INSIDER
Disney names Gorman to serve as next chairman; anticipates naming new CEO in early 2026
Read full article: Disney names Gorman to serve as next chairman; anticipates naming new CEO in early 2026The Walt Disney Co. is tapping Morgan Stanley executive James Gorman to serve as its next chairman, beginning early next year.
Disney names Gorman to chair its succession planning committee
Read full article: Disney names Gorman to chair its succession planning committeeThe Walt Disney Co. has tapped James Gorman to lead its succession planning committee as the entertainment company continues to work toward finding someone to take over the helm from Bob Iger.
Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett, Miley Cyrus and more honored as Disney Legends in emotional ceremony
Read full article: Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett, Miley Cyrus and more honored as Disney Legends in emotional ceremonyDisney has bestowed “legends” status on 14 artists who have shaped the company, including Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett and Miley Cyrus.
Disney thrills fans at D23 with 'Incredibles 3' announcement, footage from 'Moana 2'
Read full article: Disney thrills fans at D23 with 'Incredibles 3' announcement, footage from 'Moana 2'Disney used its D23 fan convention to tease upcoming movies and television series including “Moana 2,” “Incredibles 3” and the live-action “Snow White” in a rousing showcase Friday featuring sneak peaks, live performances and surprise appearances from actors.
Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and journalist Willow Bay to become Angel City FC's new owners
Read full article: Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and journalist Willow Bay to become Angel City FC's new ownersAngel City FC says Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger and Southern California dean for communication and journalism Willow Bay will be the new controlling owners of the National Women’s Soccer League team.
Disney's streaming business turns a profit in first financial report since challenge to Iger
Read full article: Disney's streaming business turns a profit in first financial report since challenge to IgerThe Walt Disney Co. moved to a loss in its second quarter, hampered by significantly higher restructuring and impairment charges, but its adjusted profit topped Wall Street’s view and its streaming business was profitable.
Disney inks agreement with ValueAct, secures its support for company's board nominees
Read full article: Disney inks agreement with ValueAct, secures its support for company's board nomineesDisney has a new ally in activist investor ValueAct Capital Management, garnering its support for the company’s board nominees as it continues to wage a proxy battle with Nelson Peltz.
Was 2023 a tipping point for movies? 'Barbie' success and Marvel struggles may signal a shift
Read full article: Was 2023 a tipping point for movies? 'Barbie' success and Marvel struggles may signal a shiftFor the first time in more than two decades, the top three movies at the box office this year didn't include a sequel or a remake.
Musk uses expletive to tell audience he doesn't care about advertisers that fled X over hate speech
Read full article: Musk uses expletive to tell audience he doesn't care about advertisers that fled X over hate speechBillionaire Elon Musk has said advertisers who have halted spending on his social media platform X in response to antisemitic and other hateful material are engaging in “blackmail.”.
Hollywood's strikes are over, but a painful industry-wide transition isn't
Read full article: Hollywood's strikes are over, but a painful industry-wide transition isn'tHollywood’s months of labor unrest are coming to an end, but the post-strike landscape that awaits actors and writers may be far from happy-ever-after.
Disney reports sharp profit growth in the fourth quarter and an expansion of its cost-cutting drive
Read full article: Disney reports sharp profit growth in the fourth quarter and an expansion of its cost-cutting driveWalt Disney Co. has reported sharp profit growth for its fiscal fourth quarter while announcing an expansion of its cost-cutting drive under returning CEO Bob Iger.
Disney to acquire the remainder of Hulu from Comcast for at least $8.6 billion
Read full article: Disney to acquire the remainder of Hulu from Comcast for at least $8.6 billionWalt Disney Co. said it will acquire a 33% stake in Hulu from Comcast for at least $8.6 billion, a deal that will give Disney full control of the streaming service.
Screenwriters wait to learn terms of deal with Hollywood studios to end historic strike
Read full article: Screenwriters wait to learn terms of deal with Hollywood studios to end historic strikeScreenwriters are waiting to learn what their five-month strike won and preparing for a possible return to work after their union reached an agreement with studio executives.
