DreamWorks SKG ended talks to be acquired by General Electric Co.’s NBC Universal unit, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“We pursued it for quite some time, we were unable to come to terms and we’re no longer in discussions with them,” DreamWorks co-founder David Geffen told the newspaper.

Differences over the price of about $1 billion and director Steven Spielberg’s reluctance to surrender any of his artistic freedom at DreamWorks were an issue, the Journal said.

The talks may resume at a future date because both sides accepted such a union was logical, and NBC Universal was keen to acquire the animation studio.

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