Disney CEO defends use of 3-D in movies

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.