An end in sight? Striking writers and Hollywood studios spend second full day in negotiations
Read full article: An end in sight? Striking writers and Hollywood studios spend second full day in negotiationsHollywood studios and striking screenwriters have spent a second full day in talks that could potentially put an end to the nearly five-month dispute that has brought many film and television productions to a halt.
As actors restart talks and writers return to work, here are key players in the Hollywood strikes
Read full article: As actors restart talks and writers return to work, here are key players in the Hollywood strikesThe key players in the two strikes that brought Hollywood to a halt include little-known leaders, labor lawyers and entertainment tycoons.
Disney pouring $60 billion into theme parks, cruises over the next 10 years
Read full article: Disney pouring $60 billion into theme parks, cruises over the next 10 yearsThe Walt Disney Co. is planning to invest approximately $60 billion into its theme parks and cruise lines over the next decade, as the company looks to continue growing one of its more successful business segments.
Disney, Charter settle cable dispute hours before 'Monday Night Football' season opener
Read full article: Disney, Charter settle cable dispute hours before 'Monday Night Football' season openerDisney and Charter Communications announced a deal to settle a dispute that had cut some 15 million cable TV customers off from ESPN and other Disney-owned stations.
Disney to boost prices for ad-free Disney+ and Hulu services and vows crackdown on password sharing
Read full article: Disney to boost prices for ad-free Disney+ and Hulu services and vows crackdown on password sharingWalt Disney CEO Bob Iger vowed to make its streaming services profitable via a planned October price hike on its ad-free Disney+ and Hulu plans and a crackdown on password sharing expected to extend through next year.
Actor Max Greenfield urges studio CEOs to 'be the heroes' and make a deal in Hollywood strikes
Read full article: Actor Max Greenfield urges studio CEOs to 'be the heroes' and make a deal in Hollywood strikesThe co-star of the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood” is urging the studios and their CEOs to return to the bargaining table two weeks into the Hollywood actors strike.
ESPN considers adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions from cable to digital
Read full article: ESPN considers adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions from cable to digitalESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says the network could take on a sports league as a minority partner as the network continues its transition from a cable channel to a digital company.
Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain join star-studded Times Square rally of striking actors and writers
Read full article: Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain join star-studded Times Square rally of striking actors and writersSAG-AFTRA held its largest and most star-studded rally yet on Tuesday in Times Square.
Hollywood plunges into all-out war on the heels of pandemic and a streaming revolution
Read full article: Hollywood plunges into all-out war on the heels of pandemic and a streaming revolutionThree years after the pandemic brought Hollywood to a standstill, the film and TV industry has again ground to a halt.
Disney extends CEO Bob Iger's contract 2 more years through 2026
Read full article: Disney extends CEO Bob Iger's contract 2 more years through 2026Bob Iger will remain as CEO of The Walt Disney Co. through the end of 2026, agreeing to a two-year contract extension that will give the entertainment and theme park company some breathing room to find his successor.
Van Gundy, Kolber, Rose and Young are among roughly 20 ESPN personalities laid off
Read full article: Van Gundy, Kolber, Rose and Young are among roughly 20 ESPN personalities laid offJeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, Jalen Rose and Steve Young are among roughly 20 ESPN commentators and reporters who were laid off on Friday as part of job cuts by the network.
Disney scraps plans for new Florida campus as fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis continues
Read full article: Disney scraps plans for new Florida campus as fight with Gov. Ron DeSantis continuesThe Walt Disney Co. says it's scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development.
Disney posts higher second-quarter earnings and revenue thanks to strong theme parks business
Read full article: Disney posts higher second-quarter earnings and revenue thanks to strong theme parks businessOngoing strength at its theme parks and an improving streaming business propelled The Walt Disney Co. to higher profits and revenue in its fiscal second quarter.
Disney updates lawsuit against DeSantis to add new events
Read full article: Disney updates lawsuit against DeSantis to add new eventsDisney has amended its free speech lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis to add recent developments in the tit-for-tat fight between the entertainment giant and the Florida governor.
Disney parks at the forefront after Iger's return
Read full article: Disney parks at the forefront after Iger's returnIt’s been six months since Bob Iger canceled his retirement and stepped back into the top role at Disney to right a number of perceived wrongs under his handpicked successor, with one hovering right near the top: reconnecting with the Disney theme park die-hards and restoring their faith in the brand.
