Disney Rehires Chapek for Marvel Role Following Contract Termination

A certain Chapek has returned to The Walt Disney Company.

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In a bizarre twist of fate, The Walt Disney Company has revealed that it has rehired Brian Chapek, son of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Brian first left the company shortly after his father became CEO in order to start his own business venture, with Marvel Studios ending up becoming a client. However, according to a new filing by Disney, the company “terminated the contract and re-hired Mr. B. Chapek as an employee.” This occurred in June 2023, around eight months after his father was terminated from the Walt Disney Company.

Bob Chapek, Brian’s father, served as head of The Walt Disney Company for roughly two years, with Bob taking on the role of CEO in early 2020. Chapek succeeded longtime Disney veteran Bob Iger, who left an impressive legacy behind at Disney, first becoming CEO in 2005. Disney changed in a lot of important ways under Iger, with the CEO overseeing crucial business deals like Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios.

For almost four decades, only two CEOs served The Walt Disney Company, Michael Eisner from 1984 to 2005 and Bob Iger from 2005 to 2020, each leaving behind a very rich legacy. The exchange of power between Iger and Chapek was swift and came as a bit of a surprise, especially since Bob Iger ended his position with the company a lot earlier than expected.

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Chapek also ended his time at Disney a lot earlier than expected, but for far different reasons. In the short amount of time Chapek actually served as CEO, he managed to stir up an unprecedented amount of controversy within the various Disney communities. A multitude of price increases did not make Chapek a popular name among Disney theme park fans, with the average cost of a Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation rising exponentially under Chapek. Disney’s slate of original films also failed to resonate at the box office with Chapek in charge, although a lot of these problems were more a result of the outbreak of COVID-19. To say Bob Chapek was dealt an unfair hand would be an understatement, with Chapek taking over as CEO just as the coronavirus pandemic would sweep the globe. As a result, Chapek had to adapt quickly, guiding The Walt Disney Company through uncharted waters.

It was announced in late 2022 that Bob Iger would be stepping back into the role of CEO at Disney, with the company deciding to terminate Chapek’s contract early. Iger signed on for an additional four years but has since extended his contract to six years, with many believing he could be staying on even longer. Disney is currently looking for Iger’s eventual successor, with several high-level executives in the running.

What are your thoughts on Chapek’s leadership of The Walt Disney Company?