as DreamWorks is cutting free from Disney next year with the studio eyeing a leap over to Universal. This seems like a basic corporate maneuver, but with that change could come something that either excites or terrifies you: reboots of properties like Jaws and Back to the Future.

THR reports that Spielberg will most likely move DreamWorks over to Universal after the release of The BFG, the final DreamWorks project to be distribute by Disney. The deal is set to end in August 2016, leaving Spielberg and the company free to find a new distributor. Universal is a sensible match — Spielberg executive produced Jurassic World, which quickly became the third highest-grossing film of all time, and contributed to Universal’s hugely impressive box office year along with films like Furious 7 and Straight Outta Compton.

In addition, rumors of a Back to the Future reboot have continued to occasionally surface, and although original writer / producer Bob Gale has firmly put his foot down regarding a potential sequel or reboot, Spielberg and Universal could still very well make it happen. Universal is also the place where Spielberg launched his career, and the studio still holds the rights to his classic Jaws. If DreamWorks and Universal were to combine forces, and given the recent — massive — success of Jurassic World, it would hardly be far-fetched to imagine a Jaws reboot on the horizon.

Spielberg could still opt to take DreamWorks over to Paramount or Warner Bros., but Universal seems like a comfortable place for the director. Unfortunately, that partnership could lead to reboots of films we were hoping to avoid in our lifetimes.