Amid layoffs, Disney touts upcoming film slate at CinemaCon
Read full article: Amid layoffs, Disney touts upcoming film slate at CinemaConThe leadership team of the Walt Disney Company’s film arm gathered in Las Vegas Wednesday to tout its successes and upcoming slate of films to a crowd of theater owners and exhibitors amid a week of massive layoffs at the company.
Disney-DeSantis war of words heats up at annual meeting
Read full article: Disney-DeSantis war of words heats up at annual meetingDisney CEO Bob Iger has said any retaliatory actions by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature against the company that threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort is not only “anti-business.
Peltz, citing changes at Disney, ends push for set on board
Read full article: Peltz, citing changes at Disney, ends push for set on boardActivist investor Nelson Peltz is calling off a proxy fight with Disney one day after newly returned CEO Bob Iger announced a major restructuring of the company that includes thousands of job cuts.
Disney faces proxy fight as Peltz pushes to join board
Read full article: Disney faces proxy fight as Peltz pushes to join boardActivist investor Nelson Peltz is fighting for a seat on the board of Walt Disney Co., claiming that the theme park and media company is struggling with self-inflicted problems.
Iger back on top in a Disney plot twist that few saw coming
Read full article: Iger back on top in a Disney plot twist that few saw comingBob Iger, the enterprising entertainment executive who brought Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel under the Disney marquee and challenged the streaming dominance of Netflix, will replace his handpicked successor, CEO Bob Chapek, whose two-year tenure has been marked by clashes, missteps and a weakening financial performance.
Steve Pagliuca's bid for Chelsea adds more sports executives
Read full article: Steve Pagliuca's bid for Chelsea adds more sports executivesThe bid for Chelsea launched by Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca has added Canadian sports tycoon Larry Tanenbaum ahead of Thursday’s expected deadline for improved offers for the Premier League club.
Alan Horn, longtime film executive, to retire from Disney
Read full article: Alan Horn, longtime film executive, to retire from DisneyAlan Horn, the film executive who helped turn Walt Disney Studios into the most powerful movie studios in Hollywood and whose 50-year career has touched films from from “When Harry Met Sally.
Academy Museum to honor Sophia Loren, Haile Gerima at gala
Read full article: Academy Museum to honor Sophia Loren, Haile Gerima at galaDirector Haile Gerima appears at the 65th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 2, 2008, left, and Sophia Loren arrives at the Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 27, 2019. Loren and independent filmmaker Haile Gerima will be honored with special awards by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. (Photos by Andrew Medichini/AP, left, and Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is assembling a star-studded cast for its opening gala in September. Italian screen legend Sophia Loren and independent filmmaker Haile Gerima will be honored with special awards, and Tom Hanks, Annette Bening and Bob Iger are being saluted for their efforts to raise $388 million for the long gestating museum, the organization said Monday. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is located at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in the historic Saban Building.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos may step down without stepping away
Read full article: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos may step down without stepping awayAmazon announced Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, that Jeff Bezos would step down as CEO later in the year, leaving a role he's had since founding the company nearly 30 years ago. Amazon says Bezos will be replaced in the summer by Jassy, who runs Amazon's cloud business. (Isaac Brekken/AP Images for NFL, File)Even after stepping aside as CEO, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will likely keep identifying new frontiers for the world's dominant e-commerce company. Tuesday's announcement that Bezos will hand off the CEO job this summer came as a surprise. “Being the CEO of Amazon is a deep responsibility, and it’s consuming," Bezos wrote.
Kingdom of Wakanda destined for Disney + streaming service
Read full article: Kingdom of Wakanda destined for Disney + streaming serviceDisney on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, announced a five-year exclusive TV deal with Cooglers Proximity Media company that includes development of a series based in the Kingdom of Wakanda from Cooglers Black Panther blockbuster. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – The Kingdom of Wakanda is staking out turf on the Disney + streaming service. A TV series set in the “Black Panther” kingdom will be developed as part of a five-year, exclusive television deal the Walt Disney Co. announced Monday with filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media company. Coogler wrote and directed 2018’s “Black Panther,” a box-office hit that turned Chadwick Boseman into a superstar. The Black Panther character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Marvel Comics, which became part of Disney in 2009 when the media giant acquired Marvel Entertainment.
