We've Got To Go Talk To The Bobs
February 26, 2020 7:23 AM Subscribe
In a surprise announcement, Disney CEO Bob Iger, who oversaw the company's growth and expansion after the tumultuous ouster of Michael Eisner in the 2000s, is stepping down from the role, with Disney Parks head Bob Chapek succeeding him. (SLSlate)
As stated above, Iger took the helm at Disney after the struggle for control for the company at the end of Eisner's term as CEO. During his time as corporate head, Iger oversaw some of the largest expansions of the Disney brand, such as the acquisition of both Marvel and Lucasfilm, the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, expansion into TV and streaming, and other moves besides.
On a related note, if you're curious how we got here in the first place, Disney fan YouTuber RobPlays is doing a video series on the failed hostile takeover of Disney in the 80s that led to Eisner's appointment as CEO and the shift in corporate trajectory that resulted; while the book DisneyWar covers the fight over the House of Mouse that led to Iger taking over.
As stated above, Iger took the helm at Disney after the struggle for control for the company at the end of Eisner's term as CEO. During his time as corporate head, Iger oversaw some of the largest expansions of the Disney brand, such as the acquisition of both Marvel and Lucasfilm, the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, expansion into TV and streaming, and other moves besides.
On a related note, if you're curious how we got here in the first place, Disney fan YouTuber RobPlays is doing a video series on the failed hostile takeover of Disney in the 80s that led to Eisner's appointment as CEO and the shift in corporate trajectory that resulted; while the book DisneyWar covers the fight over the House of Mouse that led to Iger taking over.
I find it difficult to believe that this wasn't precipitated by either some major health scare or misdeed.
Possibly a health scare, but I don't suspect a significant scandal because "Iger will continue in the role of Disney chairman until his contract expires at the end of 2021." If there were harassment allegations, malfeasance, etc, then I don't think they'd keep him on as chairman for almost two more years.
posted by jedicus at 7:37 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Possibly a health scare, but I don't suspect a significant scandal because "Iger will continue in the role of Disney chairman until his contract expires at the end of 2021." If there were harassment allegations, malfeasance, etc, then I don't think they'd keep him on as chairman for almost two more years.
posted by jedicus at 7:37 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
The malfeasance -- if it is that -- could also be related so something we'll never know about that was related to a critical error of business judgment as well. Perhaps even something that was caught in time and stopped before it landed, but could have cost billions. In that case a "OK, you should back off and we're taking the controls now" would also precipitate a response like this. And since nothing actually went wrong as far as we can tell, we might never know what it was.
posted by tclark at 7:53 AM on February 26, 2020
posted by tclark at 7:53 AM on February 26, 2020
He just did a podcast interview with the Ringer where he talked about how he had planned on leaving earlier, and that he was probably leaving in the next year.
But, I mean, dude, even Pope Benedict gave two weeks notice.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:12 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
But, I mean, dude, even Pope Benedict gave two weeks notice.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:12 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
And since nothing actually went wrong as far as we can tell, we might never know what it was
*contemplates rumors about Iger demanding edits to TRoS*
Yeah, maybe the rumor machine might have a small bit of truth after all.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:12 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
*contemplates rumors about Iger demanding edits to TRoS*
Yeah, maybe the rumor machine might have a small bit of truth after all.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:12 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I was reading the twitter thread from FilmCrit Hulk and a lot of comments said that he had actually had stayed longer than he had originally wanted to. Is this really a surprise?
posted by PussKillian at 8:15 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by PussKillian at 8:15 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
I'm imagining it happened like this:
"If I have to sit through One More Meeting with that jack ass Greg from accounts receivable, I'm going to... You know what? I'm not even supposed to be here today! Fuck it, I'm out. I'm gonna go play some hockey."
posted by kaibutsu at 8:28 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
"If I have to sit through One More Meeting with that jack ass Greg from accounts receivable, I'm going to... You know what? I'm not even supposed to be here today! Fuck it, I'm out. I'm gonna go play some hockey."
posted by kaibutsu at 8:28 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
I've got a few outstanding bets against Disney, in a few more years if they don't make any moves to further destroy copyright law I am going to find and eat Bob Iger whole. I now wonder if I should eat just him, the new CEO, or both.
Bob Chapek doesn't seem to have much out there about him. MBA and background in advertising aren't qualities I'd look for in people I have to be around but suppose it's sensible for a CEO. He was the dipshit who came up with the "Disney Vault" but otherwise seems like he's had a pretty unremarkable career.
