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Credit: DisneyDisney’s leading man contemplated running for office multiple times throughout his career, though an old story reveals what eventually changed the CEO’s mind.
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Eight men have served as Disney CEOs, though Bob Iger has undoubtedly become the company’s unofficial face over the last few decades. Iger’s “bullish” approach to business strategy has allowed the industry veteran to make a name for himself in many ways, including transforming Disney’s theme park and entertainment divisions.
The last 10 years have been exceptionally exciting for Iger. The executive has taken Disney to new heights with the introduction of Disney+ and continued synergy between its long list of brands and theme parks.
However, Iger had even bigger ambitions than becoming Disney’s leading man, revealing that he once wanted to be President of the United States.
Bob Iger on Becoming President of the United States
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While he eventually decided against it, Iger, at one point, seriously considered running for office on multiple occasions.. Per the original CNBC story from 2020, Iger discussed that he had plans to run for governor, mayor, and senator of New York, as well as to take on the Oval Office.
“I really thought about running for governor and running for senator and running for mayor of New York and ultimately thought about running for president, which is, I guess, the ultimate sacrifice, really,” Iger said. But, “I never worried about that.”
Iger revealed he had seriously contemplated throwing his hat into the ring during the 2016 election but says those around him questioned his thinking, asking him serious questions, such as “Are you willing to give the rest of your life to this cause?” Iger said these questions made him reconsider, realizing he had few vital years left.
Iger’s longtime wife, Willow Bay, said running for president was off-limits. “You can run for anything you want, but not with this wife,” said Iger when discussing his wife’s thoughts. Iger said. “She basically said it will ruin our lives.”
However, Iger toyed with the idea of running again after the 2016 election “A lot of people were asking me whether I’d be willing to consider it,” said Iger. “At that point, she said that she married me for better or for worse, and if it’s something I wanted to do, she would stand by me, but she was against it.”
While he ultimately decided against it, Iger did say he would consider a role under Joe Biden’s administration back in 2020. The political landscape has certainly shifted since then, with President Biden announcing he would step out of the upcoming 20204 elections in a bombshell decision that shocked the world.
Kamala Harris, who ran in 2020 and served as Biden’s Vice President, announced she would be running on July 21, 2024. Harris revealed she had quickly received the nomination from multiple high-level Democrats, including Joe Biden.
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“I’m, in many respects, a product of the ‘American dream,'” Iger said. “Admittedly, as a white man, I was afforded opportunity that perhaps not everybody is afforded equally. That’s one of my dreams would be that opportunities should be forwarded to all.”
It’s unclear how Bob Iger would fit into 2024’s political world, with the CEO pledging to tone down Disney’s political messaging as of late. Iger has long been a proponent of Disney remaining as politically neutral as possible, though recent years have certainly challenged this philosophy.
Disney found itself in a heap of trouble following its public disapproval of Florida’s highly-debated and highly-criticized Parental Rights in Education Act. Led by Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, multiple wings of The Walt Disney Company denounced Florida’s controversial legislation, which is more commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
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As a result, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Disney and recruited other right-leaning lawmakers and politicians to attack the company on various levels.
Among these threats included a discussion on the removal of Disney’s no-fly zones at its theme parks, as well as the removal of certain copyright protections for the company.
Most notably, Disney’s stance on the bill would prompt DeSantis to threaten to strip Disney of its special Reedy Creek Improvement District in Orlando, Florida.
The Battle For Disney’s Reedy Creek
Dating back to 1967, Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District allowed The Walt Disney World to operate as its own small town equipped with its own public service workers and government employees.
This jurisdiction was beneficial for both Florida and Disney, as it allowed the company to grow and expand faster and allowed the state to enjoy a rise in tourism and tax dollars.
Eventually, DeSantis claimed victory over Disney, stripping Disney of its Reedy Creek Improvement District. The district was renamed and given new administrators hand-picked by DeSantis, though Disney did not back down without a fight.
The Walt Disney Company filed lawsuits against both DeSantis and the state of Florida. This legal feud ended earlier this year, but the relationship between Florida and Disney, two parties that have long benefited from one another, seems permanently strained as a result.
