Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee makes an unexpected return to the franchise, after stepping down from her six-year role as Disney Animation's CCO.

In a huge and completely unexpected movie, Disney has announced that effective immediately Jennifer Lee is stepping down as CCO of Walt Disney Animation Studios. She will return to filmmaking as the writer and director of Frozen 3 and will co-write Frozen 4.

Walt Disney Animation Studios is replacing Jennifer Lee, its chief creative officer, after an uneven six-year tenure.

As Disney readies the sequels to its uber-grossing $1.75 billion Frozen franchise, Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee is segueing from her position to direct and write Frozen 3 and pen Frozen 4 with Marc Smith.

Disney Animation chief creative officer and Oscar winner Jennifer Lee is reshifting her focus back to filmmaking, stepping out of her role as the studio’s CCO to focus fully on writing and directing “Frozen 3” and “Frozen 4.

Encanto' and 'Zootopia' director Jared Bush has been named chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation as Jennifer Lee steps back and returns to filmmaking for 'Frozen 3' and 'Frozen 4.'

Jennifer Lee has officially announced that she is stepping down from her role as chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation Studios to return to filmmaking and will be directing both Frozen 3 and its follow-up,

Bush will report to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, while Oscar-winning producer Clark Spencer ("Encanto," "Zootopia") continues as president, Walt Disney Animation