Curious/suspicious that googling his name brings up 16 pages of essentially the exact same news story of him stepping up as CEO and nothing else.
posted by GoblinHoney at 8:40 AM on February 26, 2020
Bob Chapek doesn't seem to have much out there about him. MBA and background in advertising aren't qualities I'd look for in people I have to be around but suppose it's sensible for a CEO. He was the dipshit who came up with the "Disney Vault" but otherwise seems like he's had a pretty unremarkable career.
Curious/suspicious that googling his name brings up 16 pages of essentially the exact same news story of him stepping up as CEO and nothing else.
posted by GoblinHoney at 8:40 AM on February 26, 2020
I realize that CEO of a megacorporation, like cable news pundit or member of Congress, is one of those jobs that you usually get to keep until the last second your body can be considered technically alive, but the man is nearly 70. Considering that it's not clear what has even changed in the near term other than his title, this really seems like a managed retirement and not a sudden removal from power.
posted by Copronymus at 8:51 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Copronymus at 8:51 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I read somewhere that if most of your revenue comes from cruise ships, theme parks, movies, and broadcasting of sports events, all of which will be severely impacted by the coronavirus over the next 24 months, you might want to go out with a bang, which Disney+ certainly was, and leave NOW.
posted by Cobalt at 8:54 AM on February 26, 2020 [9 favorites]
posted by Cobalt at 8:54 AM on February 26, 2020 [9 favorites]
Is this really a surprise?
The surprise isn't that it's rapid. The surprise was that it's immediate.
If he'd come out and said "I've put it off for a long time and don't really need to stay until 2021, so March 31 is my last day," everyone would've mostly shrugged.
posted by tclark at 8:55 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
The surprise isn't that it's rapid. The surprise was that it's immediate.
If he'd come out and said "I've put it off for a long time and don't really need to stay until 2021, so March 31 is my last day," everyone would've mostly shrugged.
posted by tclark at 8:55 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I get the sense that he is more of a merch guy and less of a parks guy.
I haven't listened to the very good Disney Dish podcast in a while, but will resubscribe now to keep an eye on this. The hosts, Jim Hill and Len Testa, know a lot of the company culture and history, so their take will be very useful (and funny).
--
Also, having just launched a streaming service, maybe Disney+ will be a benefit to the company when subscribers have to hunker down for a while. I mean it: a service like this will be made or broken by the first six months or year, and having winter transition directly into a period when people stay at home can't be bad for business.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:58 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
I haven't listened to the very good Disney Dish podcast in a while, but will resubscribe now to keep an eye on this. The hosts, Jim Hill and Len Testa, know a lot of the company culture and history, so their take will be very useful (and funny).
--
Also, having just launched a streaming service, maybe Disney+ will be a benefit to the company when subscribers have to hunker down for a while. I mean it: a service like this will be made or broken by the first six months or year, and having winter transition directly into a period when people stay at home can't be bad for business.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:58 AM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
*contemplates rumors about Iger demanding edits to TRoS*
For those of you that don't move in the "neckbeard movie nerd" circles: people are convinced, convinced, that this is the cause.
People, of the "RELEASE THE SYNDER CUT!!!1" variety, truly believe Iger went over to Cloverfield and 23rd (or wherever Bad Robot is these days), he shoved Abrams aside in the editing bay, and that he personally made all the bad choices that made the last Star Ways movie kinda terrible.
And because only Iger is to blame for their nerd hearts getting broken, "someone" (Kathleen Kennedy? Walt Disney's frozen head? the neckbeards never clarify how this part could work) kicked in Iger's office and told him to get the fuck out Burbank and never come back. Fuck the literally billions of dollars Disney makes because of him, or the fact that there is even Marvel and Star Wars movies at all, Iger's personal touches got that Rotten Tomato score down to 50% or whatever so he has to go.
But yeah, in non-crazy town, it's likely a medical issue. Even if he were getting fired for making the nerds cry, there'd be a year long plus transition between him and the new Bob getting named CEO.
posted by sideshow at 8:59 AM on February 26, 2020 [10 favorites]
For those of you that don't move in the "neckbeard movie nerd" circles: people are convinced, convinced, that this is the cause.
People, of the "RELEASE THE SYNDER CUT!!!1" variety, truly believe Iger went over to Cloverfield and 23rd (or wherever Bad Robot is these days), he shoved Abrams aside in the editing bay, and that he personally made all the bad choices that made the last Star Ways movie kinda terrible.
