Disney has been taking heavy blows for over a year as viewers push back against woke programming, and movie-goers largely ignore big-screen releases. To add to its misery, Disney reported much lower park attendance than at any time in recent years, as bad press and questionable practices have led to many parents spending their entertainment dollars elsewhere.
Of course, it is nearly all self-inflicted wounds. Disney decided to tangle with the most popular governor in America, Ron DeSantis and lost, and their insistence on pushing woke lgbtq themes and forced diversity onto viewers, specifically children, has turned off many parents. Rather than ease off the proverbial gas and go back to basics with family-friendly programming, Disney doubled down, and now it is costing jobs.
Bailey helped take many of Disney’s old-school animated features like “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” and “Beauty and the Beast” and turn them into live-action adventures for a new generation. He is being replaced by Searchlight Pictures co-president David Greenbaum. Bailey started at Disney with the 2010 “Tron Legacy” and will stay on to finish “Tron: Ares” before moving on from the struggling studio.
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said: “Sean has been an incredibly important member of the studio’s creative team for well over a decade. He and his team have brought to the screen iconic stories and moments that have delighted fans around the world and will stand the test of time. I know he’ll continue to do great things, and I couldn’t be happier that he’s staying on as a producer of Tron: Ares.” It wasn’t noted as to the reason for the switch at the time.
Bailey, saying all the right things of a man who needs a job, said: “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. 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.”
Bailey didn’t divulge any immediate plans beyond finishing the Tron movie, but whatever it is, it won’t be with the struggling Mouse, who may be looking for the new studio president to lead them back from the brink of financial ruin. Of course, this would mean a move back toward more family-friendly content, but Disney can only afford to lose millions for so long.
Greenbaum has an impressive list of successes on his resume, including “No Country for Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood” while at Miramax. Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman said: “David has an incredible creative sensibility and eye for film, and he has built a reputation as an exceptional leader and creative executive, as proven by his track record at Searchlight Pictures and deep relationships throughout the industry. I’m thrilled that he’ll be taking on this new and important role. We’ve had the great fortune to have a strong creative leader in Steve Asbell at 20th Century, and I’m excited for him to work closely with David as we take a more strategic look across both brands from a creative and operational standpoint. I also want to thank Sean Bailey for his many contributions and leadership over his tenure at Disney.
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Perhaps Greenbaum will shift the studio away from endless sequels and live-action cartoons back to more character-driven storytelling. Either way, if 2023 is any barometer, Disney couldn’t do any worse moving forward.