Steaming service operations moved under combined Media and Entertainment Distribution group
Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced a major restructuring on Monday, which will put its streaming service Disney+ at the center of the company’s operations.
The new structure will be geared towards a “focus on developing and producing original content for the Company’s streaming services,” Disney said in announcing its reorganization on Monday. The most prominent change is the combination of the distribution and ad sales teams, which will be led by Kareem Daniel, who served as president of consumer products, games and publishing.

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Click Here Already a subscriber? LoginThe Media and Entertainment Distribution group will be in charge of running Disney’s streaming services and TV networks, in addition to oversight of P&L management and all distribution, operations, sales, advertising, data and technology functions. Rebecca Campbell will still head up Disney’s direct-to-consumer operations but now report to Daniel.
Also Read: Disney Defends '78 Seconds' of 'Mulan' Footage Filmed in China
Disney is putting its content development into three groups — studios, general entertainment and sports — which is now separate from distribution. The three groups will be headed by their current leaders Alan Horn and Alan Bergman, Peter Rice, and James Pitaro. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will continue to operate under its existing structure, led by Josh D’Amaro. Rebecca Campbell will serve as Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer.
Campbell was named to replace Kevin Mayer as head of Disney’s direct-to-consumer unit earlier this year. Her roles managing the international operations and the DTC unit will now be separate, where she’ll report to Chapek on international operations, while reporting to Daniel on direct-to-consumer matters.
“I’m honored to be able to lead this new organization during such a pivotal and exciting time for our Company, and I’m grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunity,” Daniel said. “It’s a tremendous privilege to work with the talented and dedicated teams that will comprise this group, and I look forward to a close collaboration with the outstanding and incredibly successful team of creative content leaders at the Company, as together we build on the success we’ve already achieved in our DTC and legacy distribution business.”
Also Read: Pixar's 'Soul' to Skip US Theaters for Christmas Day Disney+ Debut
The prioritization of Disney+ comes as the company has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down its theme parks and halted its theatrical business. Last week, Disney moved its upcoming Pixar film, “Soul” to Disney+ and has pushed all other major releases into next year. Disney+ has surpassed early expectations by reaching 60 million subscribers, a mark it wasn’t expecting to hit until 2024. However, the DTC unit still remains a net negative on the company’s balance sheet.
The new structure is effective immediately, and Disney expects to transition to financial reporting under this structure in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
On the content side, the new structure offers no meaningful changes. Horn and Bergman will continue to lead the major studios including Walt Disney Studios, Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, LucasFilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures. Rice will lead the General Entertainment Group, which will house the TV studios including 20th Television, ABC Signature, Touchstone Television, and cable networks including Disney Channels, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. Pitaro will serve as chairman of ESPN and sports content, which includes ESPN+ and ABC.
“Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our Company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value,” Chapek said. “Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimble in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it. Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best–making world-class, franchise-based content–while our newly centralized global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetizing that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and the coming Star international streaming service.”
Disney will hold a virtual investor day on Dec. 10.
16 Disney Live-Action Remakes of Animated Hits in the Works (Photos)
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Disney will be pumping out live-action versions of their animated classics for a long time time to come. Here's a list of titles in the works, including the release date of the original.
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"Jungle Cruise"
Okay, okay, "Jungle Cruise" might not count as live-action film based on a previously animated classic, but it is based on a ride at Disneyland, so we're going to include it. Plus, we'll take any chance to talk about Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in the same sentence. It will hit theaters July 24, 2020.
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"The Little Mermaid"
So now we're getting into films that are in some stage of development but haven't necessarily been slated for release. After all, Disney has so many untitled films slated, it's hard to count. But a live-action version of "The Little Mermaid" has been long discussed, as it is arguably one of the most popular and profitable movies in Disney's vault. Rob Marshall is on board direct, with Halle Bailey set to star as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. -
Getty Images/Disney
"Pinocchio"
"Pinocchio" is also in the works, with Tom Hanks playing Geppetto.
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"Snow White"
Forget her sister -- the original baddest chick in the Disney animated kingdom is coming back for her own standalone film. It was announced at the end of October 2016. -
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"The Jungle Book 2"
This is a no-brainer follow-up to Favreau's hit from spring 2016, based on the animated classic released in 1967. -
Disney
"Snow White"
Forget her sister -- the original baddest chick in the Disney animated kingdom is coming back for her own standalone film. It was announced at the end of October 2016. -
"Aladdin"
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"Hercules"
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"Peter Pan"
Neverland will get a practical set if Disney has its way updating the 1953 animated film. -
YouTube
"James and the Giant Peach"
In one of the more interesting adaptations, this beloved Roald Dahl book became a quirky claymation hit for Disney in 1996 with director Henry Selick. Heavy dramatist director Sam Mendes was attached to take a stab at it, but he has since dropped out. -
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"Hunchback"
In early 2019, a live-action film based on 1996's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" was announced. Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang was tapped to pen the script, with Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz handling the music.
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"Tinker Bell"
This movie has also been in the works for quite some time, with Reese Witherspoon attached as the cute little fairy from "Peter Pan."
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"Bambi"
In January 2020, Disney hired Geneva Robertson-Dworet (“Captain Marvel") and Lindsey Beer (“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser”) to write the script for the live-action remake of the 1942 animated classic.
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"Oliver Twist"
While Disney never formally made a direct animated take on Charles Dickens' beloved orphan, the studio did release the adorable 1988 "Oliver and Company," inspired by Dickens' tale but told with animals. The studio also made a small-screen live-action version in 1997 with Richard Dreyfuss. -
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"Lilo & Stitch"
This project was announced in October 2018 with Mike Van Waes attached to pen the script. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback are producing. In November of last year, it was announced that Jon M. Chu was in early talks to direct.
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"The Lion King" Sequel
In September, it was announced that Barry Jenkins would direct the follow-up to Jon Favreau's 2019 hit. The logline is being kept under wraps, but Deadline reported that the film will explore the mythology of the other characters in Pride Rock, including Mufasa’s origin story.
No release date for the next film has been set, and it’s unclear when production would begin. No cast has been set either.
The studio is raiding its vault to remake classics including ”The Little Mermaid“
Disney will be pumping out live-action versions of their animated classics for a long time time to come. Here's a list of titles in the works, including the release date of the original.
Tim Baysinger
TV reporter • tim.baysinger@thewrap.com • Twitter: @tim_bays