What does the turnover at Walt Disney Animation mean for future films?
Disney Animation Studios is undergoing a huge shift. Will a change in leadership be able to restore the brand?
As many know, Disney has had a rough go at the box office for the last couple of years. 2023 was marked with several box office disappointments like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and even the once unstoppable MCU faltered. They have done better in 2024 with Inside Out 2 and Deadpool and Wolverine and hope for Moana 2 to be a big smash.
There have already been shifts for the live-action portion of the studio, and now the animation department is following suit. This past week, we saw the announcement that Jennifer Lee will be stepping down after six years as Chief Creative Officer, with Jared Bush (who co-directed Zootopia) taking over.
Lee issued a statement of her gratitude for the job.
"I am so grateful to Bob and Alan for supporting my decision to return to filmmaking full time. Every day working with them is a master class in creativity, business, community, and integrity. I’ve always believed in Jared’s incredible talent and can’t wait to see, with his passion and dedication to animation, what he brings to the CCO role. For me, getting to collaborate with this studio of artists, animators, and storytellers is such a privilege, and I look forward to all we will create together."
Bush added “I am so deeply grateful to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman for their faith in me, and thankful to Jennifer for her leadership and for her generous support as she embarks on the next chapters of Frozen. Disney Animation is home to some of the greatest stories and characters of the past century, and I’m so excited to work with all of our filmmakers, artists, and Disney Animation team members as we shape the future of this legendary studio together.”
It should be noted that Lee is not leaving Disney as she frames the decision as wanting to focus on writing and directing the planned Frozen 3. However, the change here does seem to be a major one that the company needs.
Why Disney Animation needed a change
Lee’s tenure as COO is a mix. On the one hand, she oversaw Encanto, one of Disney’s biggest recent hits that won an Oscar, and has spawned several planned theme park rides. She also oversaw the underrated Raya and the Last Dragon, which did well, considering it opened in the pandemic-filled early 2021 market.
However, Lee also had to endure Strange Worlds and Wish, two of the biggest animated flops in recent memory. With a new focus on sequels like Moana 2 and others, a change in leadership appeared to be needed for the division. That Lee is remaining with Disney shows this may be as much her own idea and she and Bush do have a good history of working together on Moana and Zootopia.
It is a bit sad that Strange Worlds bombed badly as it was a fun film with a more original story than others and many might prefer that over more sequels. Yet, while Lee proved herself a terrific writer for the Frozen films, she seemed a bit out of her league in the COO position, which requires more care and oversight on budgets rather than being wrapped up in the artistry.
Wish’s ridiculously high budget is the reason its box office seemed even worse as smaller budgeted films could have been better. It was also criticized for the story, which seemed too cliche when the original ideas for it were more daring. Lee took a chance on Encanto, and it paid off, yet her following attempts didn’t work out, and thus, it was better that Bush take on the role so she can focus on Frozen 3.
It's hardly the first time Disney Animation has been in a slump. The early 1980s were a terrible time before The Little Mermaid kick-started a new age. There was also problems in the mid-2000s before hitting it big with Tangled and Frozen. Disney can still restore its past success, yet some might think it's better they do with original tales rather than relying on sequel IP.
What this means for the coming Disney animated slate is still up in the air, given the company has been reassessing its entire production line in the wake of some dismal box office. It’s likely Disney will go to the sequel route to use familiar properties to bring back fans and build up the coffers. That can hopefully pave the way for more original fare in the future.
As of now, things may take a while to shift for the animation department, but a change in leadership indicates Disney is serious about restoring its animation wing to its once glorious state.