Walt Disney Studios has a brand new Head of Theatrical Distribution, Andrew Cripps, who previously worked as the Warner Bros International Distribution Chief.

This role will see Cripps manage the overall global theatrical distribution of all Walt Disney Studios labels including Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studio, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures. He will oversee the Cinema Partnerships team, non-theatrical sales and the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

Andrew will replace Tony Chambers, who was recently made the President of The Walt Disney Company in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). He released a comment in a statement to the press:

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Alan Bergman, Cathleen Taff, and the entire team at The Walt Disney Studios. The work they’ve accomplished year-after-year is nothing short of inspiring, and I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute to that incredible momentum and help build for the future.”

Cathleen Taff, President of Production, Franchise Management and Theatrical Distribution at Disney Entertainment – Studios, who Cripps will be reporting to, said in a statement regarding the news:

“Andrew is one of the most highly respected distribution executives in the industry with a deep understanding of the evolving marketplace and a passion for bringing films to audiences around the world. Having known him for several years, I’m thrilled he’s joining our team and have no doubt that his strategic vision and many years of expertise will be invaluable as we continue to deliver exceptional storytelling experiences on the big screen.”

While at Warner Brothers Discovery, Andrew worked as President of International Theatrical Distribution since September 2019, which included the release of movies such as “Barbie”, “Dune” and “Joker”.

He also worked at 20th Century Fox as the President of International Theatrical Distribution from 2012 until 2017, as well as working at IMAX, Paramount and Universal.

Andrew Cripps was born in Sri Lanka, raised in Japan and went to the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he received a BSc in Industrial Management and went on to get an MBA in International Business at Georgia State University. He is a member of British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

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Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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