Iger passed the torch to Bob Chapek in 2020, though returned as CEO following Chapek’s departure in late 2022. Iger’s return was incredibly unexpected, though not all that surprising given Chapek’s controversial decisions.
Bob Chapek officially exited The Walt Disney Company in 2022. Though the exact reasons for his departure have never been discussed, it is theorized that his response to Florida’s legislation was a significant factor.
Iger’s second go as CEO is not expected to last long, penning a contract that extends until 2026. After Iger’s time at Disney is up for the second time, the company will then name a new successor.
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In 1989, Iger was named head of ABC Entertainment, greenlighting some incredibly successful programs like Twin Peaks and America’s Funniest Home Videos.
A few years later, in 1995, The Walt Disney Company purchased ABC Entertainment, with Bob Iger remaining as chairman until 1999. Iger quickly became the secondhand man to Disney’s then-CEO, Michael Eisner, who navigated the company through some of its most transformational and tumultuous periods.
Iger was named CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005 and would himself go on to guide Disney through some of its most challenging and rewarding moments.
Under Iger, The Walt Disney Company would acquire Marvel, the purchase of which will perhaps go down as one of the most important business decisions of all time, allowing the two companies to completely revolutionize the way movies are made, released, and received.
Years later, Disney’s Marvel machine is still going strong, with the two bracing for another summer blockbuster with Deadpool & Wolverine. As the third entry in Marvel’s irreverent Deadpool franchise, Deadpool & Wolverine sees the titular wise-cracking Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) team up with the legendary Wolverine, played by longtime Marvel actor Hugh Jackman.
The film blew past estimations for its pre-sale tickets, with Deadpool & Wolverine expected to clean up quite nicely at the box office this summer. “Deadpool fever” has seemingly taken over the world, with the Marvel anti-hero collaborating with brands like DiGiorno. Several new Deadpool & Wolverine-themed skins recently debuted in Fortnite, the massively popular battle royale game.
Also in the pipeline is Captain America: Brave New World, a film that faced many challenges during production.
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With multiple reshoots and a budget that ballooned to an estimated $350 million, Captain America: Brave New World will undoubtedly be one of the more interesting releases from Marvel.
Later on, in 2025, comes Marvel’s highly anticipated The Fantastic Four. Starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby, and Bon Moss-Bacharach, The Fantastic Four takes fans into a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, propelling them into a new, totally unique story set in the mid-1900s.
Over the next decade, the Disney theme parks will transform in surprising and unprecedented ways as well, with several projects already starting to take shape.
Disney’s $60 Billion Theme Park Bet
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There’s plenty for Disney theme park fans to be excited about, with Iger pledging a whopping $60 billion toward theme park research and development.
Last year, Disney revealed more preliminary plans and concept art regarding the transformation and retheming of DinoLand U.S.A., an area found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Walt Disney World.
This project is no small undertaking, with everything from rides and attractions to restaurants being redesigned completely.
Disney has yet to officially confirm the project or share what may replace DinoLand but did reveal popular brands and franchises like Encanto and Indiana Jones are the top choices. The entire footprint of DinoLand would be turned into a land inspired by South America, equipped with several new rides for guests to enjoy.
Changes aren’t just happening at Animal Kingdom, with Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland transforming in a significant way as well.
Earlier this year, Disney closed both the Country Bear Jamboree and the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade. The Country Bears eventually returned in a new, redesigned show, but the arcade shut down permanently. Splash Mountain, Frontierland’s premier ride, closed in 2020, making way for a new attraction inspired by The Princess and the Frog called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
This new ride officially opened on June 28, 2024, at the Magic Kingdom and has ushered in a new age for the Disney theme park in general.
On the West Coast, Disneyland is in the early stages of building a new Avatar-inspired area for guests to visit.
Similar to Avatar The World of Pandora at Animal Kingdom, Disneyland’s upcoming Avatar area will immerse guests in the world of Pandora, matching the stunning visual storytelling found within James Cameron’s blockbusting franchise.
Like Disney’s other theme park projects, not much is known about this upcoming Avatar land, only that it will be massive and promised to be of the same quality as Pandora in Walt Disney World.
What upcoming Disney project are you most excited about?