Walt Disney Studios Promotes Melissa Stone To SVP Publicity

Melissa Stone has been appointed as senior vice president of publicity at The Walt Disney Studios. In her new role, Stone will lead the publicity team and oversee global PR strategy and execution across Disney's theatrical and streaming portfolios, including Disney Live Action, Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios.

Additionally, Stone will be responsible for managing publicity for Disney+, the company's streaming service. Stone brings over two decades of experience in public relations, with 14 years spent at Fox and Disney. Her notable credits include "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Lilo & Stitch," "The Little Mermaid," "Barbarian," the "Planet of the Apes" movies, "Ford v.

Ferrari," "West Side Story," and Disney+ offerings such as "Andor." Stone will report to Martha Morrison, president of Studios Marketing, replacing Michelle Sewell, who recently retired from the company. Morrison expressed her excitement about Stone's appointment, praising her extensive publicity experience, strong network of talent and media relationships, and history of leading successful campaigns that boost audience engagement and cultural impact.

This appointment comes after a challenging period for the company, marked by significant layoffs in various departments, including ESPN, National Geographic, Pixar, and Walt Disney Studios. These layoffs were part of a broader consolidation effort, referred to as the "One Disney" approach, and a focus on emerging technologies like AI.

During the company's recent earnings call, CEO Josh D'Amaro highlighted how AI is being integrated into different aspects of the company, from post-production on feature films to the design and implementation of theme park attractions. Disney's upcoming slate for 2026 includes animated films like "Hexed" from Walt Disney Animation Studios, "Avengers: Doomsday" from Marvel Studios, "Whalefall" from 20th Century Studios, and "Wild Horse Nine" and "Behemoth!" from Searchlight, among others.