Pixar Animation Studios is set to undergo a leadership change, After serving as president for 12 of his 21 years at the studio, Jim Morris will transition to a president emeritus role. Jonathan Garson will become the studio’s new president, partnering with Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter. In his new role as president, Garson will oversee all production and operations for Pixar — which most recently released the billion-dollar hit “Toy Story 5,” and has the original animated films “Gatto” and “Ghost Market” upcoming — including its producers, department heads, and post-production.
As president emeritus, Morris will continue as executive producer of “Incredibles 3,” slated for a June 2028 theatrical release. More broadly, he will focus on talent development and mentoring across Pixar and Walt Disney Studios, as well as technology initiatives to support the studios’ storytellers and artists. Garson and Morris will both report to Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Entertainment and Studios at The Walt Disney Company, who announced the leadership changes, effective Jan. 4, 2027, on Wednesday.
As we prepare for his eventual retirement, this transition will ensure a smooth succession for the team.” Garson, Bergman said, has “proven to be an exceptional leader with a strong sense of what makes Pixar unique and how its storytelling comes to life in so many ways for fans, and Pete Docter and I are excited for him to step into this role.” Bergman also announced that Jonas Rivera will step into an expanded creative executive VP role, leading filmmakers and development and working closely with both Docter and Garson. Morris joined Pixar in 2005 after a long tenure at Lucasfilm and ILM, where he served as ILM’s general manager and later as president of Lucas Digital Ltd., overseeing visual effects work on dozens of landmark films. He was named president in 2014, succeeding the studio’s first president, Ed Catmull.
During Morris’ tenure, Pixar’s feature films have generated more than $12 billion at the global box office, continuing a legacy of critical acclaim and cultural relevance. He’s a Pixar person through and through, a fierce champion of our films, our people, and our culture. Pixar is in very good hands.” Garson has been with Disney for more than 30 years and joined Pixar in 2010, working closely with Docter and Morris.
He most recently served as Pixar’s general manager and previously led its marketing and franchise team. Since then, he has worked on almost every Pixar release, winning Oscars for “Inside Out” and “Toy Story 4”; earning a best picture nomination for “Up,” his first feature as producer; and executive producing “Inside Out 2, “the studio’s biggest global hit and one of the biggest animated films in history. Jim has been an extraordinary mentor and leader, and I intend to build on the lessons I learned from him as we look toward our next chapter.”
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