And because only Iger is to blame for their nerd hearts getting broken, "someone" (Kathleen Kennedy? Walt Disney's frozen head? the neckbeards never clarify how this part could work) kicked in Iger's office and told him to get the fuck out Burbank and never come back. Fuck the literally billions of dollars Disney makes because of him, or the fact that there is even Marvel and Star Wars movies at all, Iger's personal touches got that Rotten Tomato score down to 50% or whatever so he has to go.
But yeah, in non-crazy town, it's likely a medical issue. Even if he were getting fired for making the nerds cry, there'd be a year long plus transition between him and the new Bob getting named CEO.
posted by sideshow at 8:59 AM on February 26, 2020 [10 favorites]
Also, I live close enough to Disneyland to hear the fireworks every night, and unless COVID-19 kills a double digit percentage of the total world's population, I highly doubt attendance will be any less than "extremely packed". In fact, it's probably even higher this week since everyone's thinking "I'd bet Disneyland is not busy because of the virus!" But, I will say I'm thinking of reactivating my season pass since there might be enough people canceling their trips because watching cable news all day has freaked them out.
Disney Cruises, however, could take a hit. People who do cruises are ultra sensitive to all world wide boating bad news for some reason . My sister is upper customer support for Princess Cruises, and if some dumbass crashes his tour boat on a lake in Germany or even in Branson, Missouri, hundreds of people call Princess the next day asking about it, as if they think that there is just one company on Earth that owns 100% of all ships. So, actual cruise ships having problems means the entire industry will suffer
posted by sideshow at 9:09 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Disney Cruises, however, could take a hit. People who do cruises are ultra sensitive to all world wide boating bad news for some reason . My sister is upper customer support for Princess Cruises, and if some dumbass crashes his tour boat on a lake in Germany or even in Branson, Missouri, hundreds of people call Princess the next day asking about it, as if they think that there is just one company on Earth that owns 100% of all ships. So, actual cruise ships having problems means the entire industry will suffer
posted by sideshow at 9:09 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Parks nerds hate Bob Chapek and were really hoping the rumors that he was next in line weren't true. Ah, well, so it goes. Iger wasn't expected to be a remarkable CEO for Disney but a LOT has happened on his watch. And he seems to be a consummate pro, so I'm pretty curious what caused the sudden exit.
posted by potrzebie at 9:11 AM on February 26, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by potrzebie at 9:11 AM on February 26, 2020 [4 favorites]
Disney Cruises, however, could take a hit. People who do cruises are ultra sensitive to all world wide boating bad news for some reason .
I'm amazed at this. Aren't all cruises petri dishes of low-grade-but-not-quite-fatal-most-of-the-time diseases?
posted by Etrigan at 9:22 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
I'm amazed at this. Aren't all cruises petri dishes of low-grade-but-not-quite-fatal-most-of-the-time diseases?
posted by Etrigan at 9:22 AM on February 26, 2020 [7 favorites]
Parks nerds hate Bob Chapek and were really hoping the rumors that he was next in line weren't trueLots of folks inside Disney can't stand him as well. (Particularly people who worked under him) So, yeah.
The interesting part will be what happens to Kevin Mayer who's been one of Iger's seconds and a big player in Disney for years. He was the force behind launching Disney+ and a pretty smart/passionate (not in the "I'm an asshole" way) biz guy. (worked with him years ago on next gen TV experiences as well)
posted by drewbage1847 at 9:48 AM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
I am pretty mixed on the question of whether Bob Chapek will be an improvement (or even neutral). Because of family members who love Disney, I have spent an inordinate amount of time at Disney World in particular over the past few decades. What I will say about recent developments is as follows:
On the plus side, there have been some good new additions to the parks, with a real attempt to modernize bring some kind of parity between the parks (e.g. in particular to elevate Animal Kingdom from a "half day park" to someplace that has enough stuff to do you might want to actually go there for longer stretches).
On the minus side ... well, there's a lot.
For example: yes, Disney has always been expensive, but in the past decade or so it has surged upwards in expense well ahead of the rate of inflation. The parks have found new and exciting ways to nickel-and-dime customers (surge pricing), pack more people in (crazy extensive "fast pass" system requiring planning months in advance to do anything without a 2-3 hour wait), reduce operational costs (bus service is dreadful compared to the past), etc.
Add to this: super transparent cash grabs like retrofitting an existing ride in Epcot to ride the Frozen bandwagon, where the result is a ride that is identical to the old ride which nobody gave a shit about except now there are Frozen graphics so there's a 2-3 hour wait.
