Emma Watts Out as President of Production at Disney-Owned Twentieth Century Studios

Emma Watts has resigned as president of production at Twentieth Century Studios, according to individuals familiar with the departure said on Thursday.

Watts came over to Disney after the media and entertainment company acquired the TV and film entertainment assets from Fox last year. Watts had spent two decades at Fox.

“Emma has made many wonderful contributions to Fox over the past two decades, shepherding a number of memorable films to the screen,” Walt Disney Studios co-chairmen Alan Horn and Alan Bergman said in a joint statement. “We truly appreciate and thank her for her commitment and partnership in overseeing the transition in this past year and wish her the best.”

Watts’ existing creative team will remain in place, according to the individuals, and a new leader is expected to be named in the coming weeks. Her resignation will not have any impact on Twentieth Century Studios’ development or release slate.

Watts’ sent an email to her staff on Thursday informing them of her plan to step down.

“Disney has an immensely gifted and creative leadership team, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of the expanded company,” Watts wrote in her email to staff. “Even more so, I am deeply grateful for the time I’ve spent with all of you. Thank you for your dedication to supporting great talent and storytelling, and above all, for your friendship.”

Read Watts’ email to staff below:

Team,

I am writing to you today to share that, after much reflection, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from Twentieth Century.

Over the past many months, it has been my top priority to continue to foster great filmmaking while leading this team successfully through the integration period with Disney. After reaching this point, I approached Alan and Alan, realizing that it was now time for me to pursue new opportunities. 

I started at Fox 22 years ago — Titanic was in theaters, George Lucas had just announced his second Star Wars trilogy, and X-Men was in development. I was a young creative executive eager to learn the business, and from day one I was welcomed. Who knew that together we would add Night at the Museum, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Martian, Deadpool, Logan, Steven Spielberg’s upcoming West Side Story and, of course, Jim Cameron’s Avatar to the studio’s already storied legacy. It was a front-row seat to an incredible evolution culminating in Fox becoming a part of one of the greatest media companies that continues to shape our industry on a global scale. 

Disney has an immensely gifted and creative leadership team, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of the expanded company. Even more so, I am deeply grateful for the time I’ve spent with all of you. Thank you for your dedication to supporting great talent and storytelling, and above all, for your friendship. 

I’ll be here and available for the next few weeks to support the transition process. 

All the best,

Emma

More to come…