John Lasseter Will Exit Disney By the end of 2018

Disney Pixar creative director John Lasseter will officially be leaving his position at the company following December 31st 2018.

You may recall the “missteps” that came to light earlier this year, where several former (and current) employees came forward citing various complaints about Lasseter’s conduct, “grabbing, kissing, making comments about physical attributes.”

After the accusations came to light, Lasseter was quick to step aside and issue a statement, saying:

“I have always wanted our animation studios to be places where creators can explore their vision with the support and collaboration of other gifted animators and storytellers. This kind of creative culture takes constant vigilance to maintain. It’s built on trust and respect, and it becomes fragile if any members of the team don’t feel valued. As a leader, it’s my responsibility to ensure that doesn’t happen; and I now believe I have been falling short in this regard.”

Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger said today about Lasseter’s leaving:

“John had a remarkable tenure at Pixar and Disney Animation, reinventing the animation business, taking breathtaking risks, and telling original, high quality stories that will last forever. We are profoundly grateful for his contribution, which included a masterful and remarkable turnaround of The Walt Disney Animation Studios. One of John’s greatest achievements is assembling a team of great storytellers and innovators with the vision and talent to set the standard in animation for generations to come.”

At this time, Disney has not announced who will be stepping in to take over Lasseter’s role, but animators Pete Docter (Inside Out) and Jennifer Lee (Frozen) are expected to be the ones tapped.