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Credit: DisneyBob Iger might not be enjoying his return to the Walt Disney Company as much any longer, but he won’t leave the company to destroy what he started.
When Bob Chapek was fired, and Bob Iger stepped back in as the temporary CEO of Walt Disney, fans rejoiced. After years of Chapek’s inadequate handling of the parks, Disney+, and every asset for Disney, fans were ready to see what Bob Iger would do. This is the man who got George Lucas to sell Star Wars—the person who helped Kevin Feige shape the MCU after buying Marvel. Disney fans loved Bob Iger, but that time has now passed.
While things have changed for Disney, the Parks, and Disney+ aren’t in a better spot. Iger has dedicated over $60 billion to going into the Parks for some major expansion, but the company hasn’t shared any details about what that will look like. At the same time, Star Wars and Marvel content will be pulled back due to the Actor and Writer’s strikes, causing production delays and cutting costs. This will cause Star Wars to have several projects delayed into 2024 and more, leaving fans with a large window of no content. Marvel possibly has to restructure their Multiverse Saga to handle the massive wave of delays.
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Disney+, on the other hand, isn’t getting better. The streaming platform is getting less content, which might help Disney’s expenses, but it’s not helping the subscriber growth. When Iger initially took the position in 2022, he wanted to help out for just two years. Then, he said he wanted to help Disney have a smoother transition and would stay until 2026, but in a recent report, Iger isn’t ready for the House of Mouse to ruin his legacy.
Despite being ready to retire, Iger wants to preserve his legacy at all costs. Coming back was a huge decision for him, and he tried to help erase some of the mistakes that Chapek made, but it seems like Iger may have gone too far. With his recent comments about the strikes, Iger has allowed himself to be seen as a villain and as someone who doesn’t care about writers or actors.
Related: Disney Stock Plummets After Major Announcements From CEO Bob Iger
His concerns about the company’s success have led him to be the CEO for now, but if the strikes continue, Iger’s time as CEO could end shortly as Disney will try to find his replacement as soon as possible. Disney has been trying for years to have a solid leader, and while Iger has been that for Disney, his career and public status aren’t the same. People don’t remember what he did years ago, only what he failed to do recently. If Iger wants his legacy to be remembered fondly, fixing the mess he has created might be the best thing to do.
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