Wish it was Ron Clements or Eric Goldberg at WDAS since, you know, they are long-time veterans. But, I'm still so excited for Clark! He deserves it as well. Congrats, gentlemen!
Disney is shuffling animation executives and applying a tighter rein to Fox’s Blue Sky Studios, as the Burbank company continues to process its $71.3 billion acquisition of most of the assets of the former 21st Century Fox.
Walt Disney Animation Studios president Andrew Millstein will join Blue Sky as the Greenwich, Conn., animation studio’s co-president alongside current co-president Robert Baird, Disney said Friday. Baird will continue to run the creative side of Blue Sky, reporting to Disney co-chairs Alan Horn and Alan Bergman.
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With Millstein moving to Blue Sky, Zootopia producer and creative executive Clark Spencer has been named president, Walt Disney Animation Studios, reporting to Bergman and working alongside Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee, who continues to report to Horn and Bergman.
Disney’s installation of some of its top animation executives at Blue Sky suggests the company plans to retain the Fox division despite already having a deep roster of talent at its two existing animation studios. Disney’s possible use for Blue Sky, the company behind the Ice Age and Rio franchises, will be to feed content to the company’s streaming service, Disney+, which launches in November.
A coincidence that it happens just ten days after Ed Catmull has officially retired? Personally I don't any suspicious about it, and everybody knew there would be some rearrangements after Fox became a part of Disney. But it does make me wonder (after all, they were quick to close Disneytoon Studios as soon as it was clear that Lasseter would not return).
I dont know if they made the best choice here, but they did need some kind of change imo. Blue sky seems like they have tons of great artists being held back by their higher ups. They aren't usually given the best stories, or if they are there's too much executive meddling. The individual artists work shrines through all that, but never quite saves it.
I don't know what to make of any of this, tbh. Time will tell if these are good choices or not. I was even hopeful about Lasseter working at Disney initially, too, and look how that turned. Here's hoping for the best!
Listening to most often lately:
Ariana Grande ~ "we can't be friends (wait for your love)"
Ariana Grande ~ "imperfect for you"
Kacey Musgraves ~ "The Architect"
