New leaders for PIXAR en Walt Disney Animation Studios! John Lasseter replaced!

[esteban²]

Jennifer Lee & Pete Docter Will Succeed John Lasseter As Creative Heads Of Disney And Pixar

The Walt Disney Company announced today that Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter will succeed John Lasseter as heads of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, respectively. Both had been widely considered as the leading candidates to take those roles, and Docter was known to be in the running as early as last November.

Lasseter had been chief creative officer of both studios before extensive allegations of physical and sexual harassment forced him into a controversial six-month sabbatical, finally ending with his resignation earlier this month. (Lasseter will remain employed by the Walt Disney Company through the end of 2018.)

Lee, 46, co-director and writer of the smash hit Frozen, will run Disney. Her fast rise at Disney started in 2011 when she joined the studio as a writer on Wreck-It Ralph. She recently wrote the screenplay for the vfx-heavy Disney live-action film A Wrinkle in Time, and she is now co-directing Frozen 2.

Docter, 49, who has worked at Pixar for 28 years, will take over that studio. Besides writing and directing some of that studio’s most successful films, he is a member of the studio’s braintrust, which has creative input on all of the company’s releases.

Disney said in an announcement today that Lee and Docter would each “have creative oversight of all films and associated projects of their respective studios,” and they will report directly to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn.

“Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter are two of the most gifted filmmakers and storytellers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with,” Horn said in a statement. “Pete, the genius creative force behind Up, Inside Out, and Monsters, Inc., has been an integral part of Pixar almost since the beginning and is a huge part of its industry-leading success. Jenn, in bringing her bold vision to the boundary-breaking Frozen, has helped infuse Disney Animation with a new and exciting perspective. Each of them embodies the unique spirit, culture and values of these renowned animation studios, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have them to lead us into the future.”

Said Lee in a statement: “I am deeply grateful to everyone at Walt Disney Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Company for this opportunity. Animation is the most collaborative art form in the world, and it is with the partnership of my fellow filmmakers, artists, and innovators that we look ahead to the future. My hope is to support the incredible talent we have, find new voices, and work together to tell original stories. The great films of Disney Animation — the films I loved as a kid and my daughter has grown up loving — are magical, timeless and full of heart, and it is our goal to create films that carry on and grow this 95-year legacy for future generations.”

Docter said in his statement: “I am excited and humbled to be asked to take on this role. It is not something I take lightly; making films at Pixar has been my chronic obsession since I started here 28 years ago. I am fortunate to work alongside some of the most talented people on the planet, and together we will keep pushing animation in new directions, using the latest technology to tell stories we hope will surprise and delight audiences around the world.”

[esteban²]

Wow, big news. I don't know how to feel about this. All personal stuff aside, John Lasseter made Pixar to what it is and saved a strugglin' Disney Animation Studios. No 'Cars 2', 'credit-stealer' or 'metoo' argument will change that fact. I'm a big fan of what he did for both. This guy knew what he was doing, when it comes to the things they made.

Now, I believe in Pete Doctor, no doubt. If there's anyone able to keep Pixar on track, I believe its's him. This feels right.

But Jennifer Lee for WDAS? That idea scares me. Writer and director of Frozen and writer of the Wrinkle in Time screenplay. Both projects that don't give me any hope in this turning out good. No sir. Yeah, I know, it was a smash hit and the movie has a lot of fans. And there was huge pressure to put a woman in that place. But is that really the right criteria? I think Frozen was the least interesting / least good thing they did during the new golden age of Disney.

I do wonder though, would she bring the cancelled GIGANTIC back to life? Afteral, her Frozen friends were involved ...

We'll see.

[phobicsquirrel]

Until the next scandal or rumor of things they do. .... yawn.

[shinobipopcorn]

Docter knows Pixar, he's been there and can handle it. Jennifer Lee... If they wanted a woman in the spot that badly I would have said go with Brenda Chapman (she was story on Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King before Brave), but they hate her and I'm pretty sure she returns their feelings so that's a no-go. Frozen is probably my least favorite of the princess movies, and I didn't have any interest in Wrinkle in Time.

