Editing Walt Disney Pictures (section)

== History ==
=== Predecessor unit ===
{{See also|The Walt Disney Company#History}}
The studio's predecessor (and the modern-day the Walt Disney Company's as a whole) was founded as the '''Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio''', by filmmaker [[Walt Disney]] and his business partner and brother, [[Roy O. Disney|Roy]], in 1923.

[[File:Walt Disney Productions 1929.jpg| thumb|right | Logo used from 1929 to 1937.]]

The creation of [[Mickey Mouse]] and subsequent short films and merchandise generated revenue for the studio, which was renamed as '''The Walt Disney Studio''' at the Hyperion Studio in 1926.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1926.htm|title=Chronology of the Walt Disney Company (1926)|work=kpolsson.com|access-date=April 21, 2014|archive-date=November 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129174432/http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/disn1926.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1929, it was renamed again to [[The Walt Disney Company|'''Walt Disney Productions''']]. The studio's streak of success continued in the 1930s, culminating with the 1937 release of the first feature-length animated film, [[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'']], which becomes a huge financial success.<ref name="GablerBook">{{cite book|last= Gabler|first= Neal|year= 2007|title= Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination|location= New York |publisher=Random House|isbn= 978-0-679-75747-4|pages= 276–277}}</ref> With the profits from ''Snow White'', Walt relocated to [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|a third studio]] in [[Burbank, California]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Schroeder|first=Russel|title=Walt Disney: His Life in Pictures|url=https://archive.org/details/waltdisney00russ|url-access=registration|year=1996|publisher=Disney Press|location=New York}}</ref>

In the 1940s, Disney began experimenting with full-length live-action films, with the introduction of hybrid live action-animated films such as ''[[The Reluctant Dragon (1941 film)|The Reluctant Dragon]]'' (1941) and ''[[Song of the South]]'' (1946).<ref name=fu>{{cite web|title=The Walt Disney Company History|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/the-walt-disney-company-history/|work=Company Profiles|publisher=fundinguniverse.com|access-date=November 6, 2012|archive-date=October 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028212729/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/the-walt-disney-company-history/|url-status=live}}</ref> That same decade, the studio began producing nature documentaries with the release of [[Seal Island (film)|''Seal Island'']] (1948), the first of the ''[[True-Life Adventures]]'' series and a subsequent [[Academy Award]] winner for [[Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film|Best Live-Action Short Film]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/123954/The-Best-of-Walt-Disney-s-True-Life-Adventures/overview|title=The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures (1975)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109213719/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/123954/The-Best-of-Walt-Disney-s-True-Life-Adventures/overview|archive-date=January 9, 2016|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Hal Erickson|author-link=Hal Erickson (author)|date=2016|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/141404/Seal-Island/details|title=The New York Times: Seal Island|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901035958/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/141404/Seal-Island/details|archive-date=September 1, 2013|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=2013|access-date=May 18, 2008}}</ref>

Walt Disney Productions had its first fully live-action film in 1950 with the release of [[Treasure Island (1950 film)|''Treasure Island'']]'','' considered by Disney to be the official conception for what would eventually evolve into the modern-day Walt Disney Pictures.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Walt Disney Studios|url=http://thewaltdisneycompany.com:80/disney-companies/studio-entertainment|website=Disney Corporate|publisher=The Walt Disney Company|access-date=June 4, 2014|archive-date=February 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140214044620/http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-companies/studio-entertainment|url-status=live}}</ref> By 1953, the company ended their agreements with such third-party distributors as [[RKO Pictures|RKO Radio Pictures]] and [[United Artists]] and formed their own distribution company, [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Distribution]].<ref name="bbg">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a0MG17nO.PG8&refer=home|title=Disney to Drop Buena Vista Brand Name, People Say (Update1)|last=Fixmer|first=Andy|date=April 25, 2007|work=Bloomberg News|access-date=November 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918060836/https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a0MG17nO.PG8&refer=home|archive-date=September 18, 2011}}</ref> By the 1950s, the company had purchased the rights to the work of [[L. Frank Baum]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 29, 1984|title=Disney Rolls 'Oz' In Britain, Bought Baum Rights in '50s|page=6|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

=== 1980s–2000s ===
[[File:Walt Disney Pictures Presents (1986-1998).png| thumb|right | The wordmark for Walt Disney Pictures used in marketing their films from 1986 to 1998. It was also used for Pixar films from 1995 to 2007.]]
