News The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors Extends Robert A. Iger’s Contract as CEO Through 2026

[Casper Gutman]

That's the thing. No one has a plan, but time is rapidly running out to formulate one.

I’m not sure there is a plan for linear TV other than making your other divisions so robust that you can survive the hit of its demise.

People - including Wall Street - keep screaming for some magic plan regarding linear TV and I’ve yet to see ANYONE suggest ANYTHING meaningful.

 

[BrianLo]

That’s just the company line…

Nobody is asking how they’ll generates the profits necessary to do…really anything they would…from their standalone streaming service?

…there’s a reason why

We aren’t going to see eye to eye on this, but I think there’s a very quick reality where ARPU is doubled and we have 30-40% more content then today. There’s oodles of money for them at that point, even without growing their subscriber base.

True D+ Hulu integration is the end point. You guys aren’t seeing the same more unskippable international product that is D+/Star, although it is just starting.

Netflix will be 25 dollars a month by then, trying to grope in the dark for the peak that consumers will tolerate. We also know there is a ton of money in ads.

It’s cable 2.0 without the middle men.

This fundamentally will not work long-term. Netflix’s fire hose of mostly mediocre/bad content means a never ending flood of new stuff that covers a variety of demos. They completely avoid theatrical. Disney’s curation hinges on unevenly-received franchise series, for the D+ side, which throws theatrical releases into imbalance (see: The Marvels). Curation will lead to plateauing sooner rather than later at this scale.

Yes, I think they have a franchise problem/addiction. They also are stuck in a miniseries rut. They can’t have it both ways. A streaming micro Universe seems smarter, aka the Daredevil Netflix approach. But curation also extends to FX and general entertainment. We’ll see how the FX leadership moving up the chain changes ‘Disney live action’, which is and has always been an absolute mess for decades.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I play video games.

When I see someone say, in earnest, “He’s not a gamer,” I hear, “ Hello fellow young person, I am hip and rad and totally understand the changing marketplace.”

 

[Slpy3270]

I play video games.

When I see someone say, in earnest, “He’s not a gamer,” I hear, “ Hello fellow young person, I am hip and rad and totally understand the changing marketplace.”

Disney tried the video game route and it didn't work. I'm not sure why anyone thinks they can do it again and get it right the second time.

(Also the game industry sans Nintendo is not in a good spot atm.)

 

[Brian]

Hollywood is skeptical that Disney CEO Bob Iger will step down in 2026 as successor search continues

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he stays,” the Disney source said of Iger. “He is ageless and there aren’t many internal successors who are ready.”

nypost.com

 

[WoundedDreamer]

Not technically at this current juncture. I’m really not counting the detached from reality streaming bubble when most of their other core business were closed.

Now if the current run doesn’t ‘stick’, fair enough!

I’m cognizant that the stock can’t continue to post another 20-30% or then we are way overheating again unless their overall revenue as you say changes. Margins only get you so far. I think there is more revenue in D+ to come though, we still haven’t seen the December price hikes play out.

Never underestimate the Bob's ability to burn billions of dollars!

Restructuring and Impairment Charges
2019: 1,183 million

2020: 5,735 million

2021: 645 million

2022: 237 million

2023: 3,892 million

2024 (so far): 1,800-2,000 million

Restructuring and Impairment Charges 2019-2024:

13,492-13,692 million

Cumulative Direct to Consumer losses: 14,000 million

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Ok, so let's say Iger wins this, and then announces that Tom Staggs will be returning to become the next CEO. What would the reaction here be?

 

[el_super]

Ok, so let's say Iger wins this, and then announces that Tom Staggs will be returning to become the next CEO. What would the reaction here be?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Whomever they pick as CEO doesn't get to run the place with King-like powers. They get to navigate the very narrow gap between shareholder desires and customer wants. Between Government regulations and employee relations.

The sooner you realize the personality doesn't really matter the better off you will be.

 

[Casper Gutman]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Whomever they pick as CEO doesn't get to run the place with King-like powers. They get to navigate the very narrow gap between shareholder desires and customer wants. Between Government regulations and employee relations.

The sooner you realize the personality doesn't really matter the better off you will be.

It matters a little, but anyone they choose will have a similar personality.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It will probably have little impact. But the point of the lawsuit is to create a sense of chaos and instability that might deter those institutional decision makers, even if they reject the lawsuits logic.

I would also ask why an article from the NYPost, a biased tabloid, that includes a quotation labeling Dana Walden a “deep state Hollywood insider” is acceptable for these boards but an article from Hollywood Reporter, a respected industry news source with actual editorial oversight, is deleted.

