Pixar Leadership Change: Garson Replaces Morris

The Pixar leadership change is official: Jonathan Garson will become president of the studio behind Toy Story, taking over from Jim Morris. According to TheWrap, the handoff takes effect on January fourth, twenty twenty-seven.

Who is stepping in, and who is stepping back

Morris spent twenty-one years at Pixar, including twelve as president. He now moves into the role of president emeritus. Garson, who joined Pixar in twenty ten after a long run at The Walt Disney Studios, will oversee all production and operations at the animation house.

Garson also has deep Disney roots. According to Reuters, he has been with Pixar since twenty ten and with Disney for more than thirty years, most recently serving as the studio's general manager. Earlier he led worldwide marketing and franchise work for Pixar, and he began his career as an assistant to the chairman of the Disney studios in the late nineties.

Reuters also reports that Pixar says its feature films generated more than twelve billion dollars at the global box office during Morris's tenure. That is a seriously stacked résumé to hand off, and the studio is framing the move as a planned succession rather than a shake-up.

What changes for the creative team

The announcement is bigger than one job title. Pete Docter stays on as chief creative officer, the person who guards the films themselves. Jonas Rivera, a longtime Pixar producer who previously oversaw all feature production, is promoted to executive vice president of creative.

According to Variety, Garson will work in partnership with Docter, and both Garson and Morris report to Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Entertainment and Studios. Bergman said the transition will ensure a smooth succession for the team as Morris prepares for his eventual retirement.

Morris is not disappearing. He stays on as an executive producer of Incredibles 3, due on June sixteenth, twenty twenty-eight. He will also focus on talent development, mentoring across Pixar and Disney's studios, and technology projects meant to support artists and storytellers.

A hot streak to protect

The timing says a lot. TheWrap notes that Pixar has had a very good year, with the original film Hoppers earning nearly four hundred million dollars worldwide. Toy Story Five has become the most successful entry in its franchise, with more than one point one four billion dollars at the global box office.

Coming up is Gatto, the second feature from Luca director Enrico Casarosa, about a black cat voiced by Mark Ruffalo in superstitious Venice. It lands on March fifth, twenty twenty-seven. In twenty twenty-eight, the studio plans Ghost Market and then Incredibles 3, directed by Peter Sohn from a script by Brad Bird.

It also helps to remember how Pixar got here. Disney bought the studio in two thousand six, bringing the makers of Toy Story and The Incredibles under the same corporate roof as Disney's own animation division. Since then the studio has leaned on a mix of beloved franchises and bold originals, and the people running operations have had to keep both lanes moving.

Behind the scenes, the producers, department heads and post-production teams will now answer to Garson, while Docter keeps the final say on the creative side. That split between business and story is deliberate, and Disney is pitching it as a way to protect the filmmakers while the studio grows. Gen Z fans who grew up on Pixar will be watching to see if that promise holds when the next slate arrives.

Why fans should watch this one

Studio leadership changes rarely trend, but they shape what ends up on screen. Pixar has spent years balancing original stories against sequels, and Garson's background in franchises and marketing will be watched closely. Fans who want more weird, original films like Hoppers and Gatto will be hoping that balance holds.

For now, the message from Disney is continuity. The creative leaders stay put, the founder-era mentor stays involved, and the new president knows the building. Whether the Pixar leadership change nudges the studio toward more sequels or more risks is the question to track through next year's releases. For more, see the movies section and the tech desk.