There was a time when the Marvel Cinematic Universe used to generate more than a billion dollars for Disney with each movie. However, that ship has seemingly sailed in 2023, due to a variety of reasons.
Well, one of the primary reasons behind Disney’s steep downfall is probably the studio’s unwavering focus on making woke movies. So much so that it prompted Disney CEO Bob Iger to finally step in and announce that the company would shift its focus to making movies that actually entertain fans, instead of just trying to push a message through it.
Bob Iger’s Statement Meets With Heavy Criticism From Fans
Bob Iger was initially appointed as the CEO of Disney in 2005 and fulfilled the duties until 2020. He took over the company’s creative endeavors for two years before once again assuming his CEO role in 2022.
However, in his second term as Disney’s CEO, Iger hasn’t seen a lot of success, as of yet. He ended up blaming the people who took over his job for two years, as the ones who deserved to be blamed for the company’s lack of focus. The 72-year-old’s statement was posted in a recent tweet by Discussing Film.
Bob Iger says creators at Disney have lost sight of what their jobs should be, entertain first, not messages.
He adds that stories infused with “positive messages for the world” can be great but that it shouldn’t be the primary job.
(Source: @sherman4949) pic.twitter.com/h7qKyqJE05
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 29, 2023
As evident from the statement, Bob Iger wants Disney to go back to creating films that do not primarily focus on sending out woke messages. At the same time, Iger’s controversial statement was met with some negative reactions from fans.
I think Bob Iger, and Hollywood in general, has forgotten that the best stories are told from relatable human experiences. A few examples:
Lion King – responsibility, redemption, and our role in the circle of life
Mulan – bravery, self-discovery, and challenging societal norms…
— Gubjub 👀 (@gubjub67) November 29, 2023
Seems like the South Park episode is happening irl lmao
— ISO Wrestling (@italkwrasslin) November 29, 2023
The switch up is crazy when u start losing money!! 🤣🤣🤣
— Van (@vanman_1000) November 29, 2023
Just make good movies. Quality has been the biggest issue at Disney for the last 3-5 years.
— RJ (@ResonantJustice) November 29, 2023
South Park broke him. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/mMQMqs122Y
— Thor Odinson (@Thor_Odinson) November 29, 2023
Creators?! The right word is “Executives” punk
— ＣΛＴΞＳ (@WillCates44) November 29, 2023
A fan on Twitter made some excellent points in a long response to Iger’s statement. The fan pointed out that some of the best movies released under the banner of Disney, such as The Lion King, Mulan, Hercules, and more, were an immense success due to narrating the story from relatable human experiences.
Keeping that in mind, making movies about sensitive issues can certainly prove profitable if done correctly. However, the biggest issue for Disney right now is the lack of creativity in their projects.
On top of that, the creative teams working on these films are now being forced to adhere to several rules set up by the woke culture. It takes away the team’s creative freedom as they are forced to work inside a confined box.
Bob Iger is Stepping Down as the CEO of Disney
While Disney saw new heights under the leadership of Bob Iger, a change of leadership is probably required at the company right now. Over the last few years, Disney has had multiple flops, such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and, most recently, The Marvels.
Although there’s a chance that Disney can get back, they still won’t have their current CEO in the company for long.
It has been confirmed by Bob Iger himself that he will be stepping down as Disney’s CEO in 2026. Keeping that in mind, Iger has a little over two years to get the company back on track. Will he succeed in doing that? Only time will tell.
