Pixar Names Jonathan Garson President as Jim Morris Steps Back

Pixar Animation Studios has named Jonathan Garson its next president, succeeding Jim Morris in a leadership handover that takes effect on 4 January 2027.

The change was announced on Wednesday by Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Entertainment, Studios. Garson, a Disney veteran of more than 30 years who has been at Pixar since 2010, will take charge of the studio’s production and operations, working alongside Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter.

Morris, who has led Pixar for 12 years, will step back from day-to-day leadership and take the title of president emeritus ahead of his eventual retirement. He will remain involved in “Incredibles 3” and other projects, the studio said.

A handover at the top of the studio

Garson will oversee all production and operations at Pixar, including its producers, department heads and post-production teams. Docter will retain oversight of the studio’s films, keeping the creative leadership that has defined Pixar’s recent output in place.

“Jonathan Garson will become president on January 4, replacing Jim Morris, who will step back from day-to-day leadership ahead of his eventual retirement,” Pixar said in its announcement, reported by Reuters.

Both Garson and Morris will report to Bergman, who announced the transition on Wednesday. Jonas Rivera has also been elevated to executive vice president of creative as part of the reshuffle.

Morris joined Pixar in 2005 and was named president in 2014, becoming only the studio’s second president after co-founder Ed Catmull. His tenure covered a run of hits and the studio’s expansion into streaming-era production, and he will now hand the operational reins to a successor who has spent 15 years inside the studio.

What comes next for Pixar

The leadership change arrives with Pixar’s release slate already set for the next two years. The studio’s most recent film, “Toy Story 5”, was a billion-dollar hit, and its upcoming slate includes the original animated films “Gatto” in March 2027 and “Ghost Market” in March 2028, followed by “Incredibles 3” in June 2028.

Morris will stay on as executive producer of “Incredibles 3”, keeping a direct hand in the sequel that is expected to be one of Pixar’s biggest releases of the decade.

The reshuffle sets up the next generation of leadership at the Emeryville studio, pairing Garson’s operational experience with Docter’s creative direction. Garson has served as the studio’s general manager, a role that put him at the centre of production planning across Pixar’s films.

For Disney, the appointment is the latest in a series of succession moves across its studios, as the company looks to keep its animation pipeline steady while its biggest franchises continue to perform. Pixar’s films remain among the most reliable box-office performers in family entertainment, and the new leadership team will be judged on whether the coming slate can match the success of “Toy Story 5”.

A steady transition

The handover is deliberately gradual. With two months between the announcement and the effective date, Garson and Morris have time to hand over responsibilities before the new year, and Morris’s continued involvement in “Incredibles 3” means the outgoing president’s experience stays within the studio.

Pixar’s announcement made no mention of any wider restructuring, and the studio’s creative leadership remains unchanged, with Docter continuing as chief creative officer and Rivera stepping up in the creative ranks.