Ayo Davis: Last News

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Villains of Valley View” has been renewed for Season 2 at the Disney Channel, Variety has learned exclusively. The multi-cam comedy show, which hails from Disney Branded Television, follows a family of supervillains forced to hide their powers and adopt “normalcy” in suburbia. Season 2 will begin production this fall in Los Angeles. New episodes from Season 1 will resume airing on Oct. 7 “It isn’t hard to see why audiences have fallen in love with the villainous Madden family,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television. “Despite a penchant for utilizing their superpowers in everyday life, Amy and family ultimately care about and support one another. Even though life can be messy, ridiculous, and sometimes frightening, the Maddens demonstrate the (super)power of family and togetherness.”

Tehmina Jaffer, most recently president of Business Affairs and Operations at Anonymous Content, has joined Disney Branded Television as EVP Business Affairs. Jaffer succeeds Adina Savin, who has exited after leading the business affairs division for nearly 23 years. The move comes as Ayo Davis, President, Disney Branded Entertainment continues to solidify her senior executive team.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAnonymous Content’s Tehmina Jaffer has returned to the Disney fold, joining Disney Branded Television as head of business affairs.Jaffer, a former business affairs Disney+ exec, succeeds Adina Savin, who has served as executive vice president of Disney Branded TV’s BA department for 23 years. Savin announced her departure in a memo to staff in early May, citing a desire to focus on personal pursuits.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterFormer HBO chief marketing officer Pamela Levine has been tapped as the new head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content.Levine, who is replacing the recently exited Jayanta Jenkins, will lead an integrated internal agency across brand and creative marketing, strategy, publicity, media planning, digital/social, events, talent relations and awards, supporting content created for Disney+, as well as the Disney and National Geographic-branded linear networks, per Disney General Entertainment.In her new role, which she will begin June 27, Levine will jointly report to Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis and National Geographic Content President Courteney Monroe. Levine’s direct reports include Chris Albert, executive vice president, Marketing and Publicity; Chris Spencer, executive vice president, Creative Marketing; Kristin Corrigan, senior vice president, Marketing Strategy; Jessica Bodaken, vice president, Marketing Production; Abby Ho, vice president, Social Media & Engagement Strategy; and Katie Morrow, vice president, Media Planning.

Former 20th Century Fox and HBO marketing chief Pamela Levine is joining Disney General Entertainment as head of marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content. She replaces Jayanta Jenkins, who exited the post earlier this month after a year and a half.

Lise Pedersen Disney will unveil a raft of new animated series productions Wednesday at the Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival, and show sneak peeks of the upcoming slate of new original animated shows to air on Disney+ and other Disney-owned platforms in 2023 and beyond.Highlights include second season greenlights for hit Disney+ series “Monsters at Work” and “Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life,” and seasons three for “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” and “Mickey Mouse Funhouse.”Additional episode orders for some of Disney Television Animation’s upcoming series, including “Hamster & Gretel,” “Kiff,” “Hailey’s On It” and “Primos” will also be announced.“The announcements out of Annecy today further cement Disney as the leader in animation,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterDisney Branded Television has promoted Meredith Roberts to executive vice president of TV animation, the studio said Monday.The promotion comes for Roberts following “outstanding creative and operational oversight of the Disney Television Animation studio during a period of significant growth,” per Disney Branded TV.Most recently senior vice president/general manager of Television Animation at Disney Branded TV, Roberts has managed the division since  2018, overseeing development and current animated content and production for kids 6-14 and families, including traditional 2D and CG series, movies and shorts distributed on Disney+ and Disney Channel.The studio has 1,200 half-hours of animated content currently in production for Disney’s streaming and linear platforms, and during Roberts’ tenure in 2020, Disney Television Animation earned more Daytime Emmy Award nods than at any other point in its 38-year history. “A leader of incredible vision and a true champion of artistic talent, Meredith has set a new bar for Disney Television Animation, building upon the single greatest animation legacy in the world to lead a team that is creating the most innovative, magical animated storytelling in the business,” Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said during the announcement at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in Annecy, France on Monday.

