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BURBANK (CNS) - Alan Horn, chief creative officer of Disney Studios Content, announced today he will retire at the end of the year, ending nearly a decade of work at the company and a roughly half-century career that included 12 years leading Warner Bros.
“It has been my great privilege and pleasure to be able to spend these past 50 years helping creative people tell stories that move, entertain and connect audiences around the world -- and a dream come true to have the chance to do it at Disney, no less,'' Horn said in a statement released by Disney.
Horn served as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios from 2012 to 2019, when he became co-chairman with Alan Bergman and took on the role of chief creative officer. This year, he transitioned solely into the role of chief creative officer, overseeing the work of all Disney-controlled studios, including Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Walt Disney Animation, Pixar Animation and Searchlight Pictures.
He is credited with overseeing the integration of Lucasfilm and the Fox film studios into Disney's empire, while also guiding the development of Disney+ and other streaming services.
According to Disney, the company set box office records during his tenure, including topping $7 billion globally in 2016 and 2018 and $11 billion in 2019.
Prior to joining Disney, Horn was president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros., most notably overseeing the “Harry Potter'' film series and pictures including “Batman Begins,'' “The Departed,'' the “Ocean's Eleven'' trilogy and two films in the “Matrix'' trilogy.
Before Warner Bros., he co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment, home to films releases including “The Shawshank Redemption,'' “The Green Mile'' and “When Harry Met Sally,'' along with the iconic TV series “Seinfeld.''
“It has truly been a privilege to work with Alan over the years,'' Disney CEO Bob Chapek said in a statement. “He's led an exceptionally talented studio team that is the best in the industry, creating some of the most beloved and iconic films of our time, and he will forever be a cherished member of our Disney family.''
Horn's retirement on Dec. 31 will coincide with the departure of another Disney big-wig, former CEO Bob Iger, who currently serves as Disney's executive chairman.
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