BIG, BIG TROUBLE FOR DISNEY:

BIG, BIG TROUBLE FOR DISNEY: Pixar ends Disney distribution deal.

Pixar, who has produced digitally animated films beginning with Toy Story in 1995, has helped kept Disney afloat, by making fun, non-PC-obsessed (no pun intended, given that Steve Jobs is Pixar’s CEO) animated films. Beginning in the 1990s, Disney’s animated films always seemed to want to teach politically correct shibboleths; but Pixar just seemed to want to have fun.

Combine this with Michael Eisner’s recent headaches with his board, and the result is not a pretty picture for Uncle Walt’s successors.

UPDATE: The New York Times agrees:

The timing of Pixar’s announcement creates a public relations nightmare for Mr. Eisner, who has been under pressure to turn around Disney’s fortunes. This week, two former directors