[esteban²]

I don't think Brenda Chapman would have been interested.

[CelluloidPal]

That studio's in deep, deep s***, to say the least.

[Ernest Rister]

Lee has story credit on Zootopia (smash hit), Wreck-It Ralph (big hit), and screenplay credit for Frozen (uber-hit). She's 46. I don't have much faith in Wreck-It Ralph 2 going by the trailer, but she wasn't involved with it. Frozen 2 should do well just on the brand alone, but I'm not particularly interested in it. We won't start seeing her impact until she starts greenlighting projects.

Pete Docter is obviously the right choice for Pixar. Very smart, very disciplined fellow. Pixar might become even more insulated from Disney since John is no longer running both studios, which could be a good thing. Who knows.

We'll see what happens.

[WestMan]

I know Lasseter was kind of a creep... but PIXAR did amazing things under his lead. It stinks for the few people who had to work for him, but the rest of the world got some of the most amazing animated movies ever.

It is hard to duplicate that sort of success. Just ask Kathleen Kennedy who came out of the gates with amazing box office numbers and has both plummeted on both BO and toy sales. There is only one George Lucas and John Lassater.

[eightslicesofpie]

Docter is a great replacement for Pixar, he's consistently my favorite director there.

Lee I was less sure of just because Frozen is her only directing credit (and I do like it a lot, but it's not the same type of resume that Lassetter had), but when I found out she also has writing credits on Zootopia and especially Wreck-It Ralph, that eased me a bit. Still not a huge, stellar filmography, but definitely solid, and I hope she continues this great new era of Disney animation.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by WestMan

I know Lasseter was kind of a creep... but PIXAR did amazing things under his lead. It stinks for the few people who had to work for him, but the rest of the world got some of the most amazing animated movies ever.

I don't know if creep is the right word -- apparently he drank and was very huggy. Weinstein, he was not. Harry Knowles -- now there's a creep.

[kylor]

Give me a sequel to Monsters Inc please.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I don't know if creep is the right word -- apparently he drank and was very huggy. Weinstein, he was not. Harry Knowles -- now there's a creep.

Would you say that he had a drinking problem?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by kylor

Give me a sequel to Monsters Inc please.

We already had one and it was only above average.

[WestMan]

1. Huggy to me is creepy. Valid point that he wasn't in the same ballpark as Weinstein.

2. Technically Monsters Inc had a prequel not a sequel.

[kylor]

Originally Posted by Batman1980

We already had one and it was only above average.

I don't think you know what a sequel means.

I'm not talking about the prequel they made.

[esteban²]

Well, Monsters Inc. is Pete's baby. Who knows. He did talk about it.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

Would you say that he had a drinking problem?

I don't know -- I have friends in high-dollar commercial editing and they drink all the time, and their clients, too.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by WestMan

1. Huggy to me is creepy. Valid point that he wasn't in the same ballpark as Weinstein.

I have an arts background, people in the arts hug each other all the time out of camaraderie. There's nothing sexual about it. If you're not familiar with that world, sure, I can see people feeling like their comfort zones were invaded. Here's a true story. I have an in-law whose wife miscarried. When I saw her, I gave her a hug out of consolation. Next thing you know, I get a phone call from the in-law saying, "Hands off." I was stunned and surprised and hurt. It's not too different than a cultural collision. Look, some people are very protective of their personal space. You don't know what's going on in someone else's head. It was a learning experience, that's for sure.

Anyway, I don't know John Lasseter, I just know his background in the arts. It's a different world, and a kind gesture can easily be misinterpreted.

[GLaDOS]

End of an era.

But with Pete Doctor on-board, I think they'll be fine.

[dgoswald]

I can't help but wonder whether Lasseter was stitched up to get him out of the management picture at Disney. I haven't got a jot of sympathy for the likes of Weinstein, Louis CK, etc., but there's something about this situation that smells of power play to me.