Change of Directors for Disney's RAPUNZEL
Veteran Disney animation director Glen Keane is stepping out of the director's chair on the upcoming feature Rapunzel.
There are conflicting reported explanations for the move: Disney/Pixar animation president Ed Catmull has stated that non-life threatening health problems caused Keane's status on the project to be downgraded to exec producer and directing animator, while an Ain't It Cool News source said that the version of Rapunzel headed by Keane "was not working." As of Friday (October 10), Animation World Network had gotten no response from Disney to its inquiries.
Keane is one of the most successful animation directors of Disney's current era, having been involved with The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and other productions.
Nathan Greno & Byron Howard will partner as the new directors of Rapunzel, which is slated for a Holiday 2010 release.