Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter to replace John Lasseter at Disney

[terry78]

http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/ne...-announced-as-lasseter-replacements-at-disney


Well, it was coming.

 

[Abudefduf]

The director of Frozen? Really? I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[Mandon Knight]

An inevitable decision regarding Lasseter and having prominent Pixar heads brought in I hope would have a steadying effect on Disney too.

 

[Drizzle]

The director of Frozen? Really? I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this.

It really surprises you that one of the directors and writers of Frozen, the critically acclaimed movie that made over a billion dollars at the box office, was made the CCO of Disney Animation? She also co-wrote Wreck-It Ralph and Zootopia which were also successful in their own right, so what makes you think she isn't up to the task?

As for Pixar, Pete Docter is behind some of Pixar's finest work so I think the company is in good hands. Maybe even better than it was before, since Cars was Lasseter's baby.

 

[terry78]

I like Docter's work, but I felt like Brad Bird would have a more distinctive voice regarding the overseer role alongside Lee. But I doubt he'd even have wanted that gig. I know Docter has been there since the start tho.

 

[kedrell]

I would have preferred Stanton and Doctor myself. Keep it in-house at Pixar. No to Bird, IMO. He needs to stay focused and make TI3, dammit.

 

[DaddlerTheDalek]

They seem to be solid choices.

 

[Abudefduf]

It really surprises you that one of the directors and writers of Frozen, the critically acclaimed movie that made over a billion dollars at the box office, was made the CCO of Disney Animation? She also co-wrote Wreck-It Ralph and Zootopia which were also successful in their own right, so what makes you think she isn't up to the task?

Co-director and co-writer, wow, that's impressive. She's been co-doing stuff for Disney for only a few years and now she's being put in charge of everything. Meh. Frozen wasn't even that good.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Millions of children would disagree.

 

[kedrell]

1/3 of that movie's success was just that damn song and everybody knows it. Take that away and it's another Tangled. And I'm not talking about box office, more like the pop-cultural footprint.

 

[Drizzle]

Co-director and co-writer, wow, that's impressive. She's been co-doing stuff for Disney for only a few years and now she's being put in charge of everything. Meh. Frozen wasn't even that good.

Disney Animation has only been at the top of its game again for the better part of the last decade or so, and she's been there for most of it. Better her than some outside hire.

 

[kedrell]

I agree with the last part but Stanton would have been the better choice, IMO.

 

[Drizzle]

I agree with the last part but Stanton would have been the better choice, IMO.

For Disney Animation? Stanton has less experience than Lee on that side of the company. He's never worked on an animated project for Disney outside of Pixar. Granted, it could be argued that Lasseter didn't have experience on that end either when they made him CCO in 2006, but that was during Disney's rebuilding phase where practically all of their films outside of Pixar and Pirates of the Caribbean were flopping so it made sense they went with the top brass at Pixar, a company that had it together creatively.

 

[psylockolussus]

Hopefully more fairy tale inspired films or adaptations on the way!

 

[Sawyer]

I like Docter's work, but I felt like Brad Bird would have a more distinctive voice regarding the overseer role alongside Lee. But I doubt he'd even have wanted that gig. I know Docter has been there since the start tho.

Bird doing stuff like Mission Impossible and Tomorrowland tells me he isn't interested in being tied down to just animated projects. Either way, after Up and Inside Out, Docter is no slouch.

I also don't have any qualms with Lee. I'm actually quite interested to see what becomes of the two sides of Disney's animation now that they aren't being run by the same person.

 

[Web-Head]

Docter also directed Monsters Inc. which is arguably Pixars most underrated film

 

[Zant]

Why do I get the feeling this is just a publicity thing and Lasseter is still calling the shots.....from afar.

 

[Drizzle]

Docter also directed Monsters Inc. which is arguably Pixars most underrated film

Monsters Inc. is pretty beloved and was successful enough to spawn another movie down the line. It would have won the Best Animated Feature Oscar if everyone didn't go crazy for Shrek that year. I wouldn't call it Pixar's most underrated film. I'd go with A Bug's Life or Brave for that title.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Why do I get the feeling this is just a publicity thing and Lasseter is still calling the shots.....from afar.

You like conspiracies?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Co-director and co-writer, wow, that's impressive. She's been co-doing stuff for Disney for only a few years and now she's being put in charge of everything. Meh. Frozen wasn't even that good.

Frozen is an all time beloved and successful film. Zootopia imo maybe the best Disney animated film. They know how much work she has put into that, Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph.

 

[TheVileOne]

Why not just let Jennifer Lee get the role?

 

[DarkKnight88]

She did. Disney Animation and Pixar Animation are two separate entities and should be looked at like so.

 

[TheVileOne]

She did. Disney Animation and Pixar Animation are two separate entities and should be looked at like so.

Lasseter was in charge of both.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Lasseter was in charge of both.

Because he worked in both. Jennifer Lee never worked for Pixar. And Pete Docter never worked for Disney Animation.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Lasseter was in charge of both.

Yes, and before that, two different people did the job. Lasseter came over to try and fix Disney Animation. There is no reason it has to be one job and it does seem odd to try and bring someone over to Pixar, which has its own style.