David Stainton
David Stainton has suddenly resigned as head of Paramount Pictures’ fledgling animation unit, just four months after he was hired, the studio announced Wednesday.
Stainton left his job for “personal reasons,” said the studio. It would not give further details on why he and Paramount parted ways.
“We are grateful for the time David spent at the studio and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” Paramount Motion Picture Group president Adam Goodman said in a statement.
The studio said that Goodman will directly supervise the animation development team from now on.
Stainton was hired by Paramount last October. Earlier, he was a 17-year veteran at Walt Disney Studios.
He rose to president of feature animation at the Mouse House, staying in that job until early 2006, when Disney bought out Pixar Animation Studios.
Stainton became chief of Paramount’s animation unit after it was established last year following the release of Rango, which has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated film.