Film Academy Museum completes pre-fundraising goal
Read full article: Film Academy Museum completes pre-fundraising goalAfter 8 years and 13,000 donors including the likes of Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has reached and exceeded its pre-fundraising goal. Academy Museum director and president Bill Kramer said Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, that the new museum has raised $388 million. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)It took eight years and 13,000 donors including the likes of Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg, but the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has reached and exceeded its pre-fundraising goal. Academy Museum director and president Bill Kramer said Friday that the new museum has raised $388 million. Located in Los Angeles at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, the Academy Museum is set to open on April 30, five days after the 93rd Academy Awards.
California wavers on theme park opening rules amid pressure
Read full article: California wavers on theme park opening rules amid pressureBut following industry criticism of the proposed rules, state health officials said no announcement was coming Friday as negotiations continue. Amusement park leaders saw a draft of the new rules Thursday and urged state officials to change them, said Erin Guerrero, executive director of the California Attractions and Parks Association. A Disney official said there have been no major reported outbreaks in Florida associated with the company’s theme parks and declined to say whether any cases have occurred there. Ian Henderson, a spokesman for Steel’s office, said county health officials have worked closely with Disney to prepare for the reopening of its parks. ___Taxin reported from Orange County, California.
Chadwick Boseman, who embodied Black icons, dies of cancer
Read full article: Chadwick Boseman, who embodied Black icons, dies of cancerFILE - In this March 4, 2018 file photo, Chadwick Boseman arrives at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, has died of cancer. When the former playwright suited up as Black Panther, he brought cool intellectual gravitas to the Marvel superhero whose Wakanda forever! salute reverberated worldwide. You dont have the same exact experience as a Black actor as you do as a white actor. Before an auditorium full of actors, Chadwick Boseman stepped to the microphone.
Colin Kaepernick, Disney announce partnership deal
Read full article: Colin Kaepernick, Disney announce partnership dealColin Kaepernick will be featured in an exclusive docuseries produced by ESPN Films as part of a first-look deal with The Walt Disney Co. The deal between Kaepernicks production arm, Ra Vision Media, and The Walt Disney Co. was announced Monday. His deal with The Walt Disney Co. will extend across all Disney platforms, including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated. During this unprecedented time, The Walt Disney Co. remains committed to creating diverse and inclusive content that resonates and matters, said Bob Iger, Disneys executive chairman. Developing exceptional storytelling told through a wide array of voices is at the core of who we are at ESPN, ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said.
Colin Kaepernick to Star in ESPN Docuseries as Part of Overall Deal With Disney
Read full article: Colin Kaepernick to Star in ESPN Docuseries as Part of Overall Deal With DisneyColin Kaepernick is telling his story. On Monday, Disney announced that it has signed an overall deal with the 32-year-old former NFL player, which will include an ESPN Films docuseries on his journey. The first-look deal will extend to all Disney platforms including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar, and The Undefeated. "During this unprecedented time, The Walt Disney Company remains committed to creating diverse and inclusive content that resonates and matters," Disney executive chairman Bob Iger added. RELATED CONTENT:Inside Colin Kaepernick's Fight for Racial JusticeColin Kaepernick Teams With Ava DuVernay for Netflix Show on His LifeAl Sharpton Calls Out the NFL: 'Give Colin Kaepernick His Job Back'
Disney had a blockbuster 2019. Here’s what it has on deck for 2020
Read full article: Disney had a blockbuster 2019. Here’s what it has on deck for 2020The Walt Disney Company is going to have a hard time living up to its record-breaking 2019. First of all, there are no Star Wars or Avengers films on the docket in 2020. In July, it set the record for the highest-grossing studio in box office history. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the parks division's biggest expansion ever, opened to incredible fanfare. What ensued was a global box office windfall that surpassed the $10 billion mark in 2019, shattering Disney's 2016 record of $7.6 billion.