Also some ... shall we say problematic choices, like putting in an area of Animal Kingdom that's based on Cameron's Avatar series, so you walk through a central square with signs pointing you to Africa, India, Asia, and ... Pandora? Like, guys, one of these things is not like the other, and putting real-world locations with cultures that don't historically have great representation within Disney alongside fictional space aliens because you need an excuse to drive traffic to a park is not great.
All of which is to say, if he's been in charge of parks for a while that doesn't say great things about his priorities. Even within a company focused on profit, there can be more or less bad leadership in that regard, and his time in charge of parks makes me pretty wary.
posted by tocts at 10:40 AM on February 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
On the plus side, there have been some good new additions to the parks, with a real attempt to modernize bring some kind of parity between the parks (e.g. in particular to elevate Animal Kingdom from a "half day park" to someplace that has enough stuff to do you might want to actually go there for longer stretches).
On the minus side ... well, there's a lot.
For example: yes, Disney has always been expensive, but in the past decade or so it has surged upwards in expense well ahead of the rate of inflation. The parks have found new and exciting ways to nickel-and-dime customers (surge pricing), pack more people in (crazy extensive "fast pass" system requiring planning months in advance to do anything without a 2-3 hour wait), reduce operational costs (bus service is dreadful compared to the past), etc.
Add to this: super transparent cash grabs like retrofitting an existing ride in Epcot to ride the Frozen bandwagon, where the result is a ride that is identical to the old ride which nobody gave a shit about except now there are Frozen graphics so there's a 2-3 hour wait.
Also some ... shall we say problematic choices, like putting in an area of Animal Kingdom that's based on Cameron's Avatar series, so you walk through a central square with signs pointing you to Africa, India, Asia, and ... Pandora? Like, guys, one of these things is not like the other, and putting real-world locations with cultures that don't historically have great representation within Disney alongside fictional space aliens because you need an excuse to drive traffic to a park is not great.
All of which is to say, if he's been in charge of parks for a while that doesn't say great things about his priorities. Even within a company focused on profit, there can be more or less bad leadership in that regard, and his time in charge of parks makes me pretty wary.
posted by tocts at 10:40 AM on February 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
Steven Spielberg will no longer direct Indiana Jones 5.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:15 AM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:15 AM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
i’m sorry steve, but this could be the best news ever.
posted by valkane at 11:34 AM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by valkane at 11:34 AM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
A few comments on this Disney Parks Fan Site seem to think this was market-timed - basically they thought their stock would dip anyhow if they announced Iger leaving, and yesterday's big drop gave them the perfect moment to make the change and camouflage the valuation hit.
posted by anastasiav at 12:09 PM on February 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by anastasiav at 12:09 PM on February 26, 2020 [6 favorites]
Yeah that would also seem to fit the circumstances fairly well.
posted by tclark at 12:56 PM on February 26, 2020
posted by tclark at 12:56 PM on February 26, 2020
The malfeasance -- if it is that -- could also be related so something we'll never know about that was related to a critical error of business judgment as well.
I remember in 2028 when it came out that a decade earlier Disney almost bought DC from Warner Bros. and created a seven-year, 45-film crossover event that brought in half a trillion dollars.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:04 PM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
I remember in 2028 when it came out that a decade earlier Disney almost bought DC from Warner Bros. and created a seven-year, 45-film crossover event that brought in half a trillion dollars.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:04 PM on February 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
the old ride which nobody gave a shit about
As far as Epcot rides go, I thought it compared quite well
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:10 PM on February 26, 2020
As far as Epcot rides go, I thought it compared quite well
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:10 PM on February 26, 2020
Honestly, that's fair, and I actually liked the old version a fair bit. It was a classic Disney dark ride, with the history of the people of Norway from old timey vikings up to modern day oil platform workers. My issue with the change is largely that it was a ride that even in busy times often had only like a 15-30 minute wait, and then Disney slapped a Frozen theme on it with (as far as I know) not a single change to the ride itself (it's still just a dark ride in a boat with like 1 drop) and suddenly you need a fastpass or a 2-3 hour wait to get on it .
