Jennifer Lee steps down as Disney Animation chief creative officer. ‘Zootopia’ co-director takes over

Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee has stepped down from her executive role to focus on leading the “Frozen” franchise, Walt Disney Co. said Thursday.

“Zootopia” and “Encanto” director Jared Bush has been named as her replacement. The change is effective immediately.

Lee served as head of the storied animation studio for six years, overseeing its creative output including movies, series and related projects.

Under her leadership, the studio has seen major successes, such as 2019’s “Frozen 2,” which grossed $1.4 billion at the box office globally, and 2021’s “Encanto,” which won best animated feature. But ambitious films such as 2022’s “Strange World” and 2023’s “Wish” didn’t connect with audiences.

She was a director and screenwriter of 2013’s “Frozen” and its sequel. She will now focus on writing and directing the next installment of the franchise — “Frozen 3,” set for release in 2027 — and writing “Frozen 4” along with colleague Marc Smith and serving as the film’s executive producer. Lee has worked at Disney Animation since 2011.

Bush has worked at Disney Animation for 13 years and is writing and directing “Zootopia 2,” which will come out next year. He also served as screenwriter for 2016’s “Moana” and was executive producer on 2021’s “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

“Disney Animation is home to some of the greatest stories and characters of the past century,” Bush said in a statement. “I’m so excited to work with all of our filmmakers, artists, and Disney Animation team members as we shape the future of this legendary studio together.”

Disney Entertainment co-Chair Alan Bergman called Bush a “prominent creative force at Disney Animation for the past decade” and said in the statement that he was “thrilled that he’ll be taking the reins of this storied studio.”

Lee said in the statement that she was grateful to Bergman and Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger “for supporting my decision to return to filmmaking full time.”

“I’ve always believed in Jared’s incredible talent and can’t wait to see, with his passion and dedication to animation, what he brings to the [chief creative officer] role,” she said. “For me, getting to collaborate with this studio of artists, animators, and storytellers is such a privilege, and I look forward to all we will create together.”

The change at the top of the animation division comes as Disney goes through a period of intense change. The Burbank media and entertainment giant has embarked on a cost-cutting plan to save money and stem losses from its streaming business. Last year, Iger said the company would lay off 7,000 people as part of a $5.5-billion cost-cutting plan.

Those targets eventually swelled to $7.5 billion in savings and 8,000 eliminated roles.