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

[Dranth]

Question: these marvel, Pixar, LFL and live actions that are flopping…

When did they start work on them?

Well I posted a quick synopsis of this year at the box office in one of the movie threads:

Movie	Production Start	Approved by
Ant Man	Jul-21	Chapek
Indian Jones	Jun-21	Chapek
GoTG V3	Nov-21	Chapek
Little Mermaid	Jan-21	Chapek
Elemental	N/A*	Iger, split production
Haunted Mansion	Oct-21	Chapek
A Haunting in Venice	Oct-22	Chapek, split production
The Creator	Jan-22	Chapek
The Marvels	Aug-21	Chapek
Next Goal Wins	Nov-19	Iger, split production
Wish	N/A*	Iger, split production

*Don't have an exact date for these but both were in production pre covid so had to have final approval from Iger

We don't know about The Marvels, Next Goal Wins or Wish yet but every single bomb this year had it's final approval and production run take place under the system Chapek put in place with only A Haunting in Venice having any substantial cross over as it didn't finish filming until after Iger came back. The rest were either done or already in the post production process when Iger returned.

Just for fun, here are the Marvel, Star Wars and remake D+ productions that released the last three years:

Show	Production Start	Release Date	Approved By
She Hulk	Apr-21	Aug-22	Chapek
Peter Pan and Wendy	Mar-21	Apr-23	Chapek
Pinocchio	Mar-21	Sep-22	Chapek
Ms. Marvel	Nov-20	Jun-22	Chapek
Mando Season 2	Oct-18	Oct-20	Iger
Mando Season 3	Oct-21	Mar-23	Chapek
Secret Invasion	Sep-21	Jun-23	Chapek
Loki Season 1	Feb-20	Jun-21	Chapek
Loki Season 2	Jun-22	Oct-23	Chapek
Moon Knight	Apr-21	Mar-22	Chapek
Hawkeye	Dec-20	Nov-21	Chapek
What-if	N/A	Aug-21	Chapek
The Falcon and the Winter Solider	Oct-19	Mar-21	Iger
Wanda-Vision	Nov-19	Jan-21	Iger
Werewolf by Night	Mar-22	Oct-22	Chapek
GotG Holiday Special	Feb-22	Nov-22	Chapek
Ahsoka	May-22	Aug-23	Chapek
Obi-Wan Kenobi	May-21	May-22	Chapek
Andor Season 1	Dec-20	Sep-22	Chapek
Book of Boba Fett	Nov-20	Dec-21	Chapek

I could very well be missing a few but those are the ones I could remember.

 

[flynnibus]

I could very well be missing a few but those are the ones I could remember.

Why are even entertaining this idea that the CEO is the one who produces or green lights every project the Disney studio makes? That's the purview of the studio head. CEO isn't going to get involved unless there is something extraordinary to override.

The next film in an established franchise.. or whatever isn't going to be going to the CEO to read the script... come on.

 

[Dranth]

Why are even entertaining this idea that the CEO is the one who produces or green lights every project the Disney studio makes? That's the purview of the studio head. CEO isn't going to get involved unless there is something extraordinary to override.

The next film in an established franchise.. or whatever isn't going to be going to the CEO to read the script... come on.

Agreed but the CEO sets up the system in which that approval takes place. With Iger the studio heads made the decision while Chapek dumped that system and put Kareem Daniels in charge. Indicating the CEO is just shorthand for which system the movie/show was approved and started production under.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well I posted a quick synopsis of this year at the box office in one of the movie threads:

Movie	Production Start	Approved by
Ant Man	Jul-21	Chapek
Indian Jones	Jun-21	Chapek
GoTG V3	Nov-21	Chapek
Little Mermaid	Jan-21	Chapek
Elemental	N/A*	Iger, split production
Haunted Mansion	Oct-21	Chapek
A Haunting in Venice	Oct-22	Chapek, split production
The Creator	Jan-22	Chapek
The Marvels	Aug-21	Chapek
Next Goal Wins	Nov-19	Iger, split production
Wish	N/A*	Iger, split production

*Don't have an exact date for these but both were in production pre covid so had to have final approval from Iger

We don't know about The Marvels, Next Goal Wins or Wish yet but every single bomb this year had it's final approval and production run take place under the system Chapek put in place with only A Haunting in Venice having any substantial cross over as it didn't finish filming until after Iger came back. The rest were either done or already in the post production process when Iger returned.