When they said they were replacing the Maelstrom, it felt weird to begin with because it was the first time they were putting a "fantasy" ride in the World Pavilion, which otherwise is only attractions based on real life history and culture (even if edited). It went from weird to super cynical when it came to light that they weren't even building a new ride or expanding the existing one, but simply slapping a coat of paint on it to take advantage of a trend.
posted by tocts at 3:27 PM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
When they said they were replacing the Maelstrom, it felt weird to begin with because it was the first time they were putting a "fantasy" ride in the World Pavilion, which otherwise is only attractions based on real life history and culture (even if edited). It went from weird to super cynical when it came to light that they weren't even building a new ride or expanding the existing one, but simply slapping a coat of paint on it to take advantage of a trend.
posted by tocts at 3:27 PM on February 26, 2020 [2 favorites]
Disney Cruises, however, could take a hit. People who do cruises are ultra sensitive to all world wide boating bad news for some reason .
I'm amazed at this. Aren't all cruises petri dishes of low-grade-but-not-quite-fatal-most-of-the-time diseases?
I've been getting served ads with ridiculously low cruise prices for the last 4 or 5 days. Like Carribean cruises for $400 for 2 ridiculous. I guess quarantine plague ships and being turned away from ports by frightened locals impacts business enough that they are willing to operate at a loss to keep from having empty ships.
Also weird is that I have never been on a cruise and have no interest in cruises and I'm getting targeted for ads.
So yeah the cruise industry seems desperate right now.
posted by srboisvert at 5:32 PM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
I'm amazed at this. Aren't all cruises petri dishes of low-grade-but-not-quite-fatal-most-of-the-time diseases?
I've been getting served ads with ridiculously low cruise prices for the last 4 or 5 days. Like Carribean cruises for $400 for 2 ridiculous. I guess quarantine plague ships and being turned away from ports by frightened locals impacts business enough that they are willing to operate at a loss to keep from having empty ships.
Also weird is that I have never been on a cruise and have no interest in cruises and I'm getting targeted for ads.
So yeah the cruise industry seems desperate right now.
posted by srboisvert at 5:32 PM on February 26, 2020 [3 favorites]
I've got a cruise (Disney, natch) booked for June that I can't get a refund for and I'm super curious how it'll go if they actually sail. I have to imagine anyone who *can* still cancel is seriously considering it.
posted by potrzebie at 9:54 PM on February 26, 2020
posted by potrzebie at 9:54 PM on February 26, 2020
Well, in more amusing Disney Parks news (since nobody was hurt), Skipper Dan got to discover the underside of water today.
posted by NoxAeternum at 2:43 PM on February 27, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by NoxAeternum at 2:43 PM on February 27, 2020 [2 favorites]
Funny, I was thinking that there was no way that the parks and cruise lines were going to continue to grow as quickly, so that the head wanted to move up to CEO before results started to deteriorate. We went on Disney cruises 10-15 years ago, and, and they were always premium priced, but they have gotten unbelievably expensive. For weeklong Bahamas cruises a sailing a year from today, Disney is 50% more expensive than any other cruise line for an oceanview cabin. Does anyone really think they're going to be 100% more expensive than everyone else? Maybe they can get partway there by doing lots of short cruises but I just don't see anyone paying that. Ditto the parks, ticket prices have gone up something like 70% even taking inflation into account. It's true the parks are bigger but people still only have one day per day. Again, I don't see prices going up another 70% in the coming years. $300 for day 1? They're already uncomfortably crowded as it is, pretty much year round.
posted by wnissen at 5:16 PM on February 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by wnissen at 5:16 PM on February 27, 2020 [1 favorite]
If that's his game, that's an absolutely classic asshole executive move. Juice the numbers by cutting corners and then bail for a different gig before the consequences bite you in the ass. Your successor either fixes the problem or takes the blame.
posted by tobascodagama at 5:18 AM on February 28, 2020
posted by tobascodagama at 5:18 AM on February 28, 2020
It's been reported that he approached the board with his succession plan last fall. This is just Iger's style, keeping decisions close to the vest. Nearly everyone of his huge announcements (Lucasfilm, Fox, Marvel) came without much advance notice.
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:37 PM on February 28, 2020
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:37 PM on February 28, 2020
with Disney Parks head Bob Chapek succeeding him.
Great. Now Disney+ will have thirty separate and equally confusing pricing tiers and I'll have to micromanage my family's viewing habits six months in advance.
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:40 PM on February 28, 2020 [2 favorites]
Great. Now Disney+ will have thirty separate and equally confusing pricing tiers and I'll have to micromanage my family's viewing habits six months in advance.
posted by dances with hamsters at 6:40 PM on February 28, 2020 [2 favorites]
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Even a well-planned and gradual transition inevitably causes hiccups, turf-wars and minor purges. Whatever reason this was, this was definitely not gradual and does not look well planned.
posted by tclark at 7:32 AM on February 26, 2020 [12 favorites]