Disney Severs Ties with Pixar's Lightyear Director and the Producer Instrumental to Toy Story 2's Success

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by Samuel Pordengerg Jun 4, 2023 News
Disney Severs Ties with Pixar

Disney terminated several of its Pixar staff, including Lightyear director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman, who were renowned for their roles in saving Toy Story 2. Lightyear's poor performance at the box office led to a wave of layoffs.

Lightyear's gross barely exceeded its production costs, making it a flop for Disney. More than 70 executives, including Pixar's Vice President of Worldwide Publicity, Michael Agulnek, were terminated due to the failure.

The challenges Disney faces go beyond the failure of a film. The roots of the entertainment giant's financial troubles can be traced back to the short and troubled tenure of CEO Bob Chapek. The issues became so significant that Bob Iger felt compelled to come back and take the helm again.

Lightyear’s Box Office Flop Was Only Part of the Reason

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Disney/Pixar

Disney's streaming service, Disney+, has failed to give the expected financial windfall, putting the company in a tighter spot. The company pushed Lucasfilm to pivot towards generating content for Disney+ rather than creating big-screen productions in order to make up for the situation.

Disney wanted to increase its revenue streams through theatrical releases. The strategy stumbled with the twin failures of Strange World and Lightyear.

The success of The Super Mario Bros. was not the reason for the box office failures. The failures of Strange World and Lightyear can be attributed to poor marketing and the inherent risks of backing a new intellectual property, as with Lightyear.

Disney's cost-cutting measures seem to be the reason for the recent layoffs. Disney's strategy has changed as the company grapples with its financial challenges. Disney is faced with the daunting task of realigning Pixar's trajectory and ensuring the viability of its separate animation studio as Toy Story 5 begins. The clock is running for Disney to get its finances in order and avoid the downfall of a major player.