Far Out!

Comcast Loves Its Profitable Illumination Entertainment Division

Wow, look how happy Illumination Entertainment's boss is about the accomplishments of Chris Meledandri and his team:

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/27/cnbc-transcript-comcast-chairman-and-ceo-brian-roberts-speaks-with-cnbcs-squawk-on-the-street-today.html

(Sorry for the all caps—I just cut and pasted from the unofficial transcript.)

CNBC: SO COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE PAST AND MAYBE GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW YOU TAKE A FRANCHISE LIKE "SECRET LIFE" AND MAKE IT INTO A RIDE?

[Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian] ROBERTS: IT'S THE BIG NEWS IN THE FILM DIVISION IN QUITE A WHILE, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE GREAT BREAKOUT FRANCHISES THANKS TO CHRIS MELEDANDRI AND DONNA LANGLEY AND JEFF SHELL AND RON MEYER AND THE TEAM WE HAVE AT UNIVERSAL DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.

BUT PARTICULARLY, IN ANIMATION, WHICH IS WHY WE WANTED TO BUY DREAMWORKS, ANIMATION IS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE THESE, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLE FRANCHISES AND WITH OUR COMPANY, WITH THEME PARKS, WITH CONSUMER PRODUCTS, WITH CHINA, WITH THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE SEQUELS, IT DID OCCUR IN THE THIRD QUARTER...

NBCUNIVERSAL HAD A REALLY STRONG QUARTER, FANTASTIC FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, AND BIG PART OF THE SECOND HALF WILL BE "SECRET LIFE OF PETS" AND WE HAVE A MOVIE COMING AT THE END OF THE YEAR FROM THE SAME TEAM CALLED "SING" WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AS WELL.

AND THAT'S WHAT GAVE US THE CONFIDENCE TO WANT TO BUY DREAMWORKS. SO WE JUST GOT BACK FROM A TRIP TO CHINA AND LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, THE THEME PARK POSSIBILITY IN BEIJING AND IT'S ALL FUELED BY THIS GREAT CONTENT THAT WE NOW HAVE IN THE COMPANY.

***

Yes, and by "great content" that also includes Scarlet Overkill, so please bring her back, oh mighty Comcast Overlords.

I'll take a Scarlet Overkill film franchise, a Scarlet Overkill theme park in every country (complete with a replica of her fortress, a Scarjet ride, and Herb's laboratory and PLEASE LET THERE BE ACTUAL LAVA IN IT), and all the Scarlet and Herb Overkill consumer products I can carry and/or stuff into the trunk of my car. In fact, I will make as many trips as possible to buy all of your wonderful Scarlet Overkill merchandise.

Go ahead and make it happen, Comcast. I'll wait.