Just for fun, here are the Marvel, Star Wars and remake D+ productions that released the last three years:

Show	Production Start	Release Date	Approved By
She Hulk	Apr-21	Aug-22	Chapek
Peter Pan and Wendy	Mar-21	Apr-23	Chapek
Pinocchio	Mar-21	Sep-22	Chapek
Ms. Marvel	Nov-20	Jun-22	Chapek
Mando Season 2	Oct-18	Oct-20	Iger
Mando Season 3	Oct-21	Mar-23	Chapek
Secret Invasion	Sep-21	Jun-23	Chapek
Loki Season 1	Feb-20	Jun-21	Chapek
Loki Season 2	Jun-22	Oct-23	Chapek
Moon Knight	Apr-21	Mar-22	Chapek
Hawkeye	Dec-20	Nov-21	Chapek
What-if	N/A	Aug-21	Chapek
The Falcon and the Winter Solider	Oct-19	Mar-21	Iger
Wanda-Vision	Nov-19	Jan-21	Iger
Werewolf by Night	Mar-22	Oct-22	Chapek
GotG Holiday Special	Feb-22	Nov-22	Chapek
Ahsoka	May-22	Aug-23	Chapek
Obi-Wan Kenobi	May-21	May-22	Chapek
Andor Season 1	Dec-20	Sep-22	Chapek
Book of Boba Fett	Nov-20	Dec-21	Chapek

I could very well be missing a few but those are the ones I could remember.

So the “approval time” lead time on a show is like 6 months? Movies a year?

I mean…maybe…

Why are even entertaining this idea that the CEO is the one who produces or green lights every project the Disney studio makes? That's the purview of the studio head. CEO isn't going to get involved unless there is something extraordinary to override.

The next film in an established franchise.. or whatever isn't going to be going to the CEO to read the script... come on.

Because there are those talking about Bob needing “time”…cough…cough

What the actual hell has he had to this point?

“Quit” in 2020…appointed himself “meddler in chief” then and hung around for another year?
Then big shot Bobby got axed 18 months later with iger’s board?

Lemme guess…we aren’t supposed to believe any of that? Cause no hand picked CP issue (prolly a “friend” of someone in the ranks…yeah…I’ll go ahead and say it) in a junior spokesperson role didn’t read a statement about it?

…right…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Agreed but the CEO sets up the system in which that approval takes place. With Iger the studio heads made the decision while Chapek dumped that system and put Kareem Daniels in charge. Indicating the CEO is just shorthand for which system the movie/show was approved and started production under.

They had quite a few epic fails prior to 2022/23 as well…they just didn’t show on the balance sheet until recently.

But confidence erosion absolutely takes some time.

 

[flynnibus]

Agreed but the CEO sets up the system in which that approval takes place. With Iger the studio heads made the decision while Chapek dumped that system and put Kareem Daniels in charge. Indicating the CEO is just shorthand for which system the movie/show was approved and started production under.

The DMED organization was about controlling P&L and distribution - it hindered the studios because it meant they could no longer negotiate with talent/etc as the ultimate authority on things. It wasn't described as who had the creative control - it was hindering the studios from being able to make their own strategy and business decisions, and hence hurt their ability to negotiate with talent.

Either way, I find all this nitpicking borish. It's one giant blame game of the past rather than doing exactly what the market is doing .. Looking at what they are doing NOW and forward.

 

[Dranth]

So the “approval time” lead time on a show is like 6 months? Movies a year?

Depends on the show. Some were six months, some were over a year but I would say the average is closer to a year than not. Movies look closer to a year and a half.