Disney Branded Television has promoted Meredith Roberts to Executive Vice President, TV Animation.

Jayanta Jenkins is leaving his post as head of Content Marketing for Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content after a year and a half. His last day is June 10.

It’s time to get’cha head in the game! “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” has officially set a summer return for its upcoming third season, Disney+ announced Friday on National Streaming Day. The eight-episode season will kick off Wednesday, July 27 with episodes dropping weekly.

Ahead of its Season 3 premiere, Disney+ has ordered a fourth season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The eight-episode third season will premiere on July 27, with each episode streaming weekly on Wednesdays, exclusively on Disney+. The streamer also released a first-look clip of Season 3 (see above).

Disney+ announced Friday on National Streaming Day. The eight-episode season will kick off Wednesday, July 27 with episodes dropping weekly.And that's not all, has officially been given an early season 4 pickup.“This series continues to deliver best in class drama, humor, and heart,” said Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television.

Veteran communications executive Katherine Nelson has been named VP of Corporate Communications for Disney Branded Television.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBCUniversal communications vet Katherine Nelson has joined Disney Branded Television in the newly-created role of vice president of corporate communications.In this position, Nelson will be responsible for overall communications strategy in support of the organization’s business and executive team as they ramp up the volume of programming that they create, produce and market for Disney+ and linear networks Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior.Based in Burbank, California, Nelson will have a focus on communications that drive the business and build Disney Branded Television’s brand reputation. She will be responsible for leading both external and internal communications for the organization, driving alignment and integrated messaging around strategy, business operations, brand development and internal culture.

Selome Hailu Disney+ has greenlit a new musical with the working title “The Pocketwatch,” which is set in the same universe as the popular “Descendants” movies. The streamer announced the news on Tuesday.“The Pocketwatch” will follow Red, the whip-smart and rebellious teenage daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, the perfectionist and athletic daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming.

Disney Branded Television will bring Shawn Amos’ debut novel Cookies & Milk to screen with an animated series currently in development. The project hails from Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland of Cinema Gypsy Productions (black-ish), Jesse Murphy and James Sears Bryant of Jesse James Films and Shawn Amos.

Sasha Urban editorJohn Stamos has been cast as the voice of Iron Man in Disney Junior’s “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” while the preschool network has also added Lou Diamond Phillips and Yvette Nicole Brown to the vocal cast of “Firebuds” and Justina Machado, Bobby Moynihan, Eric Bauza and Kari Wahlgren have joined “Pupstruction.”The announcements were made Friday by Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis, who revealed a slate of content for Disney Junior over the next two years, including new and original series, shorts, returning franchises and casting news. The announcement was made during the Disney Junior Fun Fest event Friday at Disney California Adventure.“Disney Junior is already home to some of the most beloved preschool programming, and today, we have unveiled the next slate of content that is sure to entertain preschool kids for years to come,” Davis said.

Disney Junior has unveiled its original programming lineup for kids 2-7 through 2024, adding four new original series, two new short-form series, the renewal of Alice’s Wonderland Bakery, along with some high-profile castings. Disney Branded President Ayo Davis announced the projects Friday during the Disney Junior Fun Fest event at Disney California Adventure.

The Muppets Mayhem is set to follow the beloved show’s band as they try and record their first ever album, according to Variety.The show will star Lilly Singh as Nora, a human junior A&R executive who must manage the band, featuring Dr. Teeth, Animals, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot and Lips.Adam F.

Writer-producer-director Latoya Raveneau is expanding her relationship with Disney. The Rise Up, Sing Out EP and Proud Family revival series director has signed an overall deal to develop and produce animated projects with Disney Television Animation and 20th Television Animation, along with live-action content development.

Selome Hailu Latoya Raveneau, director of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” has entered an overall deal at Disney to develop and produce animated projects with Disney Television Animation and 20th Television Animation. The deal also includes terms for live-action content development.Through the new agreement, Raveneau is now developing a pilot at Disney Television Animation under the leadership of Meredith Roberts, the studio’s senior vice president and general manager.