The live-action division of Walt Disney Productions was incorporated as '''Walt Disney Pictures''' on April 1, 1983, to diversify film subjects and expand audiences for their film releases.<ref name=cabs>{{cite web|title=Business Entity Detail: Walt Disney Pictures (search on Entity Number: C1138747)|url=https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/|website=California Business Search|publisher=California Secretary of State|access-date=March 18, 2015|archive-date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229194155/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 1983, Richard Berger was hired by Disney CEO [[Ron W. Miller]] as film president. [[Touchstone Pictures|Touchstone Films]] was started by Miller in February 1984 as a label for the studio's PG-13 and R-rated films with an expected half of Disney's yearly 6-to-8-movie slate, which would be released under the label.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/16/movies/touchstone-label-to-replace-disney-name-on-some-films.html|title=Touchstone Label to Replace Disney Name on Some Films|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|date=February 16, 1984|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 17, 2015|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403144539/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/16/movies/touchstone-label-to-replace-disney-name-on-some-films.html|url-status=live}}</ref> That same year, newly named Disney CEO [[Michael Eisner]] pushed out Berger, replacing him with Eisner's own film chief from [[Paramount Pictures]], [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/02/business/company-news-disney-expansion-set-film-output-to-double.html|title=COMPANY NEWS; Disney Expansion Set; Film Output to Double|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|date=December 2, 1988|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 17, 2015|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402144802/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/02/business/company-news-disney-expansion-set-film-output-to-double.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Frank Wells]] from [[Warner Bros. Pictures]]. Touchstone and [[Hollywood Pictures]] were formed within that unit on February 15, 1984, and February 1, 1989, respectively.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OMD4bqQg4iAC&q=Touchstone+Television&pg=PA49|title=Culture Conglomerates: Consolidation in the Motion Picture and Television Industries|last=Kunz|first=William M.|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|year=2007|isbn=978-0742540651|location=Lanham, MD.|pages=42, 45|chapter=2|oclc=63245464|access-date=October 15, 2020|archive-date=July 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709030518/http://books.google.com/books?id=OMD4bqQg4iAC&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=Touchstone+Television&source=bl&ots=2v2KE0kylk&sig=g5UEe1DIOF2wzJD53QLuwbXj0RI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MpePU8_ILdSUqAa0oYGYAw&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBzg8|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[ABC Studios#Touchstone Television|Touchstone Films]]{{Broken anchor|date=2025-05-05|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=ABC Studios#Touchstone Television|reason=Anchor "ABC Studios#Touchstone Television" links to a specific web page: "Touchstone Television". The anchor (Touchstone Television) [[Special:Diff/1037685971|has been deleted]].|diff_id=1037685971}} banner was used by then-new Disney CEO [[Michael Eisner]] in the 1984–1985 television season with the short-lived western, ''[[Wildside (U.S. TV series)|Wildside]]''. In the next season, Touchstone produced a hit in ''[[The Golden Girls]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=Touchstone TV now ABC TV Studio|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/touchstone-tv-abc-tv-studio-129842|access-date=March 18, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|agency=AP|date=February 9, 2007|archive-date=April 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412140023/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/touchstone-tv-abc-tv-studio-129842|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[David Hoberman]] was promoted to president of production at Walt Disney Pictures in April 1988.<ref>{{cite news|title=PEOPLE: Los Angeles County|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-13-fi-800-story.html|access-date=March 31, 2017|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 13, 1988|archive-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611063308/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-13-fi-800-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 1994, Hoberman was promoted to president of motion picture production at Walt Disney Studios, and David Vogel was appointed as Walt Disney Pictures president.<ref name=":6">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-11-fi-18819-story.html|title=Disney Live Action Film Chief Quits : Studios: Hoberman's departure is a further dismantling of the former Katzenberg team.