Because there are those talking about Bob needing “time”…cough…cough

Iger came back in November of 2022. One of the first things he announced was a major restructuring. That was implemented a few months later in February of 2023. The writers strike starts in May of 2023 with the actors following a couple months later. So, there were 3 months for the studios to start and work on new projects under Iger's new system. That's it. Three months.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

When you’re calling Rasulo’s work incredible you’ve lost the plot.

I consider DCA 2.0 (especially Carsland) as amazing work.

To each their own.

 

[Jrb1979]

The DMED organization was about controlling P&L and distribution - it hindered the studios because it meant they could no longer negotiate with talent/etc as the ultimate authority on things. It wasn't described as who had the creative control - it was hindering the studios from being able to make their own strategy and business decisions, and hence hurt their ability to negotiate with talent.

Either way, I find all this nitpicking borish. It's one giant blame game of the past rather than doing exactly what the market is doing .. Looking at what they are doing NOW and forward.

For me I could careless about most of that. I'm more a parks fan than a Disney fan in general. I couldn't tell you the last time my family watched a movie or series in general let alone a Disney one.

Being mostly a parks fan I can't say I'm overly impressed with all the blue sky ideas. Epic Universe opens in 2 years and Disney has no response. We also know it takes them years to build anything. Add in IP mandate and I feel he has go to.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I consider DCA 2.0 (especially Carsland) as amazing work.

To each their own.

It’s pretty good…but it replaced pretty bad…so there’s that

They also have not touched it once since 2010…so that’s a continued issue and the face of bad park management

 

[Dranth]

The DMED organization was about controlling P&L and distribution - it hindered the studios because it meant they could no longer negotiate with talent/etc as the ultimate authority on things. It wasn't described as who had the creative control - it was hindering the studios from being able to make their own strategy and business decisions, and hence hurt their ability to negotiate with talent.

Either way, I find all this nitpicking borish. It's one giant blame game of the past rather than doing exactly what the market is doing .. Looking at what they are doing NOW and forward.

See, I look at this discussion AS talking about what they are doing now and going forward. The whole point is that despite claims to the contrary, changes have and are being made. Looking at the past gives us some basis for analysis of the future but only when it is attributed correctly and examined in context. Hence the list (well, that and it was asked for) as people claiming Iger sunk the studios regularly reference projects that didn't exist while he was running the company.

Anyway, sure I could ignore them and move on about my business and many times I do but I had to kill some time this morning before College Football kicked off.

 

[Tha Realest]

So the “approval time” lead time on a show is like 6 months? Movies a year?

I mean…maybe…

Because there are those talking about Bob needing “time”…cough…cough

What the actual hell has he had to this point?

“Quit” in 2020…appointed himself “meddler in chief” then and hung around for another year?
Then big shot Bobby got axed 18 months later with iger’s board?

Lemme guess…we aren’t supposed to believe any of that? Cause no hand picked CP issue (prolly a “friend” of someone in the ranks…yeah…I’ll go ahead and say it) in a junior spokesperson role didn’t read a statement about it?

…right…

Yeah, no. You don’t get to put those creative decisions on Chapek

 

[Dranth]

Yeah, no. You don’t get to put those creative decisions on Chapek

You misrepresent what happened and how it worked. This is from the CNBC article that came out last month:

“Investors valued Netflix far higher than legacy media because of its growth profile; if Chapek could get investors to view Disney as a technology company, they might reward him with a share price multiple bump.

To this end, Chapek created a new group called Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, or DMED. To lead the division, he chose Kareem Daniel, then a 46-year-old executive who had worked closely with Chapek for years, first as a Stanford MBA intern in home entertainment and later in both distribution and theme parks. The reorganization gave Daniel — and Chapek — veto power over movie and TV show budgets.”

Sorry, Chapek was not this poor little melting flower with no power to do anything. He and his appointees had final say on every last thing that came out post restructure.

