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.

Frozen II was the last big hit that Disney Animation had. The pandemic would follow shortly after its release. Raya and the Last Dragon was released while many theaters were still closed. Encanto, Strange World, and Wish were all disappointments at the box office, though Encanto would find new life on Disney+.

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