|last1=Welkos|first1=Robert W.|date=January 11, 1995|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 31, 2017|last2=Bates|first2=James|archive-date=April 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403104715/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-11-fi-18819-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, however, Hoberman resigned from the company and instead began a production deal with Disney and his newly formed production company, [[Mandeville Films]].<ref name=":6" /> In addition to Walt Disney Pictures, Vogel added the head position of [[Hollywood Pictures]] in 1997, while [[Donald De Line]] remained as head of Touchstone.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Eller|first=Claudia|date=September 9, 1997|title=Disney's Vogel to Aim at Adults|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-09-fi-30229-story.html|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712225410/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-09-fi-30229-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Vogel was then promoted in 1998 to the head of Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group, the newly formed division that oversaw all live-action production within the Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone, and Hollywood labels.<ref>{{cite press release| title = David Vogel to Exit From Post as President of Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group| url = https://www.thefreelibrary.com/David+Vogel+to+Exit+From+Post+as+President+of+Buena+Vista+Motion...-a054535549| publisher = Disney Studios| agency = Business Wire| date = May 3, 1999| access-date = March 30, 2017| archive-date = March 31, 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170331115034/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/David+Vogel+to+Exit+From+Post+as+President+of+Buena+Vista+Motion...-a054535549| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite news|last=Cox|first=Dan|date=April 28, 1999|title=Vogel exit in works at Disney|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/vogel-exit-in-works-at-disney-1117499404/|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712183613/https://variety.com/1999/biz/news/vogel-exit-in-works-at-disney-1117499404/|url-status=live}}</ref> The move was orchestrated by Walt Disney Studios chairman [[Joe Roth]], as an effort to scale back and consolidate the studio's film production.<ref name=":8" /> As a result of the restructuring, De Line resigned.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|date=May 29, 1998|title=Head of Touchstone Pictures Expected to Quit, Executives Say|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/29/business/head-of-touchstone-pictures-expected-to-quit-executives-say.html|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712184640/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/29/business/head-of-touchstone-pictures-expected-to-quit-executives-say.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Walt Disney Pictures Presents (1998-2007).png| thumb|right | The wordmark for Walt Disney Pictures used in marketing their films from 1998 to 2007.]]
That same year, [[Nina Jacobson]] became executive vice-president of live-action production for Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cox|first=Dan|date=January 14, 1998|title=Jacobson to join Disney|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/jacobson-to-join-disney-1117466364/|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712183609/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/jacobson-to-join-disney-1117466364/|url-status=live}}</ref> Jacobson remained under this title until May 1999, when Vogel resigned from the company, and Jacobson was appointed by Roth to the role of president of production.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 4, 1999|title=Vogel Resigns as President Of Disney's Buena Vista Unit|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB925776202500056405|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714044013/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB925776202500056405|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> During her tenure, Jacobson oversaw the production of films at Walt Disney Pictures, including ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)|Pirates of the Caribbean]], [[The Chronicles of Narnia (film series)|The Chronicles of Narnia]], [[Bridge to Terabithia (2007 film)|Bridge to Terabithia]], [[National Treasure (film)|National Treasure]],'' ''[[Remember the Titans]]'', and [[The Princess Diaries (film)|''The Princess Diaries'']]'','' and was responsible for establishing a [[first-look deal]] with [[Jerry Bruckheimer|Jerry Bruckheimer Films]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|last=Eller|first=Claudia|date=July 19, 2006|title=Disney Fires Film Production