When they were relevant: DreamWorks braintrust Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen

In a development perhaps more symbolic of the real triumph of hope over experience than any half-assed second marriage, DreamWorks has officially called off negotiations over its long-rumored $1 billion sale to NBC Universal. For now, anyhow, DW topper and chief negotiator David Geffen says he and co-founder Steven Spielberg are just fine relishing the creative freedom attending cash-vacuum clusterfucks like The Island:

"We had come to terms with them on price, and there were a million things that needed to be settled," said Geffen, who led the talks for DreamWorks. "At the very end, they tried to readjust the price, albeit for less than 10 percent," he said. "People had more time to rethink the thing."

Geffen said Spielberg was used to "having his own company and doing things exactly the way he'd want and not consulting with others."

Damn straight, David. Everybody knows the crew at Universal rolls hard—especially with Steven Spielberg, who made some of history's biggest fims under their roof. But that is all in the past; the companies' exclusive two-month courtship is now over, and while insiders say NBC Universal parent General Electric may yet send Geffen flowers, expect the mogul to test the thread count with a few other suitors for the remainder of 2005.

Either way, DreamWorks, look on the bright side: Staying on your own virtually guarantees you a place at Dawn Hudson's table during next year's new and improved Independent Spirit Awards.