Deferred Revenue and Other Advances (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	$ 52,634,000				$ 52,634,000				$ 25,517,000
Home Box Office Inc Advance [Member]
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	16,000,000	[1]			16,000,000	[1]			0	[1]
Deferred revenue and other advances, amounts earned	19,000,000	[1]	15,000,000	[1]	19,000,000	[1]	15,000,000	[1]
Licensing Advances [Member]
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	232,000				232,000				42,000
Deferred revenue and other advances, amounts earned	42,000		3,750,000		910,000		3,750,000
Deferred Revenue [Member]
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	18,047,000				18,047,000				16,547,000
Deferred revenue and other advances, amounts earned	5,499,000		4,249,000		11,166,000		4,640,000
Strategic Alliance Or Development Advances [Member]
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	4,532,000	[2]			4,532,000	[2]			1,667,000	[2]
Deferred revenue and other advances, amounts earned	6,816,000	[2]	6,551,000	[2]	15,890,000	[2]	13,101,000	[2]
Amount capitalized as offset to property, plant and equipment	2,700,000		2,600,000		7,900,000		7,400,000
Amount capitalized as offset to other assets	700,000		1,100,000		1,200,000		1,100,000
Amount capitalized as offset to prepaid assets					1,300,000
Amount recorded as an offset to operating expenses					1,000,000		900,000
Other Advances [Member]
Deferred Revenue And Other Advances By Category [Line Items]
Total deferred revenue and other advances	13,823,000				13,823,000				7,261,000
Deferred revenue and other advances, amounts earned	$ 5,065,000		$ 5,246,000		$ 11,014,000		$ 5,709,000

[1] The Company remains a participant of an exclusive multi-picture domestic pay television license agreement originally entered into between Old DreamWorks Studios and Home Box Office, Inc. ("HBO"), pursuant to which the Company receives advances against license fees payable for future film product. The output term of the agreement expired at the end of 2012. Accordingly, the last feature film subject to this agreement is Rise of the Guardians, which is expected to be released in the pay television market during the three months ending September 30, 2013.

[2] Of the total amounts earned against the "Strategic Alliance/Development Advances," for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, $2.7 million and $2.6 million, respectively, and $7.9 million and $7.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, were capitalized as an offset to property, plant and equipment. Additionally, during the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, of the total amounts earned against the "Strategic Alliance/Development Advances," $0.7 million and $1.1 million, and for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, $1.2 million and $1.1 million, respectively, were recorded as a reduction to other assets. During the six months ended June 30, 2013, $1.3 million was recorded as a reduction to prepaid expenses. During the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, $1.0 million and $0.9 million, respectively, were recorded as a reduction to operating expenses.