The CEO speaks out on former CEO Bob Chapek, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Disney’s recent releases.
Disney CEO Bob Iger—who over the summer described the demands of striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA workers as “not realistic,” then pulled back on that harsh statement by pushing to end the strikes quickly (as backed up by Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav)—has addressed some of his company’s most pressing matters as 2024 approaches.
One of the things that immediately began to circulate online was Iger’s controversial take on the state of Disney films during today’s Q&A at the New York Times’ DealBook conference. He was quoted by CNBC writer Alex Sherman on X as saying Disney has “lost sight of what their jobs should be. One, entertain first. It’s not about messages,” and said this issue took a turn when he left as CEO and Bob Chapek took over. Films that came out during that time period included theatrical releases like Onward, Mulan, Lightyear, Encanto, and Strange World, and straight to Disney+ films like Turning Red and Luca.
