Former Disney Pixar CCO John Lasseter Tapped to Head Skydance Animation

Former Pixar alumni John Lasseter (Toy Story, Cars) has been tapped to be the head of Skydance Animation, as revealed in a new report form THR.

The announcement from Skydance CEO David Ellison will be somewhat controversial for some movie fans, as Lasseter was forced to leave Pixar, after reports of him possibly having committed “missteps” of sexual misconduct surfaced in late 2017, as part of the wave of Hollywood execs hit with such accusations in the rise of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.

David Ellison announced Lasseter’s appointment with the following statement to press:

“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.”

Ellison also addressed the elephant in the room: putting a man accused of multiple accounts of sexual misconduct with employees, back into a position of power:

“John has acknowledged and apologized for his mistakes and, during the past year away from the workplace, has endeavored to address and reform them.”

That may sound like a reasonable enough ‘mea culpa’ to some people, but it’s unlikely to sway a whole lot of others. The big social movements currently trying to protect and empower victims of sexual assault / abuse have made such significant forward progress and change that the idea of studio giving authority to someone tainted by such accusations will be a major deal-breaker. Especially when the person in question will be in charge of a studio endeavoring to make animated content that will in (large?) part be aimed at children. The thought of conversations about children’s animated movies and sexual misconduct occupying the some space seems like the kind of thing that probably should be avoided…

Of course, it’s not all that surprising to see Skydance scooping up a major visionary talent like Lasseter wherever (and whatever state) they can get him. The studio has been trying to gain market share for of both in-house talent and box office revenue for years now – but for every Mission: Impossible, Star Trek, or World War Z success, there’s been a Terminator Genisys, G.I. Joe, or Baywatch flop that’s killed franchise hopes, and kept the studio stranded as a mid-level player. Skydance has been trying to find success in branching out, but even its TV division has been a mixed bag, with Netflix hits like Grace and Frankie and Altered Carbon, and network flops like 10 Days in the Valley or Manhattan.

With Lasseter being brought onboard, there’s clear hope that Skydance Animation will produce some major hits for the studio. We’ll have to wait and see if that truly happens – or if Lasseter is even given a chance to do so, when faced with the court of public opinion.

What do you think of Skydance snatching up John Lasseter? Let us know in the comments!