President|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jul-19-fi-disney19-story.html|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120175329/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jul-19-fi-disney19-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Sternwood|first=Vivian|date=2018|title=Crazy Rich Asians Producer Nina Jacobson's Drive for Inclusion in Hollywood: A Timeline of Her Successful Career|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/crazy-rich-asians-producer-nina-jacobson-inclusion-hollywood-timeline-successful-career-1167199|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712223444/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/crazy-rich-asians-producer-nina-jacobson-inclusion-hollywood-timeline-successful-career-1167199|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, Jacobson was fired by studio chairman [[Dick Cook]], and replaced by Oren Aviv, the head of marketing.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Holson|first=Laura|date=December 9, 2016|title=Nina Jacobson Has Her Revenge on Hollywood's Old-Boy Network|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/fashion/nina-jacobson-hollywood-diversity-hunger-games-american-crime-story.html|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108100956/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/fashion/nina-jacobson-hollywood-diversity-hunger-games-american-crime-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2007, Disney CEO [[Bob Iger]] banned the depiction of [[smoking]] and [[tobacco products]] from Walt Disney Pictures films.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gilstrap |first1=Peter |last2=Triplett |first2=William |date=July 25, 2007 |title=Disney jumps on smoking ban |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/features/disney-jumps-on-smoking-ban-1117969121/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630144203/http://variety.com/2007/film/features/disney-jumps-on-smoking-ban-1117969121/ |archive-date=June 30, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Walt Disney Pictures text logo.svg| thumb|right | Logo used from 2006 to 2011.]]

After two films based on Disney theme park attractions,<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine|last=Bacle|first=Ariana|date=April 23, 2014|title=Theme park ride-based movies: Will 'Small World' follow the trend?|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2014/04/23/disney-theme-park-movies-small-world/|access-date=March 28, 2017|archive-date=March 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329052528/http://ew.com/article/2014/04/23/disney-theme-park-movies-small-world/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=May 1, 1997|title=Disney Sets ABC Pix|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/disney-sets-abc-pix-1117342089/|access-date=December 30, 2015|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305060242/http://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/disney-sets-abc-pix-1117342089/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Schwarzbaum|first=Lisa|date=March 17, 2000|title=Mission to Mars|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2000/03/17/mission-mars-4/|access-date=March 28, 2017|archive-date=March 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329052509/http://ew.com/article/2000/03/17/mission-mars-4/|url-status=live}}</ref> Walt Disney Pictures selected it as a source of a line of films starting with ''[[The Country Bears]]'' (2002) and ''[[The Haunted Mansion (2003 film)|The Haunted Mansion]]'' and ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl]]'' (both 2003).<ref name="ew0">{{cite news|last=Breznican|first=Anthony|date=January 28, 2013|title=Disney's mysterious '1952' movie has a new name ... 'Tomorrowland'|newspaper=Entertainment Weekly|url=https://ew.com/article/2013/01/28/disneys-1952-is-tomorrowland/|access-date=January 29, 2013|archive-date=March 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312041550/http://www.ew.com/article/2013/01/28/disneys-1952-is-tomorrowland|url-status=live}}</ref> The latter film—the first film produced by the studio to receive a [[Motion Picture Association film rating system|PG-13 rating]]—began [[Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)|a film series]] that was followed by four sequels, with the franchise taking in more than $5.4&nbsp;billion worldwide from 2003 to 2017.<ref name="ew" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|last2=Graser|first2=Marc|date=September 19, 2013|title=End of an Era: Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Part Ways|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2013/biz/news/end-of-an-era-disney-and-jerry-bruckheimer-part-ways-1200652789/|access-date=March 28, 2017|archive-date=March 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329142111/http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/end-of-an-era-disney-and-jerry-bruckheimer-part-ways-1200652789/|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 12, 2010, Aviv stepped down as the studio's president of live-action production.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Graser|first=Marc|date=July 12, 2020|title=Oren Aviv ousted at Disney|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/news/oren-aviv-ousted-at-disney-1118013643/|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608043305/https://variety.com/2010/film/news/oren-aviv-ousted-at-disney-1118013643/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== 2010s–present ===
