Pete Docter and Jennifer Lee Will Take Over John Lasseter's Duties at Disney and Pixar

With John Lasseter set to leave his post as Chief Creative Officer at Disney and Pixar Animation at the end of the year after sexual allegations against him arose, the studio has to fill his position with someone who would be able to transition into it smoothly. Well, Disney found two of them!

Jennifer Lee (Frozen) and Pete Docter (Inside Out) will split John Lasseter’s duties at Disney and Pixar as they move forward with the development of the many film projects that the studios have in the pipeline. Lee will be chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation and Docter will be chief creative officer at Pixar Animation Studios.

I think Disney made a smart decision here and I'm sure that these two talents will do great things in their new leadership positions. Both of them have a lot of experience with the studios. 

Lee joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2011 as co-writer on Wreck-It Ralph. She went on to co-direct Frozen, which earned her an Academy Award win for Best Animated Feature. As for Docter, he has worked at Pixar from the very beginning and has directed films such as Up and Monsters Inc. 

Lee had this to say in a statement: 

"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."

Docter added:

"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."

With these two individuals leading the animation studios at these companies, there's a bright future ahead full of wonderful animated films. 

Source: Variety