Does the smoke billowing out of the House of Mouse mean that there’s a Disney-sized fire at the entertainment conglomerate?
Most evidence suggests “yes,” but could Disney actually be turning a slight corner based on an abrupt departure?
A new report from Deadline also suggests “yes.”
Walt Disney’s President of Motion Picture Studios Sean Bailey is leaving his post after 15 years and there’s one thing the man is best known for, in the words of Deadline: Bailey “turned the company’s animation vault into a multibillion-dollar live-action movie business.”
Yes, every bad live-action adaptation (like this and that) can largely be credited blamed as a brainchild of Bailey’s.
And because of that, his departure has actually been met online with some level of glee.
Just look at any number of excited comments under this X post:
BOOM
*DISNEY FILM PRESIDENT SEAN BAILEY IS LEAVING THE COMPANY
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 26, 2024
While fans seem excited, for Disney, Bailey’s departure represents a significant bit of reshuffling at the company’s studios.
Deadline reports: “Searchlight co-president David Greenbaum will take on a newly created role. He’ll be president of Disney Live action and president of 20th Century Studios.
“Greenbaum’s new title will be President, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios. He’ll report to Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman.
“Steve Asbell will continue to serve as President, 20th Century Studios, a role he’s had since March 2020. He will report to Greenbaum.”
It remains to be seen the direction Greenbaum will steer Disney’s lucrative vault of intellectual properties, but it’s clear that fans are sick and tired of being sick and tired of creatively bankrupt (and unnecessarily “woke“) live-action adaptations.
Even Deadline sort of snidely noted that Greenbaum has “a big opportunity to broaden the Disney Motion Picture Studios business beyond primarily mining the animation catalog for live action hits.”
While critical reception hasn’t been great, Bailey’s infatuation with “mining the animation catalog” has yielded some commercial hits.
For all of their faults, live-action adaptations like “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast” helped Bailey navigate $7 billion in global box office earnings for Disney during his decade and a half at the House of Mouse.
It’s also undeniable that Bailey’s infatuation with live-action remakes has hit the point of diminishing returns, with the live-action “Snow White” becoming a PR nightmare despite not being anywhere near ready for release.
Have you seen a Disney move in theaters in the last five years?
Given those two factoids, it’s not clear if Bailey resigned of his own volition, or “resigned” at the behest of Disney’s board.
(Deadline also shot down the rumor that Bailey was leaving Disney to take up a top position at Netflix.)
For his part, Bailey appeared thankful for his time at Disney and is looking forward to seeing through the upcoming “Tron: Ares” before officially departing — a move that is something of a full circle moment for Bailey.
“These 15 years at Disney have been an incredible journey, but the time is right for a new chapter. I’m deeply grateful to my exceptional team and proud of the slate and history we’ve built together,” Bailey said, per Deadline.
He added: “I joined Disney while producing Tron: Legacy, so it seems fitting that I will have the opportunity to work on the latest Tron as I depart. I wish Bob Iger, Alan Bergman, and all my amazing colleagues the very best for a bright future.”