In January 2010, [[Sean Bailey]] was appointed the studio's president of live-action production, replacing Aviv.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|last=Graser|first=Marc|date=January 14, 2010|title=Disney names Sean Bailey production chief|work=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/disney-names-sean-bailey-production-chief-1118013784/|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027162132/https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/disney-names-sean-bailey-production-chief-1118013784/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dl" /> Bailey had produced ''[[Tron: Legacy]]'' for the studio, which was released later that same year.<ref name=":5" /> Under Bailey's leadership and with support from then Disney CEO [[Bob Iger]]—and later studio chairman [[Alan F. Horn|Alan Horn]]—Walt Disney Pictures pursued a [[Tent-pole (entertainment)|tent-pole film]] strategy, which included an expanded slate of original and adaptive large-budget tentpole films. Beginning in 2011, the studio simplified the branding in its [[production logo]] and [[Billing (performing arts)|marquee credits]] to just "Disney".<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=Walker|first=RV|date=March 28, 2015|title=The Disney Logo: A Brief History of its Evolution and Variations|work=Nerdist Industries|url=https://nerdist.com/article/the-disney-logo-a-brief-history-of-its-evolution-and-variations/|access-date=October 16, 2015|archive-date=July 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727162913/https://nerdist.com/article/the-disney-logo-a-brief-history-of-its-evolution-and-variations/|url-status=live}}</ref> Concurrently, Disney was struggling with PG-13 tentpole films outside of the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series, with films such as [[John Carter (film)|''John Carter'']] (2012) and ''[[The Lone Ranger (2013 film)|The Lone Ranger]]'' (2013) becoming some of [[List of biggest box-office bombs|the biggest box-office bombs of all time]]. However, the studio had found particular success with live-action fantasy adaptations of properties associated with their [[List of remakes and adaptations of Disney animated films|animated films]], which began with the commercial success of ''[[Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'' (2010), that became the second billion-dollar-grossing film in the studio's history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disney-buys-live-action-prince-807039|title=Disney Buys Live-Action Prince Charming Project|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=July 6, 2015|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=March 20, 2017|language=en|quote=Disney pioneered the recent and lucrative trend of taking either old animated classics or fairy tales and spinning them into live-action features.|archive-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213084704/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/disney-buys-live-action-prince-807039|url-status=live}}</ref> With the continued success of ''[[Maleficent (film)|Maleficent]]'' (2014) and ''[[Cinderella (2015 American film)|Cinderella]]'' (2015), the studio saw the potential in these fantasy adaptations and officiated [[List of remakes and adaptations of Disney animated films|a trend of similar films]], which followed with ''[[The Jungle Book (2016 film)|The Jungle Book]]'' (2016) and ''[[Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' (2017).<ref name="bi">{{cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-live-action-remakes-2016-7|title=Disney is planning 18 live-action remakes of its classic animated movies — here they all are|last1=Oswald|first1=Anjelica|date=July 19, 2016|work=Business Insider|access-date=March 20, 2017|last2=Acuna|first2=Kirsten|language=en|archive-date=March 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321081729/http://www.businessinsider.com/disney-live-action-remakes-2016-7/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dl">{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/beauty-and-the-beast-sean-bailey-disney-emma-watson-1202047710/|title=Sean Bailey On How Disney's Live-Action Division Found Its 'Beauty And The Beast' Mojo|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=March 21, 2017|work=Deadline|access-date=March 23, 2017|publisher=Penske Business Media, LLC|archive-date=March 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322204733/http://deadline.com/2017/03/beauty-and-the-beast-sean-bailey-disney-emma-watson-1202047710/|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> In March 2015, Iger expanded the studio's smoking and tobacco prohibition to include all films released by the studio—including PG-13 rated films and below—unless such depictions are historically pertinent.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kelley |first=Seth |date=March 12, 2015 |title=Disney CEO to 'Absolutely Prohibit' Smoking in Films Made for Kids |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/disney-ceo-to-absolutely-prohibit-smoking-in-films-made-for-kids-1201451616/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630141419/http://variety.com/2015/film/news/disney-ceo-to-absolutely-prohibit-smoking-in-films-made-for-kids-1201451616/ |archive-date=June 30, 2016}}</ref>

