Jennifer Lee, Pete Docter Named Chief Creative Officers of Disney, Pixar

It has been announced that Oscar nominee Jennifer Lee will be taking over as Chief Creative Officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios and that Oscar winner Pete Docter will be Chief Creative Officer for Pixar Animation Studios.

This news comes as confirmation that the pair would officially be taking over the position(s) vacated by previous Chief John Lasseter come 2019.

Lee said of the news:

“I am deeply grateful to everyone at Walt Disney Animation Studios and The Walt Disney Company for this opportunity. Animation is the most collaborative art form in the world, and it is with the partnership of my fellow filmmakers, artists, and innovators that we look ahead to the future. My hope is to support the incredible talent we have, find new voices, and work together to tell original stories. The great films of Disney Animation – the films I loved as a kid and my daughter has grown up loving – are magical, timeless, and full of heart, and it is our goal to create films that carry on and grow this 95-year legacy for future generations.”

Docter said:

“”I am excited and humbled to be asked to take on this role. It is not something I take lightly; making films at Pixar has been my chronic obsession since I started here 28 years ago. I am fortunate to work alongside some of the most talented people on the planet, and together we will keep pushing animation in new directions, using the latest technology to tell stories we hope will surprise and delight audiences around the world.”

According to a recent statement, Lee and Docter will have “responsibility for the creative oversight of all films and associated projects of their respective studios” and will be reporting directly to The Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn.

Horn said of the appointments:

“Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter are two of the most gifted filmmakers and storytellers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Pete, the genius creative force behind Up, Inside Out, and Monsters, Inc., has been an integral part of Pixar almost since the beginning and is a huge part of its industry-leading success. Jenn, in bringing her bold vision to the boundary-breaking Frozen, has helped infuse Disney Animation with a new and exciting perspective. Each of them embodies the unique spirit, culture, and values of these renowned animation studios, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have them to lead us into the future.”