At this point it’s after the fact

If Peltz gets vanguard…or more importantly state street…to back him then he probably gets his seat

If not…it ends up being somewhere in the 20-40% range and we watch to see what happens?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ok, so let's say Iger wins this, and then announces that Tom Staggs will be returning to become the next CEO. What would the reaction here be?

A most interesting question…id think about it.

I do recall thinking staggs had more natural skill/instinct that Rasulo…
But I can’t emphasize enough that the P&R heads have been bread to be hated for along time

Since Pauly boy…that’s the role. Only one person makes the decisions and it isn’t that one

 

[TalkingHead]

Noticed in that CNBC interview earlier today that the Fox purchase was referenced as a way to acquire content for streaming.

Which raised this question again: Has anybody ever come up with any semi-decent rationale for why Disney hasn’t cycled more of the 20th Century back catalog onto the platform? Is there even a functioning film restoration/archive program handling Fox materials, like WB, Paramount, and Universal have? I’d love to know if Iger could name five Fox titles from before 1977.

 

[BrianLo]

Never underestimate the Bob's ability to burn billions of dollars!

Restructuring and Impairment Charges
2019: 1,183 million

2020: 5,735 million

2021: 645 million

2022: 237 million

2023: 3,892 million

2024 (so far): 1,800-2,000 million

Restructuring and Impairment Charges 2019-2024:

13,492-13,692 million

Cumulative Direct to Consumer losses: 14,000 million

How much would D+ sell to the highest bidder today? Hulu gives us a frame of reference. There’s a cost to internal growth versus just buying established business outright. Largely we’ve reached the end of the loss phase intrinsic to the platform.

One can argue 14B is a pretty good deal. Though I’d also argue it has cost Disney more than that with some studio damage. Netflix would probably go for 200+ though.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

MCU had THREE top ten hits in 2022 and one in 2023. We’ve gone through this. It’s true even if it’s inconvenient for you.

I gave you the adjusted numbers…
Look for the pattern

Like how many flops did they have in 2023?

Or let’s throw it out as a poll question: does anyone other than Mr. 2016 here have a case to make that the MCU is not in decline/diminishing returns? Anyone?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Noticed in that CNBC interview earlier today that the Fox purchase was referenced as a way to acquire content for streaming.

Which raised this question again: Has anybody ever come up with any semi-decent rationale for why Disney hasn’t cycled more of the 20th Century back catalog onto the platform? Is there even a functioning film restoration/archive program handling Fox materials, like WB, Paramount, and Universal have? I’d love to know if Iger could name five Fox titles from before 1977.

It was a complete and total mistake…

They got some decent distribution rights and some more components for MCU…

Beyond that?…Bart Simpson

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This fundamentally will not work long-term. Netflix’s fire hose of mostly mediocre/bad content means a never ending flood of new stuff that covers a variety of demos. They completely avoid theatrical. Disney’s curation hinges on unevenly-received franchise series, for the D+ side, which throws theatrical releases into imbalance (see: The Marvels). Curation will lead to plateauing sooner rather than later at this scale.

I’d argue that Disneys strategy of “augmenting” the stream serials with box office and vice versa has heavily damaged both.

Some things are meant for the big format…some things better to be fleshed out in longer quantities on the small…

They’ve blurred those lines to the point both are taking hits

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We’ll see in two days. But with the three major funds declaring presumably for the company, it shouldn’t be that close.

Which one of those major funds does George Lucas control and which one Jamie dimon?

Because if one votes for Peltz…you’re gonna see a final tally similar to 2004.

And remember: “the company” is not Bob Iger or his $&@!!y techie board

Disney will be Disney after that whole crew chokes on bad beluga at a sun valley reception

 

[Casper Gutman]

I gave you the adjusted numbers…
Look for the pattern

Like how many flops did they have in 2023?

Or let’s throw it out as a poll question: does anyone other than Mr. 2016 here have a case to make that the MCU is not in decline/diminishing returns? Anyone?

Strange 2 made more than Strange 1. Thor 4 made more than Thor 3 in every market in which it was allowed to open.

You’re reading a heck of a lot into two data points - Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels. Let’s reconvene at the end of 2025 and see where we are.

Oh, and no one credible uses “adjusted” numbers. You’re free to do so, of course.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Disney will be Disney after that whole crew chokes on bad beluga at a sun valley reception

History never happens. Everything always stays the same. Normal today will be normal tomorrow.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

History never happens. Everything always stays the same. Normal today will be normal tomorrow.

You know…history can be your guide.

You said yourself you don’t go to Disney parks…but it’s a shame because they aren’t a lost cause yet. It surely possible someone will like building stuff one day again. Not impossible at all.