2006- Disney Buys Pixar

In 2005, Pixar was one of the most popular movie animation companies. That’s why it cost the Walt Disney Company $7.4 billion.

Disney and Pixar signed their first deal in 1993. Pixar won 19 Academy Awards and got more than $3 billion at the box office. The company created the film Toy Story (1995)- the first animated film to be completely computer-generated, leaving other companies to try and top their latest technology breakthrough. Disney had also released Lilo & Stitch (2002), Home on the Range (2004), Chicken Little (2005) and one of their biggest hits, The Incredibles  (2004). The Incredibles won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film and earned $200 million.

The successful collaboration didn’t last long as Pixar CEO, Steve Jobs, clashed with Disney’s CEO, Michael Eisner. But in September of 2005, Eisner would step down as CEO- one year before his contract was to expire. Eisner was replaced by Robert A. Iger- who worked to become friendly with Disney again before their contract expired. The next movie to be produced by Disney-Pixar was Cars.

In June of 2007, Disney-Pixar released Ratatouille, the third most popular film behind Finding Nemo (2003) and The Incredibles. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

(Taken from: www.history.com)