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Pixar is starting 2027 with a major shake-up at the top of its leadership structure. General manager Jonathan Garson will succeed Jim Morris as studio president, while veteran producer Jonas Rivera will take on the expanded role of executive vice president of creative.
This appointment will begin in earnest on January 4, 2027. Pete Docter will continue to serve as chief creative officer, and Morris, who has served as studio president since 2014, will assume the role of chairman emeritus and prepare for his final retirement.
In his new role, Garson will work alongside Docter to oversee Pixar’s production and operations, including producers, department heads and post-production. Both Garson and Morris will report to Alan Bergman, Chairman of Studios at Disney Entertainment. The new president explained in a press release:
I still remember seeing it Toy Story For the first time – I never imagined that one day I would work at Pixar. I never imagined I would be in this leadership role. Every day I walk through its doors, I am reminded of how special this place is and how lucky I am to be a part of it. Jim has shown me what it looks like to protect this culture of quality, innovation and creative ambition, and I am very grateful to him and Alan for their trust and support. This is a humble opportunity. I look forward to working with Pete, Jonas, the production leadership team led by Katherine Sarafian and Lindsey Collins, and all the incredible talent here at Pixar to continue to push boundaries and lead the studio into the future.
Pixar’s new president has worked at parent company Disney for more than 30 years, joining the company in 2010. Before becoming General Manager, he led the studio’s marketing and franchise teams.
“Jim has shown me what it means to protect this culture of quality, innovation and creative ambition, and I am very grateful to both him and Alan for their trust and support,” Garson said in the release.
Rivera’s appointment marks a significant shift in responsibilities. When we covered his promotion to Vice President of Film Production in 2022, his duties were listed as operational oversight for film and streaming production, with Docter responsible for creative oversight. Now Rivera will focus full-time on the creative side with Docter.
Rivera said:
This place, its people, and its stories have been my life’s work since I walked through these doors as Pixar’s first production intern. I am deeply honored to take on this new role with Pete and to work with him and Jonathan to support our incredible filmmakers and artists. Jim has been an extraordinary mentor and leader, and I look forward to taking the lessons I learned from him as we move into our next chapter.
His responsibilities now include Pixar’s director, creative VP, development, casting and content advisory departments. Rivera and Docter will also serve as executive producers on all of Pixar’s films.
Rivera joined Pixar in 1994 as its first production intern. His producing credits include: consolation, inside outand toy story 4The latter two earned him Oscars. He also served as executive producer. Inside Out 2It is the studio’s highest-grossing film ever at the global box office.
As he let go of some of his responsibilities in the studio, Morris Incredibles 3. His new role will reportedly include developing and mentoring talent across Pixar and Walt Disney Studios, along with technology initiatives to support artists and filmmakers.
In a press release, the outgoing president reflected on his transformative time at the company:
Leading Pixar has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I am honored to steward its legacy alongside extraordinary artists, storytellers, and technicians who continue to redefine what animation can do and expand the art of motion pictures. After 52 years in the industry and nearly 40 years at Lucasfilm and Pixar, I will be stepping back from day-to-day life, but I’m excited to be working with my friends Pete, Jonathan, and Jonas at Pixar and handling several special projects. And, of course, Alan Bergman, who has been a Pixar supporter for many years.
Looking ahead, we can’t think of anyone better to continue the legacy of this beloved studio than Jonathan. He’s a Pixar guy through and through, and a fierce champion of our movies, our people, and our culture. Pixar is in very good hands.
Before joining Pixar in 2005, Morris held senior positions at Industrial Light & Magic and Lucas Digital. During his time as Pixar president, he experienced both great commercial success and difficult periods of restructuring as the studio’s parent company reevaluated its streaming ambitions and theatrical business.
In May 2024, Pixar laid off approximately 175 people, or 14% of its workforce, in the largest layoff in its history. In a staff memo, Morris linked the scale back to Pixar’s retreat from producing Disney+ series and a new focus on features. As Disney embarked on a yearlong massive cost-cutting move this year, Pixar faced cuts of a similar magnitude as it prepared to embrace a “long-term, lean” production approach. This was explained to us by a long-time employee as a strategy to limit future films to a 16,500-man-week workforce, down from 18,500 for previous productions to just over 20,000.
The upcoming succession plan in January will now strengthen the creative leadership partnership between Docter and Rivera, while taking over production and operations under Garson. Bergman characterized these changes as preparation for Morris’ eventual retirement, although no specific retirement date has been announced.
Pixar’s upcoming slate includes original features. GatoScheduled for March 5, 2027 ghost marketDeadline: March 10, 2028, thereafter Incredibles 3 June 2028.