Walt Disney Studios (Creative commons)

Ross had been chairman for less than three years but given recent movie flops such as “John Carter”, which lost Disney roughly $200 million,  his resignation had been expected. 

Ross was promoted back in the fall of 2009 to replace Dick Cook. He was better known as a television executive and had little experience in the movie business. While he had one smash hit, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” movies such as “Mars Needs Moms” and “Prom” proved to be misses for Ross.   

The LA Times reports that Ross sent an email to his co-workers earlier this morning. He wrote, “I no longer believe the Chairman role is the right professional fit for me. For that reason, I have made the very difficult decision to step down as Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, effective today.” 

Disney chief executive, Robert A. Iger, who hired Ross in 2009, released a statement saying, “I appreciate his countless contributions throughout his entire career at Disney, and expect he will have a tremendous success in whatever he chooses to do next.”

A replacement for Ross has not been named yet.   

Reach reporter Elizabeth Pereira here.