Disney CEO defends use of 3-D in movies

[June 03, 2011]  RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) -- Disney CEO Bob Iger defended the use of 3-D in movies Thursday, after several movies received less of their tickets sales from 3-D screenings than previously.

Iger told the D: All Things Digital conference that it's "way too early to write 3-D's epitaph."

His comments come after stock analysts noted that The Walt Disney Co.'s fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.'s second "Kung Fu Panda" movie generated around 40 percent of their revenue from 3-D screenings, compared with about 60 percent for earlier films.

Some analysts trimmed estimates on DreamWorks and 3-D technology company RealD Inc. as a result.

Iger qualified his remarks to say that 3-D has to be used in the right way creatively and technologically to meet the demands of savvy moviegoers.

[Associated Press]

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