Despite the acclaim and commercial success of several smaller-budgeted genre films throughout the 2010s, such as ''[[The Muppets (2011 film)|The Muppets]]'' (2011), ''[[Saving Mr. Banks]]'' (2013), and ''[[Into the Woods (film)|Into the Woods]]'' (2014), Walt Disney Pictures shifted its production model entirely on tent-pole films as they had found that a majority of the smaller genre films were becoming financially unsustainable in the theatrical market.<ref name="dl" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|date=December 20, 2018|title=Disney's Film Production Chief Talks 'Mary Poppins' and His Big Bet on 'The Lion King': "It's a New Form of Filmmaking"|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disneys-film-production-chief-is-placing-big-bets-lion-king-1169170|access-date=July 13, 2020|archive-date=December 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225030117/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disneys-film-production-chief-is-placing-big-bets-lion-king-1169170|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Jarvey|first=Natalie|date=March 9, 2020|title=Bob Iger's Next Priority? Streamline Disney+ Development|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-igers-next-priority-streamline-disney-development-1283260|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=June 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623061027/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-igers-next-priority-streamline-disney-development-1283260|url-status=live}}</ref> By July 2016, Disney had announced development of nearly eighteen films consisting of sequels to existing adaptations, origin stories and prequels.<ref name="bi" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=October 8, 2015 |title=Disney: 'Ant Man And The Wasp' A Go, 'Incredibles 2' Dated & More |url=https://deadline.com/2015/10/ant-man-sequel-incredibles-2-release-dates-disney-1201570867/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812175948/http://deadline.com/2015/10/ant-man-sequel-incredibles-2-release-dates-disney-1201570867/ |archive-date=August 12, 2017 |access-date=March 21, 2017 |work=Deadline |publisher=Penske Business Media, LLC}}</ref>

In 2017, the Walt Disney Company announced it was creating its own [[Streaming service provider|streaming service]] platform.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barnes|first=Brooks|date=August 9, 2017|title=With Disney's Move to Streaming, a New Era Begins|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/business/media/with-disneys-move-to-streaming-a-new-era-begins.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718052105/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/business/media/with-disneys-move-to-streaming-a-new-era-begins.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article&region=Footer|url-status=live}}</ref> The new service, known as [[Disney+]], would feature original programming created by the company's vast array of film and television production studios, including Walt Disney Pictures.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last1=Brooks|first1=Barnes|last2=Koblin|first2=John|date=April 11, 2019|title=Disney Plus Streaming Service Is Unveiled to Hollywood Fanfare|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/business/media/disney-plus-streaming.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715124902/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/business/media/disney-plus-streaming.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article|url-status=live}}</ref> As part of this new distribution platform, Bailey and Horn confirmed that Walt Disney Pictures would renew development on smaller-budgeted genre films that the studio had previously stopped producing for the [[Movie theater|theatrical exhibition market]] a few years prior.<ref name=":3">{{cite news|title=Remember Family Films? Disney Plus Is Making 'Em Like They Used To|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/arts/television/disney-plus-togo-noelle-lady-and-tramp.html|access-date=November 21, 2019|website=The New York Times|date=November 7, 2019 |archive-date=November 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120154211/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/arts/television/disney-plus-togo-noelle-lady-and-tramp.html|url-status=live|last1=Barnes |first1=Brooks }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|date=February 21, 2019|title=Disney Film Chief Alan Horn Talks Fox Merger, 'Star Wars' and Pixar Post-John Lasseter|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/alan-horn-talks-disney-fox-merger-streaming-pixar-post-john-lasseter-1187054|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320203619/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/alan-horn-talks-disney-fox-merger-streaming-pixar-post-john-lasseter-1187054|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In 2018, nine films were announced to be in production or development for the service.