More changes are coming to Disney‘s top TV ranks as Eric Schrier moves from his role as head of international originals to a production pact amid the larger shakeup of Disney TV leadership.
Earlier Thursday, Disney confirmed a big change as Adam Smith will take over full oversight of direct-to-consumer operations after previously sharing leadership as co-president with Joe Earley.
Adam Smith and Joe Earley
Disney
Smith has been named chairman of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, while Earley is shifting into the newly created role of president of Disney Entertainment Television franchise and content strategy. Smith reports to Disney president and chief creative officer Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Entertainment, Studios, who announced the news Thursday. Earley will report to Disney Entertainment Television chairman Debra OConnell.
In a memo to staffers, OConnell addressed the change for Schrier, who joined Disney TV after 22 years as one of the architects of FX.
“As Eric and I have been talking about the future, he shared with me his desire to return to his creative roots,” she wrote. “After an extraordinary 26 years at Disney, including as one of the early architects of FX, Eric has decided this is the right moment to pursue that next chapter. I’m so pleased that we’ll continue working together through a new producing partnership with DET. Eric plans to share more about what’s ahead soon, and we’re excited about what we’re going to create together.”
The shake-up comes at a time when Disney is focused on making Disney+ a main focal point for the company. The goal internally is to a structure that creates a single, dedicated leader for the direct-to-consumer business as it continues to scale.
Additional details about the leadership changes will be announced at a later date.
As chairman, Smith will be responsible for the company’s global entertainment SVOD business, driving strategy, development and continued innovation across the company’s streaming platforms, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies and more, per Disney, In his expanded role, Disney says Smith will oversee Disney+ and Hulu, including product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships and data & analytics.
In his new role, Earley will lead the strategic development of Disney Entertainment Television franchises, maximizing their value and creating new opportunities to engage audiences and drive the business forward. Earley will oversee all content and production for international originals, production, labor relations and creative talent development.
After more than 20 years working at Google and YouTube, Smith joined Disney in 2024 as chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN. He was promoted to co-president of direct-to-consumer alongside Earley back in March.
“Over the past two years, Adam has done an exceptional job building a world-class team of product and technology leaders and has significantly enhanced the Disney+ user experience globally,” The Walt Disney Company president and chief creative officer Dana Walden said. “Alan Bergman and I are pleased to recognize the tremendous impact he has had on our direct-to-consumer business since he joined Disney, and we are confident that he is the right leader to meet the critical moment we’re in and take us to the next level.”
“Disney has the best storytellers and the most passionate fandom in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has built together,” Smith said. “We’ve established real momentum, and our vision ahead is clear: make Disney+ the connection point for fans everywhere to engage with the full breadth and depth of the broader Disney ecosystem. I’m grateful for this team, energized by what’s ahead, and excited for our next chapter.”
Most recently co-president of direct-to-consumer and head of content strategy, Earley joined Disney in 2019 to oversee global Disney+ marketing and operations ahead of its launch. He was then named president of Hulu in 2022 and became the head of Disney’s direct-to-consumer division in April 2023. Previously, Earley worked at Fox.
“Joe has been an exceptional leader for our direct-to-consumer business over the past four years, and I am deeply grateful for his partnership and meaningful contributions,” Walden said. “He is a talented executive with a rare combination of business acumen and creative instincts, and Debra OConnell and I could not be more excited to welcome him to the leadership team at Disney Entertainment Television.”
As for Schrier, before shifting to his most recent role in early 2026 as president of direct-to-consumer (DTC) international originals, strategic programming and emerging media, he had served as president of Disney Television Studios and Business Operations for Disney General Entertainment. He shifted to the studio side after over two decades with FX, ultimately as president of FX Entertainment. During his time at FX, he worked on more than 100 original series, including hit shows like “Nip/Tuck,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Archer,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Justified,” “The Americans,” “Atlanta,” “Fargo,” “Snowfall” and “The Bear.”
(Pictured top: Eric Schrier)
