Friday, March 08, 2013

Calm After The Storm

The new head of Disney's movie studio charts a different course.

... Alan Horn, a 70-year-old industry veteran, has brought gravitas to the top of a studio embroiled in drama since 2009, when Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger filled the job with Rich Ross, a television executive who had no filmmaking experience. Mr. Ross lasted less than three years.

"There really is a feeling of stability and that is exactly what was needed," said Mr. Roth, who held Mr. Horn's job from 1994 through 2000. "A year or two ago you'd talk to agents and they couldn't figure out what Disney was up to." ...

Mr. Ross ruffled many feathers during his short tenure, including Stephen Spielberg's. It's okay to be a brusque and edgy if you get results. But when you don't, the long knives come out.

Another thing that Alan Horn did in his first weeks at his new job was pull the plug on Henry Selick's stop motion feature The Shadow King. (The San Francisco studio in which it was being made also got cancelled.) Mr. Horn might be considered more polished and diplomatic than Richard Ross, but he can still cancel movies (and movie crews) when he feels there's a need.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Just like in past history when a new warlord would replace the old one, it's important (in their jaundiced eyes) to kill the children of their predecessor - or as many of them as they can.

Celshader said...

@Steven - I think lions do that, too, after taking over the pride of another lion.

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