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Barnes|first=Brooks|date=August 5, 2018|title=Disney's Streaming Service Starts to Come Into Focus|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/05/business/media/disney-streaming-service-ricky-strauss.html|access-date=July 12, 2020|archive-date=July 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711123726/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/05/business/media/disney-streaming-service-ricky-strauss.html|url-status=live}}</ref> These films would be budgeted between $20&nbsp;million and $60&nbsp;million.<ref name=":3" /> The studio was expected to produce approximately 3–4 films per year exclusively for Disney+, alongside its theatrical tentpole slate.<ref name=":4" /> Disney+ was launched on November 12, 2019, in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands, with subsequent international expansions.<ref name=":2" /> Within the first two months of the service's launch, Walt Disney Pictures had released three films (''[[Lady and the Tramp (2019 film)|Lady and the Tramp]]'', ''[[Noelle (2019 film)|Noelle]],'' and ''[[Togo (film)|Togo]]'') exclusively for Disney+.<ref name=":1" />

On March 12, 2020, [[20th Century Family]] president Vanessa Morrison was named president of live-action development and production of streaming content for both Disney and [[20th Century Studios]], reporting directly to Bailey. That same day, Philip Steuer and Randi Hiller were also appointed as president of the studio's physical, post-production and VFX, and [[Executive Vice-President|executive vice president]] for casting, respectively–overseeing these functions for both Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Studios.<ref name="AsbellPresident">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/20th-century-studios-disney-steve-asbell-president-emma-watts-departure-vanessa-morrison-walt-disney-streaming-1202881273/|title=Steve Asbell Takes Over 20th Century Studios Post Emma Watts; Vanessa Morrison Named Walt Disney Studios Streaming Production President|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=March 12, 2020|access-date=March 12, 2020|archive-date=April 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406214034/https://deadline.com/2020/03/20th-century-studios-disney-steve-asbell-president-emma-watts-departure-vanessa-morrison-walt-disney-streaming-1202881273/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2023, Walt Disney Pictures celebrated its [[centennial]] alongside [[Walt Disney Animation Studios]] and their corporate parent company as a whole.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Clayton |date=March 17, 2023 |title=Oscars 2024: First Blind Predictions Include Biopics, Musicals and Return of the Streamers |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/lists/2024-oscar-predictions/ |access-date=March 19, 2023}}</ref> That same year, ''[[Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny]]'' marked the studio's first official co-production with Lucasfilm.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mazique |first=Brian |date=April 8, 2023 |title=The Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Trailer Is Viral |work=[[Forbes]] |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2023/04/08/the-indiana-jones-dial-of-destiny-trailer-is-viral/?sh=542099722c26 |access-date=April 8, 2023 }}</ref>

On February 26, 2024, Disney announced a leadership change, with Bailey stepping down as president and replaced by David Greenbaum, who formerly co-led [[Searchlight Pictures]]. Greenbaum will lead Walt Disney Pictures and co-lead 20th Century Studios with current 20th Century president Steve Asbell.<ref>{{cite web|last1=D'Alessandro|first1=Anthony|last2=Fleming Jr.|first2=Mike|date=February 26, 2024|title=Disney Shakeup: Sean Bailey Exits As President Of Walt Disney Motion Picture Studios, Searchlight's David Greenbaum Takes Over & Also Will Run 20th|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/disney-sean-bailey-exits-david-greenbaum-searchlight-1235838865/|access-date=February 27, 2024|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> On February 19, 2025, Daria Cercek joined the studio as president of theatrical.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/daria-cercek-named-president-disney-live-action-theatrical-1236294697|title=Daria Cercek Named President Of Disney Live Action Theatrical, Exiting Co-President Post At Paramount Motion Picture Group|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=February 19, 2025|access-date=February 19, 2025}}</ref>