Bob Iger: "‘We’ve got some pretty exciting things that we’ll be announcing over the next few months"

[JimboJones123]

I can't take anyone who keeps saying "idiot nephew" seriously so I won't be responding or correcting his post. A real shame people can't behave more professionally but then again after seeing the kind of low end people who are crowding around WDW now adays I can't say im surprised when some of them are going to show up to junk up this nice site too.

I use idiot nephew in jest because it was such a stupid notion to begin with. An unfair treatment of a company treasure.

 

[Captain Neo]

I use idiot nephew in jest because it was such a stupid notion to begin with. An unfair treatment of a company treasure.

For real. Dude pushed Fantasia 2000 through and overthrew 2 bad corporate regimes to save the company.

 

[TalkingHead]

For real. Dude pushed Fantasia 2000 through and overthrew 2 bad corporate regimes to save the company.

You call this "saved"?!

 

[Captain Neo]

You call this "saved"?!

Uh yea i'll take Star Wars, Little Mermaid, Cars Land, and Avatar Land over buzz lightyear astro blasters, stitch great escape and mission space any day of the week. Parks still have alot of problems but I shudder to think would have happened if Eisner stayed even longer.

Also, the world doesn't revolve around WDW. Iger brought in Lasseter and Catmull not only for Pixar but to fix Disney animation and they did make attempts to revive 2D animation, brought back fairy tale musicals, short films, shut down the direct to video sequels division, etc. The movie studio also started putting out movies that people actually wanted like TRON, Wonderland, and Oz and thats not even getting into all the other divisions that have improved.

 

[TalkingHead]

Uh yea i'll take Star Wars, Little Mermaid, Cars Land, and Avatar Land over buzz lightyear astro blasters, stitch great escape and mission space any day of the week. Parks still have alot of problems but I shudder to think would have happened if Eisner stayed even longer.

Also, the world doesn't revolve around WDW. Iger brought in Lasseter and Catmull not only for Pixar but to fix Disney animation and they did make attempts to revive 2D animation, brought back fairy tale musicals, short films, shut down the direct to video sequels division, etc. The movie studio also started putting out movies that people actually wanted like TRON, Wonderland, and Oz and thats not even getting into all the other divisions that have improved.

Haha, movies that people wanted? Tron, Wonderland, and Oz?

Ok, that's all I needed to know about you.

Post-Eisner TWDC's success hinges on ESPN and buying other IP. Very magical business, that.

 

[Clever Name]

No one is disputing that, I think it was Ed Catmull who said that ending the relationship with Disney felt to Pixar personnel like they were given up their children. Jobs was right to want a better deal, Pixar had been incredibly successful and was pretty much wiping the floor with Disney's own animated efforts, not surprising given that Eisner had targeted the animators for daring to side with Roy E. Disney and placed David Stainton in charge of the division to effectively cut costs to the bone.

Eisner's departure wasn't a "hasty" one, it was a long, drawn-out process that he was the chief architect of through his poor and divisive management in the later years of his time at Disney. Even when he was on the way out, Eisner tried to convince Iger not to buy Pixar and presented a plan to the Disney BOD not to sanction the deal; Iger refuted each and every point in Eisner's argument and the board sanctioned the Disney/Pixar merger.

My assertion is that had the deal been left to Eisner, Disney would have gotten a much better deal. Of course, we'll never know because it didn't play out that way. Also, Jobs wanted much more than just a better deal. Jobs wanted to completely renegotiate the original deal and wanted full ownership and control for all the films including Cars. Naturally, that deal was not considered reasonable by anyone (except Jobs) and all negotiations broke down.

It's interesting that Jobs publicly announced in 2004 that he was looking for other studios with which to partner or to work out a distribution deal for Pixar films. Not one studio or distributor sought to deal with Jobs or Pixar. Negotiations between Disney and Pixar did not resume until Eisner left in 2005.

With Eisner's departure, that put Jobs in the catbird seat and the rest is history.

 

[lego606]

I can't wait for the Planes park!

 

[Darth Sidious]

Star Wars needs to be put in a separate park, it doesn't belong in Tomorrowland. Iron Man/Stark Expo does fit.

I would love to see a Stark Expo is a Disney park. However, it would fit best in Florida (going all out) but we know that can't happen. While I love the Marvel acquisition, it was filled with complications due to the messy condition Marvel had been in.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I would love to see a Stark Expo is a Disney park. However, it would fit best in Florida (going all out) but we know that can't happen. While I love the Marvel acquisition, it was filled with complications due to the messy condition Marvel had been in.

If Marvel is being saved for the third gate, as rumors are stating, then it would be full out. I think it would be weird to have two, different Marvel parks in the same area, as it would be in Florida.

 

[Darth Sidious]

If Marvel is being saved for the third gate, as rumors are stating, then it would be full out. I think it would be weird to have two, different Marvel parks in the same area, as it would be in Florida.

Well legally it can't happen in Florida without Disney buying out Uni's contract. This was always my thoughts as to why Disney may be hesitant to do anything in the states. They may not want two different representations.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Well legally it can't happen in Florida without Disney buying out Uni's contract. This was always my thoughts as to why Disney may be hesitant to do anything in the states. They may not want two different representations.

In the US, Disney still has not topped The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. If they're not going to top that, I have no interest in their take on Marvel.

 

[Sped2424]

Well for example he overheard people saying they werent gonna go on the jungle cruise because they saw that arleady so he had the imagineers go in and add brand new show scenes. He also chased after hot properties like Peter Pan, Oz, and Mary Poppins (which the movie Mr.Banks will be about). If Star Wars was around in his day you bet your bottom dollar he would have gone after it. Even Lucas said that when most of the big studios rejected his proposal for Star Wars he believed Walt Disney would have given him a shot because he had vision and was more ambitious.

