Disney Marketing Chief MT Carney Exiting Studio

6:15 PM PST 1/8/2012 by Borys Kit, Matthew Belloni

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Carney, who joined Disney under chairman Rich Ross in April 2010 as president of worldwide marketing despite no experience in the film business, has been the subject of months of speculation about her future at the studio.

Controversial marketing executive MT Carney is on her way out at the Walt Disney Co., sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter.

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Carney, who joined Disney under chairman Rich Ross in April 2010 as president of worldwide marketing despite no experience in the film business, has been the subject of months of speculation about her future at the studio. A source says Carney has not been in her Burbank office at Disney in several weeks, and she has expressed a desire to return to New York, where her children are based.

Disney declined to comment.

Carney's exit, which a source said could be announced within days, comes in the wake of a New York Times article saying Disney was seeking to replace her. The article, published Sunday on the Times' website, said Disney had reached out to at least one seasoned movie marketing executive, who declined to take the job.

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Carney, whose previous experience was as a marketing specialst for packaged goods, presides over the worldwide marketing for all Disney films, including those made by Pixar, DreamWorks and Marvel. Under her tenure, the studio has had such successes as The Help and The Muppets, but it has also suffered such disappointments as Sorcerer's Apprentice (whose tagline, "It's the Coolest Job Ever," was roundly panned within the industry).

In Oct 2010, Disney raised eyebrows by bringing in experienced marketing executive Valerie Van Galder to help with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Should Ross and the Disney regime decide to replace Carney from within Hollywood’s ranks, they could reach out to several veterans, including Van Galder; Dawn Taubin, the former Warner Bros. marketing executive who is working on awards campaigns for DreamWorks films; former DreamWorks president of marketing Terry Press; and former Paramount president of domestic marketing Gerry Rich.

Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com, Matthew.Belloni@thr.com

Twitter: @Borys_Kit, @THRMattBelloni