It was recently announced that Pixar would be losing John Lasseter at the end of this year. The chief creative officer took a 6 month leave of absence back in November after his mis-steps with several female employees but recently announced his decision to leave the company all-together. John Lasseter has been working on Disney films and Disney related projects since 1979 and helped spearhead the start of Computer Generated Animated film such as Toy Story, Cars and A Bugs Life. Lasseter went on to oversee both Pixar and Walt Disney Animated films after their merger back in 2006. So with his departure it left a gaping hole that needed to be filled.
Pixar has announced that Pete Docter will take over his responsibilities at Pixar while Jennifer Lee will be stepping up to run Walt Disney’s animated films. Docter has been with Pixar since 1990 working on films such as Monster’s Inc and Wall-E. As for Lee, she is somewhat new to the Disney Animated field having burst on to the scene with hit films like Wreck-It-Ralph, Zootopia and Frozen.
I can say with certainty I am confident in Disney and Pixar’s replacements. Who better to take over a company than a man who was there to see it’s birth and who better to take a company to new heights than a woman who’s produced and created some of Disney’s best animated films in years? So what does this mean for these two titans of animation? Well the possibilities are endless.
Pete Docter has been around and understands the world of Pixar. He knows the ins and the outs of it’s story telling formulas and it’s wonderfully crafted animation. Docter has the potential to keep Pixar grounded in it’s roots and produce fresh and creative content. Having new blood and new creativity can be great for a company like Pixar, especially in the sequel heavy climate we have to date. As for Jennifer Lee, she’s going to be a breathe of fresh air for Disney. Having someone new to the world of Disney will be exciting as we can see her creativity begin to blosom and she can push status quo. Creating heartfelt stories and fun adventures for all ages.
With a mixture of both old and new to replace John Lasseter I am confident in the future of both Disney and Pixar. I expect for them to produce amazing films in the coming future and help carry on the wonderful traditions Pixar and Disney have created over the years.
