DVDizzy Forum

So now that Pixar is already replacing He-Who-Shalt-Not-Be-Named, it's a good sign that he is history with WDAS too. So, who is taking his place.

My guesses:

Eric Goldberg and Ron & John: Veterans who deserve it so so much. Would bring 2D back.
Byron Howard or Rich Moore: Oscar winners whose works have been full of imagination, development, heart, and seriousness
Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck: Buck is a Disney veteran and while Lee is brand new, she shook the animation world with Frozen. Plus, not only is she the first female Disney director, but also it would be perfect karma for Lasseter

disneyprincess11 wrote:So now that Pixar is already replacing He-Who-Shalt-Not-Be-Named, it's a good sign that he is history with WDAS too. So, who is taking his place.

My guesses:

Eric Goldberg and Ron & John: Veterans who deserve it so so much. Would bring 2D back.
Byron Howard or Rich Moore: Oscar winners whose works have been full of imagination, development, heart, and seriousness
Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck: Buck is a Disney veteran and while Lee is brand new, she shook the animation world with Frozen. Plus, not only is she the first female Disney director, but also it would be perfect karma for Lasseter

If I were Disney, I would hire both Pete Docter and Jennifer Lee to take control of the animation studios. They're both perfect for the job and the work environments at both Pixar and WDAS would improve if that happens.

I really can't think of anybody else who would fill Lasseter's shoes. Jennifer Lee's good, but I wouldn't mind Eric Goldberg or Musker to be in the seat. Why? Because these guys are handdrawn animators, and it would do good to have the studio in the hands of a handdrawn animator for a change for a better balance. Truthfully, though, the only way 2D can come back to Disney is if some studio finds success. In other words, it'll have to be another studio, ala Don Bluth's An American Tail. Despite the constant "realistic" view that it's never going to happen, 2D animation can't stay dead forever at Disney OR in theaters. Something will have to change.

Lee would be a good choice, but I'd go with Goldberg, Musker, or Clements.

What about Darla K. Anderson? She's been with Pixar since their commercial days, before Toy Story was released. She has the experience to run Pixar at least.

I second the Darla nomination! ^

I'd cry real tears of joy if Ron and John took over WDAS.

I'm not sure Ron and John are up to the task, their movies are starting to feel similar to each other.

The guys from the renaissance are all in their early 60s now. I would go with someone younger. Byron Howard maybe?

I sure hope everyone that's been blacklisted by Lasseter is allowed to return if a project is a fit. Menken and Schwartz and the countless animators/directors that didn't bow down to his highness and his ridiculous shirts.

rodrigo_ca wrote:I'd cry real tears of joy if Ron and John took over WDAS.

So would I, but I don't think Disney would pick them, unfortunately. They wanted their next film (which turned into Moana) to be hand-drawn animation from what we know, and Disney wouldn't allow that. I think there was a lot of interference from people above them on Moana and especially TP&TF, too, if I'm being honest.

I would definitely love for it to be Jennifer Lee. I hope it isn't Howard. (This is still assuming Lasseter is really going anywhere.)

I'm guessing whoever is part of Pixar's Braintrust will be the most likely successor to John Lasseter. The two top choices would be Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton, since they both directed highly successful films for Pixar over the years, and both have served as Executive Producers on other films.

My money's on Stanton for Pixar, Byron Howard or Rich Moore for WDAS.

Andrew Stanton has said he wants to focus more on live-action filmmaking in the future, so I don't think he would be interested. My ideal choice to take over Pixar is Darla K. Anderson. She has produced the most Pixar films, seems to get along well with the directors and artists and definitely has the creative know-how.

If Lasseter doesn't return, I doubt any one person will be given his position. I think Andrew Millstein and Ed Catmull will be running WDAS in terms of management and the Story Trust as a whole will be overseeing its creative product.

Sotiris wrote:If Lasseter doesn't return, I doubt any one person will be given his position. I think Andrew Millstein and Ed Catmull will be running WDAS in terms of management and the Story Trust as a whole will be overseeing its creative product.

Who would green light a project in this scenario?

I guess ideally this would be the story trust through some sort of democratic process? I'm all for not having one single creative force in charge of what gets made. That is what got us into this sequel mess where every film feels like a carbon copy of the last one.

I do hope this stuff doesn't go in secret behind closed doors.

Let it be Brad Bird...who is entertaining the idea of creating a 2d movie. ..perhaps he can carry that flame to Disney

At Disney Animation, those who could take on a bigger role include Frozen's Jennifer Lee (the rare woman director on the team); Zootopia directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore; Chris Buck, who is helming Frozen 2 with Lee; Chris Williams and Don Hall, Oscar winners for Big Hero 6; and the studio's elder statesmen, Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and, most recently, Moana).

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/featu ... ow-1062361

Sotiris wrote:

At Disney Animation, those who could take on a bigger role include Frozen's Jennifer Lee (the rare woman director on the team); Zootopia directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore; Chris Buck, who is helming Frozen 2 with Lee; Chris Williams and Don Hall, Oscar winners for Big Hero 6; and the studio's elder statesmen, Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and, most recently, Moana).

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/featu ... ow-1062361

My personal hope is Clements and Musker. I'm biased of course, but they have the longest experience, have delivered two of Disney's biggest hits back in their heyday, and succeeded in another hit again, proving they haven't lost the magic. Plus their affinity for 2D animation makes me even more biased towards them. The only drawback is their age.

Sotiris wrote:

At Disney Animation, those who could take on a bigger role include Frozen's Jennifer Lee (the rare woman director on the team); Zootopia directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore; Chris Buck, who is helming Frozen 2 with Lee; Chris Williams and Don Hall, Oscar winners for Big Hero 6; and the studio's elder statesmen, Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and, most recently, Moana).

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/featu ... ow-1062361

Ha, this person read my mind

Lee, Howard and Moore are being groomed to fill Lasseter's role at WDAS.

Meanwhile, animators have begun to speculate about who would run Pixar and Disney Animation if Lasseter does not come back. [...] At Disney, the speculation is that Jennifer Lee (Frozen) and Zootopia co-directors Rich Moore and Byron Howard will form a triumvirate.

Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ ... te-1080339

I'm iffy on Moore's and Howard's work so far, but at least Lee is in there. No surprise these three choices were involved with giving Disney two films that raked in a billion dollars each (Zootopia/Frozen). Oh, Di$ney, you.

I think I would like it better if it's not one person in charge though. Lasseter trying to set himself up as King and Savior--The New Walt--was beyond the pale. And almost every film felt the same because he made sure every little thing followed his prescribed formula.