Lasseter may return to Disney

[skier_pete]

Yep. I still believe wholeheartedly that JL will back. He has been probably the most valuable employee of Disney for the past twenty years. That sort of talent and value gets you a second chance.

IDK - I still tend to think the reason we haven't heard anything is they are working to negotiate his exit. As I said earlier this isn't as easy as firing someone like you and me. He founded the company and is a big stakeholder in Disney. If he doesn't WANT to go, they'll have a bit of trouble getting him out.

 

[mom2rtk]

IDK - I still tend to think the reason we haven't heard anything is they are working to negotiate his exit. As I said earlier this isn't as easy as firing someone like you and me. He founded the company and is a big stakeholder in Disney. If he doesn't WANT to go, they'll have a bit of trouble getting him out.

Granted, I'm far from well versed on these cases or how their companies differ. But somehow The Weinstein Company managed to get rid of him pretty quickly.

I really really hope Disney isn't just waiting and hoping the smoke clears a bit and he can return.

 

[rteetz]

Granted, I'm far from well versed on these cases or how their companies differ. But somehow The Weinstein Company managed to get rid of him pretty quickly.

I really really hope Disney isn't just waiting and hoping the smoke clears a bit and he can return.

I think the Weinstein case is a little different in there were several formal complaints and allegations even going to now the legal level in court. We don’t have anything formal that we know of with Lasseter.

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

I think the Weinstein case is a little different in there were several formal complaints and allegations even going to now the legal level in court. We don’t have anything formal that we know of with Lasseter.

Agreed. The Weinstein case is very different. Weinstein is accused of being a rapist and a predator on the loose.

 

[skier_pete]

I think the Weinstein case is a little different in there were several formal complaints and allegations even going to now the legal level in court. We don’t have anything formal that we know of with Lasseter.

I was about to say the same thing...he's was actually arrested the other day and released on bail, but even before that there were multiple public accusations of rape. With Lassiter I don't know if there are actually any accusations within the company that can be used against him.

 

[MissGina5]

can disney low key send a reminder to employees to report harassment? Just kind of to light a fire and kinda signal that it would make a difference?

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

can disney low key send a reminder to employees to report harassment? Just kind of to light a fire and kinda signal that it would make a difference?

Maybe they could do that but if people don't think it's safe to speak up, many won't. And if people know there is talk of him coming back, many probably aren't going to feel it's safe to report him or anyone else.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

can disney low key send a reminder to employees to report harassment? Just kind of to light a fire and kinda signal that it would make a difference?

I am not in HR or PR but in some ways that seems worse - like they are trying to check a box and say “see, we explain to our workers the process!” But aren’t comfortable being open about it .... if management isn’t comfortable addressing the topic why would the individual worker feel comfortable reporting something?

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Having read the threads, and being a woman, I see Lasseter as someone who acted as he did when Pixar was a small company and everyone knew each other/came up together. As Pixar got bigger, and then bought by Disney, John’s mannerisms and personal interactions did not evolve to a corporate space. The comments in the media of “uncomfortable” do not rise — as currently reported - to a Weinstein or Lauer level. If he has demonstrated repentance and apologized, I say let him come back in some capacity. <puts on flame retardant coat>

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

One thing that struck me when I read the recap of what he had been accused of was that he's probably just a really weird dude. I mean in a harmless sort of way. Most great artists are reeeeeaaaaaaaalllly strange. I don't mean that they have strange fetishes or 'unacceptable to the general public' habits. ...but they are the kid in high school that no one talked to because they didn't fit in. Folks like Prince, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Steve Jobs...and John Lasseter...

 

[laurenpetro]

Granted, I'm far from well versed on these cases or how their companies differ. But somehow The Weinstein Company managed to get rid of him pretty quickly.

TWC collapsed and was sold for pennies on the dollar. They were/are so toxic it took several tries before someone would even touch them.

 

[Helvetica]

So... This comes out next month.

