Ricky Strauss heads Disney marketing

[Tom Morrow]

Ricky Strauss heads Disney marketing

Ricky Strauss replaces MT Carney at Disney marketing The Wrap Industry veteran Ricky Strauss will replace MT Carney as Walt Disney Studios' head of worldwide marketing, the studio said Friday, ending a messy chapter for the company. At Disney, Strauss will oversee global marketing for films released under the Disney banner, as well as those for Pixar Animation, Marvel Studios, and Touchstone Pictures banners, which includes live-action DreamWorks Studios films. Strauss will join Disney from Participant Media where has been the president since 2005, overseeing a slate of movies that has had mixed success. He collaborated with Disney on the break-out hit The Help last year, which Participant co-produced with DreamWorks. At Participant Strauss, who was responsible for feature film production, acquisition and marketing, has overseen films including Contagion, Good Night and Good Luck and Syriana. Each of those were released through studio distributors. Strauss' most recent experience is in production rather than marketing. He was previously a senior production executive at Sony after a decade at Columbia Pictures in marketing. In addition, Strauss ran his own film and television production company, Ricochet Entertainment, where he executive produced The Sweetest Thing, starring Cameron Diaz. by Brent Lang complete article

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Head of Disney marketing MT Carney resigns
Visions Fantastic News Center

Submitted by Ezra

[Tom Morrow]

Steven Spielberg angry that he wasn't informed of marketing change

Why an angry Steven Spielberg confronted Disney's Rich Ross at dinner The irked War Horse director approached the studio chief for not consulting him before Disney marketing chief MT Carney was replaced Hollwyood Reporter When the long-rumored departure of Disney marketing chief MT Carney was confirmed Jan. 8, the guessing game began: Who would replace the controversial outsider who lacked studio experience? Amazingly, Disney managed to keep its choice secret until a press release was prepared. Among those who didn't enjoy the suspense was Steven Spielberg, whose DreamWorks Studios has distributed its films through Disney since 2009. According to multiple sources, Spielberg shared that sentiment during a confrontation with studio chief Rich Ross at the Jan. 12 dinner for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The sources say Spielberg told Ross bluntly he was upset that he wasn't consulted two or three weeks earlier, when Ross decided that Carney had an "out" date and would be replaced. One source says Ross seemed "a little stunned" by the rebuke. Another says Ross deflected the criticism by explaining that the studio had to keep the name of its candidate confidential during negotiations. But, of course, that was beside the point; the War Horse director, Hollywood's 800-pound gorilla, had hoped to be involved in the discussion before Ross made a choice. by Kim Masters complete article

Submitted by Ezra

[Executioner]

When people are shelling out big money they want a say. I don't blame Speilberg for being angry, but he also has to look at it as this is not his company. Disney has the say who is in the seats.