He has a point..

 

[Californian Elitist]

Well legally it can't happen in Florida without Disney buying out Uni's contract. This was always my thoughts as to why Disney may be hesitant to do anything in the states. They may not want two different representations.

Yes, I know about the legal situation. I don't think they're hesitant of putting Marvel in California (Iron Man in Innoventions). '74 said Iron Man/Stark Expo in Tomorrowland was cancelled because Iger is really gung-ho about using Marvel for a separate gate. Of course, I don't know if that's true or not and things can easily change. Anaheim may not even get a third park. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yes, I know about the legal situation. I don't think they're hesitant of putting Marvel in California (Iron Man in Innoventions). '74 said Iron Man/Stark Expo in Tomorrowland was cancelled because Iger is really gung-ho about using Marvel for a separate gate. Of course, I don't know if that's true or not and things can easily change. Anaheim may not even get a third park. We'll just have to wait and see.

I really don't want to see Iger's unmitigated vision of a theme park...

 

[Californian Elitist]

I really don't want to see Iger's unmitigated vision of a theme park...

If this Marvel third park actually does happen, hopefully Iger will be gone by the time they pull the trigger.

 

[PeterAlt]

Uh yea i'll take Star Wars, Little Mermaid, Cars Land, and Avatar Land over buzz lightyear astro blasters, stitch great escape and mission space any day of the week. Parks still have alot of problems but I shudder to think would have happened if Eisner stayed even longer.

Also, the world doesn't revolve around WDW. Iger brought in Lasseter and Catmull not only for Pixar but to fix Disney animation and they did make attempts to revive 2D animation, brought back fairy tale musicals, short films, shut down the direct to video sequels division, etc. The movie studio also started putting out movies that people actually wanted like TRON, Wonderland, and Oz and thats not even getting into all the other divisions that have improved.

Had Eisner stayed, there would be two new mountains at the Magic Kingdom, no FLE mess, Beastly Kingdom at AK, Pleasure Island would still open and expanded, unfortunately Project Gemini would have finished the transformation of EC as we know it, there would be a fifth gate, a third water park, several new resorts at least, and possibly a light rail to connect the rest of the property. Celebrations and all the rest of the properties that were sold off would still be part of WDW and developed. Also, the recent maintenance issues at the parks would never have happened. Albeit, he installed a few bad apples that contributed to the crisis, he later realized his mistaken on his own and fired them.

Iger did not bring in Lassetter. He came with Pixar and Steve Jobs insisted that he be made Chief Creative Officer and run the combined animation studios as well as WDI - or it was no deal.

Iger does have more trust in the studios, giving them too much money. John Carter and Lone Ranger won't be the only two $200 million losers. When you put so many $200 million eggs in a basket, having to take a loss of just two falling out is very lucky. Odds are there will be more. If the parks bring in over 40% of the company's bottom line, they deserve 40-something percent of capital expenditures, not the insignificant amount they're receiving now compare to film!

 

[Captain Neo]

Had Eisner stayed, there would be two new mountains at the Magic Kingdom, no FLE mess, Beastly Kingdom at AK, Pleasure Island would still open and expanded, unfortunately Project Gemini would have finished the transformation of EC as we know it, there would be a fifth gate, a third water park, several new resorts at least, and possibly a light rail to connect the rest of the property. Celebrations and all the rest of the properties that were sold off would still be part of WDW and developed. Also, the recent maintenance issues at the parks would never have happened. Albeit, he installed a few bad apples that contributed to the crisis, he later realized his mistaken on his own and fired them.

HAHAHAHHAHA man who has been brainwashing you guys?

Eisner was not going to build 2 mountains, beastly kindgom,etc. "No fle mess"? You would be dreaming and wishing for FLE after waiting 3 years for some M&Gs and charecter overlays courtesy of Jay Rasolu. On what basis are you saying this? Good luck finding any insider or anyone with credibility to back up what you just told me. Oh man what a laugh.

 

[Captain Neo]

Haha, movies that people wanted? Tron, Wonderland, and Oz?

Ok, that's all I needed to know about you.

Post-Eisner TWDC's success hinges on ESPN and buying other IP. Very magical business, that.

May want to double check the facts

 

[lazyboy97o]

HAHAHAHHAHA man who has been brainwashing you guys?

Eisner was not going to build 2 mountains, beastly kindgom,etc. "No fle mess"? You would be dreaming and wishing for FLE after waiting 3 years for some M&Gs and charecter overlays courtesy of Jay Rasolu. On what basis are you saying this? Good luck finding any insider or anyone with credibility to back up what you just told me. Oh man what a laugh.

Jay Rasulo came from the hated Strategic Planning. He was replaced at Parks & Resorts by the man who was his boss at Strategic Planning.

 

[Ignohippo]

My assertion is that had the deal been left to Eisner, Disney would have gotten a much better deal. Of course, we'll never know because it didn't play out that way. Also, Jobs wanted much more than just a better deal. Jobs wanted to completely renegotiate the original deal and wanted full ownership and control for all the films including Cars. Naturally, that deal was not considered reasonable by anyone (except Jobs) and all negotiations broke down.

It's interesting that Jobs publicly announced in 2004 that he was looking for other studios with which to partner or to work out a distribution deal for Pixar films. Not one studio or distributor sought to deal with Jobs or Pixar. Negotiations between Disney and Pixar did not resume until Eisner left in 2005.

With Eisner's departure, that put Jobs in the catbird seat and the rest is history.

A deal with Eisner never would have happened. There was entirely too much bad blood.

Pixar was more than ready to go out on its own. They made Ratatouille without any outside input and with the intentions that it would be their first movie as a standalone studio.