Disney Animation Shakes Things Up: Jared Bush Becomes Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Lee Steps Back To Prepare For Frozen Sequels

Walt Disney Company DIS has appointed Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jared Bush as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Walt Disney Animation Studios, effective immediately.

Jennifer Lee will step back from her role to focus on filmmaking full-time and oversee the Frozen franchise for the studio, the company said in a press release.

As Chief Creative Officer, Bush will manage the creative output of the renowned animation studio, encompassing its films, series, and related projects.

Having been with the studio for over ten years, he won an Academy Award in 2022 for Encanto, where he served as both director and writer, and was also an executive producer for the Oscar-nominated Raya and the Last Dragon in the same year, the company said.

Also Read: Disney Strikes First-Look Deal With Spider-Man Director Jon Watts: Report

Lee, who has served as Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2018, will direct and write Frozen 3 and co-write Frozen 4 with Marc Smith, also serving as executive producer for the latter.

The “Frozen” franchise holds significant importance for Disney. The original film captured cultural attention for months, grossing $1.3 billion globally and generating billions in merchandise sales, reported The New York Times. Following its success, a Broadway musical adaptation and “Frozen” attractions were introduced at Disney theme parks. “Frozen 2,” directed by Lee and Buck, earned $1.4 billion at the box office in 2019.

According to Benzinga Pro, DIS stock has gained over 13% in the past year. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via First Trust S-Network Streaming and Gaming ETF BNGE and AdvisorShares Gerber Kawasaki ETFGK.

Price Action: DIS shares are trading higher by 0.09% to $93.53 at last check Friday.

Photo via Shutterstock

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