 

[Robbiem]

So Iger made the creative decisions and Chapek the budget ones. Either way neither of them exactly comes over as brilliant creatives.

if the decisions like this really do have to be made by the CEO then you really have to question the company governance and ask what people like Kevin Fiege and Kathy Kennedy do?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Iger came back in November of 2022. One of the first things he announced was a major restructuring. That was implemented a few months later in February of 2023. The writers strike starts in May of 2023 with the actors following a couple months later. So, there were 3 months for the studios to start and work on new projects under Iger's new system. That's it. Three months.

My memory is fuzzy…

Didn’t they spend 2014-2020 “reorganizing” pretty much every division?
Including the ridiculous “park and products” evil division

So what was Bob reorganizing but his own reorganizing…

But ahhhhh…that was when the big ticket movies where still raking and the rot of marvel/LFL hadn’t brought them down yet like now?
….yesss…I see…definitely on chapek.

So Bobby greenlit a bunch of ill advised live actions and sequels…wow…genius

I’m trying really hard to see how my “leave cause you have no ideas” assessment is off base?…but I’m trying

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah, no. You don’t get to put those creative decisions on Chapek

View attachment 748931

After 25 years of snooping about bout 10 less posting…I’ve decided there is an actual new human psychology on Disney chats…

It’s called “Utilitarian Amnesia”…
I plan on writing a book on it as soon as I can get a sweet advance book deal

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

if the decisions like this really do have to be made by the CEO then you really have to question the company governance and ask what people like Kevin Fiege and Kathy Kennedy do?

I’ve stated my belief that one is a human shield for the sweater…
…the other maybe on that path as well…

Like out of a really bad Chuck Norris or Segal movie

 

[Dranth]

My memory is fuzzy…

Didn’t they spend 2014-2020 “reorganizing” pretty much every division?
Including the ridiculous “park and products” evil division

So what was Bob reorganizing but his own reorganizing…

But ahhhhh…that was when the big ticket movies where still raking and the rot of marvel/LFL hadn’t brought them down yet like now?
….yesss…I see…definitely on chapek.

So Bobby greenlit a bunch of ill advised live actions and sequels…wow…genius

I’m trying really hard to see how my “leave cause you have no ideas” assessment is off base?…but I’m trying

Normally I can follow you pretty well but I don't think I am on this one.

Bob 1 reorganizes the company in 2018. Bob 2 comes in and changes that structure in 2020. Bob 1 returns and in 2023 basically puts the company back to the way it was. My contention is that the structure under Bob 2 was a detriment to the studios.

That isn't to say I didn't like a lot of what came out under Chapek. For example, Andor was the best Star Wars since Empire to me but the recent bombs people point to when proclaiming the demise of Disney like Indy (which I liked), TLM (which I haven't seen), and Haunted Mansion (haven't seen) are 100% Chapek Disney.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Normally I can follow you pretty well but I don't think I am on this one.

Bob 1 reorganizes the company in 2018. Bob 2 comes in and changes that structure in 2020. Bob 1 returns and in 2023 basically puts the company back to the way it was. My contention is that the structure under Bob 2 was a detriment to the studios.

That isn't to say I didn't like a lot of what came out under Chapek. For example, Andor was the best Star Wars since Empire to me but the recent bombs people point to when proclaiming the demise of Disney like Indy (which I liked), TLM (which I haven't seen), and Haunted Mansion (haven't seen) are 100% Chapek Disney.

Well chapek didn’t “greenlit” Indy…nor some of the shows like obi wan that was kicked around starting in 2015…
But that’s minor.

I’m only believing Iger…who celebrated himself in the last decade for how he built Disney from the ground up from nothing (paraphrased)…
And now is slashing and burning what you must admit was mostly done under him.
If he was so great…why is it in rough shape as it is?

But even if chapek was an undercover genius (something no one would entertain him being)…the fact all these bad people were there and allowed to stick really goes back to the yacht, doesn’t it?

You hire bad people and you own it. Business 101.

 

[_caleb]

I'm personally offended that Bob Iger would have the temerity to claim that he's overwhelmed and exhausted, and that he found the company in much worse shape than he thought it was in.