Disney’s ex animation chief, John Lasseter, who took Pixar Studio to the next level is set to take charge of Skydance’s animation unit. Skydance Media CEO David Ellison announced that Lasseter has been named the head of Skydance Animation.
Lasseter will be reporting directly to Ellison, and will be based in Los Angeles starting later this month.
Lasseter left Pixar and Disney Animations in November 2017, amid accusations of sexual harassment. According to a statement given to Hollywood Reporter by Ellison, “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.”
Lasseter has directed Toy Story and Toy Story 2, among other Pixar films, and also executive produced the WDA features. While he won only two Oscars himself (one a specialty Oscar for his work on Toy Story), Pixar gained eight best animated feature wins and WDA scored three wins during his tenure.
