Gary Marsh Leaving Disney Branded Television to Form Production Company Creating Content for Disney

Gary Marsh is stepping down as President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Branded Television to launch his own production company.

(Richard Harbaugh/Disney)

(Richard Harbaugh/Disney)

What’s Happening:

  • Gary Marsh will end his role as President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Branded Television at the end of 2021 to start his own production company.
  • Disney General Entertainment will partner with Marsh’s company and has signed a multi-year production deal.
  • Marsh’s company will develop content for Disney+, Hulu, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, ABC, National Geographic, Freeform and FX.
  • Gary Marsh’s transition has been in the works for several years, with 33-year Disney veteran agreeing to stay on through Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Studios, which required reorganization of the company’s media generators.
  • His production company will work with Disney on two new Descendants movies, the Disney+ Beauty and the Beast prequel series about Gaston and LeFou, and additional projects called Tink, Sensitive Souls and Witch Mountain.

What They’re Saying:

  • Gary Marsh: “For 33 years, I’ve had the greatest job in television. The stories we’ve told, the music we’ve created, the stars we’ve discovered, the franchises we’ve built – all of it has entertained and engaged millions of kids and families around the globe. Thanks to the reach of Disney’s streaming platforms, those stories will live forever in the hearts and minds of future generations, alongside all the new stories I look forward to telling. There simply could not be a more compelling or creatively stimulating time to enter the production ranks.”
  • Peter Rice, Chairman, Disney General Entertainment: “Gary’s leadership and creative genius have shaped a generation of beloved kids and family programming, and we are forever grateful for the indelible impact he’s made at The Walt Disney Company. Gary is a valued leader and good friend, and we’ve been talking about this move for years. So when he decided to focus solely on producing after three decades of an amazing executive career, I jumped at the opportunity to keep him among us.”
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