News Bob Iger talks about attendance declines, ticket pricing, the feud with Ron DeSantis, and his huge optimism for Disney Parks and Resorts

[SirLink]

We are the victims here. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity,” Drescher said about SAG-AFTRA. “I cannot believe it, quite frankly: How far apart we are on so many things. How [the studios] plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them.”


Excuse me SirLink but are you overlooking the fact that Fran is a victim?

Shame.

She isn't a victim. Actors are paid for doing the work after they have finished their part in the production that is it. Blockbuster films don't turn a profit its down to merchandising of the IP which belongs to the Studios.

Is Iger paid too much as a CEO of an entertainment company which output of the last 15 years has been middling probably, however, that is what he thinks he is worth and the board agrees in his assessment of his worth.

Think of the Studios as fast food chains you don't pay the manager/ceo the same as the cooks as they have less responsibility.

 

[Dranth]

So you’re confident they left out a key detail without checking the source? The story does mention at least two are stunt doubles (including the picture of Snow White). If anyone’s been caught lying here, it’s Disney.

Either way, the costumes look garish, and are presumptively similar to the ones worn by the principal actors.

Look, the Daily Mail is known for being a bit loose with information so I am not going to feel bad about not believing anything they say until it is verified elsewhere. I am also not going to be checking their site personally as I have no desire to support them or the fast and loose click bait ”journalism“ they like to run with a lot of the time.

As for the photo, most costumes look very different in a photo or real life vs. a completed movie. If they still look like that in the final movie after being filmed on a set with proper lighting and going through the post production process I will gladly come back on here and agree 100% with you.

 

[flynnibus]

She isn't a victim. Actors are paid for doing the work after they have finished their part in the production that is it. Blockbuster films don't turn a profit its down to merchandising of the IP which belongs to the Studios.

Except it's not that. Actors have negotiated a position long ago that they don't give away all their rights of their likeness or performance in a production. They have negotiated positions that are not simple 'paid for hours worked' labor. They also face a world where the other side isn't really operating in good faith in terms of reporting actuals in which the negotiated compensation is based.

The comparisons of actors pay to CEO pay is stupid... but to argue they are simply paid for work done and that's it is not how that market operates. Nor have the studios really held their end of the bargin. And a large portion of the fight is the landscape has changed and hence their contracts must change as well to reflect that new world.

 

[SirLink]

Except it's not that. Actors have negotiated a position long ago that they don't give away all their rights of their likeness or performance in a production. They have negotiated positions that are not simple 'paid for hours worked' labor. They also face a world where the other side isn't really operating in good faith in terms of reporting actuals in which the negotiated compensation is based.

The comparisons of actors pay to CEO pay is stupid... but to argue they are simply paid for work done and that's it is not how that market operates. Nor have the studios really held their end of the bargin. And a large portion of the fight is the landscape has changed and hence their contracts must change as well to reflect that new world.

I just don't see why the Studios would of agreed to such a reckless decision in the past, but now that the Studios have built up legacy content at Disney/WBD/MGM(Amazon) etc. They have less of an incentive to come to the negotiating table and might be time for these actors to accept the real world is the new world and have to accept new terms that are quite so one sided in their favor.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

She isn't a victim. Actors are paid for doing the work after they have finished their part in the production that is it. Blockbuster films don't turn a profit its down to merchandising of the IP which belongs to the Studios.

Is Iger paid too much as a CEO of an entertainment company which output of the last 15 years has been middling probably, however, that is what he thinks he is worth and the board agrees in his assessment of his worth.

Think of the Studios as fast food chains you don't pay the manager/ceo the same as the cooks as they have less responsibility.

Some of the issues about AI though the union side has a point

The studios want the actors to be paid just for being scanned for AI and then that is it - they can use their likeness 1,000 times over and the actor will get nothing else.

Things like that .... But is also why I wanted Iger to explain more - which parts are unrealistic?

 

[the_rich]

Some of the issues about AI though the union side has a point

The studios want the actors to be paid just for being scanned for AI and then that is it - they can use their likeness 1,000 times over and the actor will get nothing else.

Things like that .... But is also why I wanted Iger to explain more - which parts are unrealistic?

Another is issue is residuals now that alot of movies and shows go to streaming instead of broadcast. Studios need to pay the actors what they deserve. We're not talking about rdj, these are people working for scale who count on them.

 

[JoeCamel]

It’s funny watching multi-millionaires fight over money isn’t it.

Not unlike a sports strike but this affects me selfishly the new episodes of the shows I watch are on hold until so still people making a lot more money than I ever did wanting a bigger piece of a huge pie that we all fund.....

 

[Br0ckford]

Some of the issues about AI though the union side has a point

The studios want the actors to be paid just for being scanned for AI and then that is it - they can use their likeness 1,000 times over and the actor will get nothing else.

Things like that .... But is also why I wanted Iger to explain more - which parts are unrealistic?

The AI thing was probably a throw away by the studios knowing they'd have to give that up in negotiations. Make the actors look at the left hand while the right hand is in your pocket. Not unlike the sweater himself.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The AI thing was probably a throw away by the studios knowing they'd have to give that up in negotiations. Make the actors look at the left hand while the right hand is in your pocket. Not unlike the sweater himself.

