Former Disney & Pixar CCO John Lasseter To Lead Skydance Animation

Skydance Media announced on Wednesday that former Disney and Pixar chief creative officer John Lasseter will lead the studios’ animation division.

Lasseter is best known for his chief creative officer role at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. Skydance Media CEO David Ellison announced on Wednesday that Lasseter is set to lead Skydance Animation after retiring last year from Disney due to a report detailing alleged misconduct. In a statement made during the announcement, Ellison praised Lasseter:

“John is a singular creative and executive talent whose impact on the animation industry cannot be overstated. He was responsible for leading animation into the digital age, while telling incomparable stories that continue to inspire and entertain audiences around the globe. John has acknowledged and apologized for his mistakes and, during the past year away from the workplace, has endeavored to address and reform them.”

Skydance Animation was formed back in 2017 with two features currently in development. Luck will be directed by Kung Fu Panda 3‘s Alessandro Carloni, with a script from Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The other animated project is Untitled Action Fantasy from Shrek director Vicky Jenson and The Lion King (1994) scribe Linda Woolverton. Lasseter will oversee all Skydance Animation projects and set a creative direction for the studio in his new role. Lasseter addressed previous allegations and expressed excitement for the opportunity to build the new animation studio:

“I’m grateful to David and the Skydance team and know that I have been entrusted with an enormous responsibility. It is a distinct privilege that I will relish. I have spent the last year away from the industry in deep reflection, learning how my actions unintentionally made colleagues uncomfortable, which I deeply regret and apologize for. It has been humbling, but I believe it will make me a better leader. I want nothing more than the opportunity to return to my creative and entrepreneurial roots, to build and invent again. I join Skydance with the same enthusiasm that drove me to help build Pixar, with a firm desire to tell original and diverse stories for audiences everywhere. With what I have learned and how I have grown in the past year, I am resolute in my commitment to build an animation studio upon a foundation of quality, safety, trust and mutual respect.”

What are your thoughts on John Lasseter’s move to Skydance Animation? Sound off in the comments below!

Here is the synopsis for Pixar’s next film, Toy Story 4:

Woody has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.

Directed by Josh Cooley from a script written by Stephany Folsom, Toy Story 4 features the voice talents of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Blake Clark, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Jodi Benson, Michael Keaton, Jeff Pidgeon, Kristen Schaal, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Jeff Garlin, Laurie Metcalf, Lori Alan, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele and Keanu Reeves.

Toy Story 4 will be released in theaters on June 21, 2019.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter