Legal Issues Arising from Comcast’s Acquisition of DreamWorks and Oriental DreamWorks

Vivian Shen

doi:10.54254/2754-1169/32/20231585

Research Article

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Published on 10 November 2023

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Legal Issues Arising from Comcast’s Acquisition of DreamWorks and Oriental DreamWorks

Vivian Shen *^,1,

¹ Weiheng Lawfirm

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2754-1169/32/20231585

Abstract

Comcast Corporation’s acquisition of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. in 2016 presents a case study of the legal complexities involved in the merger and acquisition legal framework in the United States and China. This paper explores the different aspects of this acquisition, including antitrust regulations, cross-border legal issues, minority shareholder rights, intellectual property management, and post-acquisition integration. Antitrust concerns and foreign regulations, such as China’s Anti-Monopoly Law, play a significant role in this case which highlights the necessity of compliance with regulatory frameworks to avoid penalties and legal disputes. The importance of protecting minority shareholders' rights in an acquisition is demonstrated by the lawsuit filed by AACERS against DreamWorks’ CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. The need for transparency, fairness, and fulfilling fiduciary duties is crucial to mitigate the risk of legal conflicts. This paper also includes the transaction of intellectual property assets. Evaluate the post-acquisition integration procedure, including management restructuring, marketing strategy, and layoffs, with a focus on the necessity of dispute resolution and maintaining compliance with the relevant laws and regulations. Overall, the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation shows some valuable insights and experiences of the legal complexities of an acquisition that involves a cross-border company. Companies can accelerate the acquisition process and integrate smoothly after the acquisition by carefully considering these legal complexities before making the deal.

Keywords

antitrust law, anti-monopoly law, acquisition, cross-border

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References

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Cite this article

Shen,V. (2023). Legal Issues Arising from Comcast’s Acquisition of DreamWorks and Oriental DreamWorks. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences,32,156-162.

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Volume title: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Economic Management and Green Development

Conference website: https://www.icemgd.org/

ISBN：978-1-83558-085-1(Print) / 978-1-83558-086-8(Online)

Conference date: 6 August 2023

Editor：Canh Thien Dang

Series: Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences

Volume number: Vol.32

ISSN：2754-1169(Print) / 2754-1177(Online)

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