Very possible - but definitely something that needs to be addressed and discussed. And maybe they are using it more like a threat to get concessions on other things more important - but also wouldn't put it past studios to use A into save $ long term

Guess my larger point is there are some legit things that need to be addressed even if the face of both sides of the argument (the audio head and the successful actor) really aren't "victims"

 

[lazyboy97o]

The AI thing was probably a throw away by the studios knowing they'd have to give that up in negotiations. Make the actors look at the left hand while the right hand is in your pocket. Not unlike the sweater himself.

You don’t think a studio would have loved to have had a digital copy of Chris Evans when he became a star as Captain America? Having rights to use the likeness of a background actor who has just had a break out moment would be of immense value.

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

TikTok - Make Your Day

Sean Gunn from Guardians going after Bob

 

[GhostHost1000]

TikTok - Make Your Day

Sean Gunn from Guardians going after Bob

Bob’s response. “Uh I am groot?”

 

[Smugpugmug]

You mean 25 more seasons total across their 5 different series? At a minimum.

A new series already came out on monday. I expect that series to already have another season plus a reboot.

 

[flynnibus]

I just don't see why the Studios would of agreed to such a reckless decision in the past, but now that the Studios have built up legacy content at Disney/WBD/MGM(Amazon) etc. They have less of an incentive to come to the negotiating table and might be time for these actors to accept the real world is the new world and have to accept new terms that are quite so one sided in their favor.

Trying to make creatives just hourly faceless workers? Lol good luck with that.

Your attitude is exactly why they unionized in the first place.

 

[Br0ckford]

You don’t think a studio would have loved to have had a digital copy of Chris Evans when he became a star as Captain America? Having rights to use the likeness of a background actor who has just had a break out moment would be of immense value.

Oh I don't doubt for one second they would relish it. It just seemed the easiest issue for them to give up to appear as a conessession. I also think they would absolutely use an issue in that way.

 

[Splash4eva]

Yes, Bob Iger will make about 32 million a year for the next 3 years. However, how much did RDJ make for Ironman? Actors are not worth that much and the stars should take less money so the rest of the actors make more. Why is any actor or athlete worth millions a year. Disney has been paying way too much to make its movies. Everyone has to take less, including Iger. On the otherhand maybe the income tax rate should go back to 90% on all income over $5 million a year with no deductions for any income over $1 million. No one should feel sorry for people making that much money.

Disney has 220k employees. If Iger takes ZERO salary. Do the math and tell me how much money each employee makes…

 

[DisneyHead123]

Somewhat related- I’ve said for a while now Disney is going to have to choose which customers they want because the answer used to be “all of them” and by and large they succeeded.

Not anymore.

As you note there are some aspects that we can’t discuss here but… it’s decision time Disney it’s either bucket A or folks in bucket B. There is no C.

How long will that last though? "Manufactured consent" and all that. Too much polarization is bad for business. Unified customer bases are good for it.

Big business is certainly not the only shaper of societal narratives but they are a significant one. I expect we'll see more movement from them on the "Kumbaya, we all love one another here" front here shortly. They have a vested interest in Bucket C.

 

[Lilofan]

Yes, Bob Iger will make about 32 million a year for the next 3 years. However, how much did RDJ make for Ironman? Actors are not worth that much and the stars should take less money so the rest of the actors make more. Why is any actor or athlete worth millions a year. Disney has been paying way too much to make its movies. Everyone has to take less, including Iger. On the otherhand maybe the income tax rate should go back to 90% on all income over $5 million a year with no deductions for any income over $1 million. No one should feel sorry for people making that much money.

One can be like Keanu Reeves and give away some of his money away to help his friends , staff etc in need. I've seen him twice and he's a unassuming very humble guy around, but Bill Murray is something else. He and I joked around like we were old friends.

 

[SirLink]

Some of the issues about AI though the union side has a point

The studios want the actors to be paid just for being scanned for AI and then that is it - they can use their likeness 1,000 times over and the actor will get nothing else.

Things like that .... But is also why I wanted Iger to explain more - which parts are unrealistic?

The unrealistic parts that he was talking about was the economics of DTC business, as of Q2 2023 the average cost to subscribe was $4.44, you have the cost of operating the streaming service globally: Servers/IT team/Social teams/Licensing/marketing. If we assume profit per subscriber is around 3/8th is $1.66 average profit per subscriber.

Then the Studios are laying out all the risk for funding various movies and tv shows with no guarantees of a projects success but have to accept all the failure. Which DTC isn't making enough to satisfy the payment of a dividend.

 

[seascape]

The unrealistic parts that he was talking about was the economics of DTC business, as of Q2 2023 the average cost to subscribe was $4.44, you have the cost of operating the streaming service globally: Servers/IT team/Social teams/Licensing/marketing. If we assume profit per subscriber is around 3/8th is $1.66 average profit per subscriber.

Then the Studios are laying out all the risk for funding various movies and tv shows with no guarantees of a projects success but have to accept all the failure. Which DTC isn't making enough to satisfy the payment of a dividend.

The entire industry has changed. Not only is the cable industry dead but so is over the air TV and the movie industry is shrinking. People will soon have 100 inch TV's with great sound. Then add the reality that free ad supported streaming services and a few paid streamimg services being the revenue source for all this. Plus internet service costs will be lower as cord cutting 2.0 takes off. No longer will people pay $100 plus a month for cable and another $50 plus for internet. The future is $25 for internet and $25 for paid streaming along with a few free streaming services. Where will the money come from to pay all the people who work in the industry? The highest paid actors will have to take pay cuts as will all executives.