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/books/r...drens-book-starring-john-lasseter-158990.html

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

Yep. I also saw they released a book with a collection of art for Incredibles 2 a couple weeks ago and JL wrote the forward as he typically has done for the other Pixar movies. It seems like it would have been easy enough to have a producer or director do it (or redo it) so it made me wonder WHEN he wrote it. A year ago? Three months ago?

 

[skier_pete]

So I was curious and went to the Disney website. Lasseter is not listed anywhere amongst the executives. While you can still find mention of his name if you search through articles, he is not listed prominently among the top brass - and the only mention I could find of him on the Pixar page is on the "Our Story" page, and quite honestly for his level of contribution it seems pretty muted. (He's refered to as director of some things, but never mentioned as founder or CEO.)

Seems unusual if they plan on bringing him back.

 

[TsWade2]

Oh boy! Here we go again. Look, you'll all continue making a campaign of losing John Lasseter, but please, don't boycott upcoming Pixar and Disney Animation films, because people worked very hard on those movies. Bringing back 2d animation is one thing, but I think that would be very disrespectful to boycott upcoming films.

 

[rteetz]

Oh boy! Here we go again. Look, you'll all continue making a campaign of losing John Lasseter, but please, don't boycott upcoming Pixar and Disney Animation films, because people worked very hard on those movies. Bringing back 2d animation is one thing, but I think that would be very disrespectful to boycott upcoming films.

I’m not sure where people said they are boycotting Disney animation?

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

Hi @skier_pete I would be interested to hear more about what you found. I went pretty deep down that rabbit hole a week or so ago to see if Disney had done any noticeable whitewashing or removing film credits for upcoming movies, and didn't find anything. Looking back even Disney's original statement was pretty neutral and said it appreciated his sincere apology and fully supported his leave. None of that means he is coming back, just that they appear to have zero intent to discredit his legacy.

He isn't listed as an executive on the main Walt Disney executives page but according to web archives it appears he never was, so that likely means nothing. He IS listed still on the Walt Disney Studios website along with other Pixar and studio exec like Ed Catmull, Kathleen Kennedy, Alan Bergman etc. To this day his title reads..

John Lasseter Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios & Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering

The link still goes to his lengthy bio that lists his personal history, multiple awards and film credits, it's a bit dated and hasn't been updated to add Coco but it starts with this

John Lasseter maintains creative oversight of all films and associated projects from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Disneytoon Studios, and is involved in a wide range of activities at Walt Disney Imagineering.

I am not sure why but it boggles my mind that 7 months later they haven't indicated at all which way they are leaning. Honestly, I could see it going several different ways, but I would say that since Disney has been slow to distance themselves IF they do part ways , it will likely appear very amicable with nothing negative said by either side.

He was absent from the Incredibles 2 premiere and I thought what the Director Brad Bird said when asked about John returning was very classy. It seems like no one has any intent to discredit his many contributions, regardless of what the future may hold.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

They have John under contract and they'll keep him under contract. He'll have several handlers that will watch out for his welfare and keep him sober. His advisement and consultation will be monitored. We will only hear about John if Disney wants us to hear something. Disney just wants to get all the settlements in place and forestall any scandal.

 

[rteetz]

They have John under contract and they'll keep him under contract. He'll have several handlers that will watch out for his welfare and keep him sober. His advisement and consultation will be monitored. We will only hear about John if Disney wants us to hear something. Disney just wants to get all the settlements in place and forestall any scandal.

I assume this is you just speculating?

 

[adam.adbe]

Oh boy! Here we go again. Look, you'll all continue making a campaign of losing John Lasseter, but please, don't boycott upcoming Pixar and Disney Animation films, because people worked very hard on those movies. Bringing back 2d animation is one thing, but I think that would be very disrespectful to boycott upcoming films.

That's ridiculous. Plenty of people work really hard at Facebook, but I'll continue to ignore Facebook until the day I die. There are lots of really committed and passionate people at Apple, but plenty of folks wouldn't be seen dead sporting a device with a fruit logo. Not my war, but I'm cool with people not digging Apple for one reason or another.

Am I obliged to find an hour in my day to read Breitbart and Huff Post? 'cos if it's all the same to you, I'd really rather not.