After less than a year of leading the studio, former Disney CEO Bob Iger is returning to head up the House of Mouse as Bob Chapek departs the position. Iger headed up the iconic Hollywood studio for over a decade, memorably overseeing the acquisitions of Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel Entertainment, as well as the now-infamous purchase of 20th Century Fox. After his successful tenure with the studio, Iger announced his decision to retire as Disney CEO in early 2020, though it appears this may no longer be the case.
The Hollywood Reporter has brought word that former Disney CEO Bob Iger is officially returning to the studio as Bob Chapek leaves the job. Though no specific details were offered regarding the job changes, a statement released to the publication indicated the studio's feeling that Iger was better suited to handling the company amid ongoing pandemic troubles in comparison to his successor. See Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Disney Board's statement below:
We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.
Why Iger's Return Is A Good Sign For Disney
Interestingly, the report of Iger's return as Disney CEO indicates that the deal will only be a temporary one of two years, with the board of the studio looking to work with him to properly develop a new successor for the position. Some reports indicated that Chapek's original hiring as studio CEO already came as a surprise to those working for Disney, as some believed Tom Staggs, the company's former COO, to be better fit for the job given his extended tenure with them. Reports also swirled of tensions flying high between Iger and Chapek in the lead up to the former's departure, with the two having a falling out as Chapek reportedly sought to take on leadership duties sooner than later.
In the wake of Iger leaving, Chapek quickly drummed up a number of controversies for Disney as its new CEO. With his eagerness to shift focus towards streaming media, Chapek began making a number of films Disney+ releases instead of theatrical ones, namely Pixar's Turning Red and Luca, which largely frustrated animators working at the studio who were eager to see their works delivered on the big screen, even if it meant a delay. This push towards streaming also infamously saw Disney hit with a lawsuit from Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson, with both parties engaging in public mudslinging before finally resolving the matter, opening the door for Johansson to partner with the studio on a mystery Marvel project and a new Tower of Terror movie adaptation.
The biggest controversy Chapek faced during his Disney tenure was his mishandling of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill, initially remaining quiet on the matter for a month before later apologizing for the situation and promising to stop donating to all political parties in the state amid backlash from both the public and various internal studios. While there is no assurance that he would've handled these controversies entirely different from his would-be successor, Iger's longer tenure as Disney CEO largely positioned him as a better candidate to manage these situations than Chapek, making his return to the position a welcome one for those eager to see the studio to its former glory. With no official start date for Iger's return, only time will tell what the next two years hold for Disney.
Source: THR