Longtime Pixar President Jim Morris to Step Down, Jonathan Garson Named Successor

Changes are coming to Pixar.The Emeryville, California-based studio, responsible for standalone masterpieces like “WALL•E,” “Up” and “Ratatouille,” along with hit franchises like “The Incredibles,” “Finding Dory” and “Monsters, Inc.,” is getting new leadership. After 21 years at Pixar, including 12 as president, Jim Morris will transition to the role of president emeritus. Jonathan Garson will succeed him as president, effective Jan. 4, 2027. Garson joined Pixar in 2010, having previously served as vice president of franchise and product management at The Walt Disney Studios (TWDS), where he was “responsible for working with various divisions of the Walt Disney Company to manage long-term strategic franchise planning and identify growth opportunities for the Studio’s animated properties,” according to Pixar. He had been with Disney for 16 years before that, beginning as an assistant to the chairman of The Walt Disney Studios in the late 1990s. Before becoming president, Garson oversaw the studio’s operations departments, working alongside Head of Production Jonas Rivera. He previously served as senior vice president of worldwide marketing and franchise for Pixar, overseeing all marketing and franchise efforts for the studio, including long-lead planning, marketing and campaign development. He also managed the studio’s promotional, creative content, consumer products, theme parks, archives, exhibition and creative services departments. Alongside Garson’s appointment, Pixar announced that Jonas Rivera has been elevated to executive vice president of creative. A longtime Pixar producer, Rivera previously served as executive vice president of production, overseeing all feature film production at the studio. Pete Docter, director of some of the studio’s most acclaimed films, will remain as chief creative officer, “reinforcing the partnership between creative vision and execution,” according to the studio. Morris will remain involved in Pixar’s slate, including “Incredibles 3,” due out June 16, 2028, as well as talent development, mentorship and technology initiatives, “continuing to shape the studio’s creative culture and legacy.” Pixar has had a very good 2026, with Daniel Chong’s delightful original “Hoppers” making nearly $400 million worldwide and “Toy Story 5,” directed by Pixar legend Andrew Stanton and co-directed by Kenna Harris, becoming the most successful entry in the franchise, with more than $1.14 billion at the global box office. Coming up for the studio is “Gatto,” the second feature from “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa, about a black cat (voiced by Mark Ruffalo) navigating the deeply superstitious city of Venice. It will be released March 5, 2027. In 2028, Pixar will release “Ghost Market,” a spooky adventure from directors Trevor Jimenez and Jesse Andrews, and “Incredibles 3,” directed by Peter Sohn from a script by Brad Bird.