Bob Iger Admits Disney Stumbled in Recent Years: ‘Lost Some Focus’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Disney has had a terrible year, with few wins to offset its many misses, and CEO Bob Iger looks to address this and explain how things will be different in the future.
“I looked at our overall output, meaning the studio, it’s clear that the pandemic created a lot of challenges creatively for everybody, including us,” Iger said. “In addition, at the time the pandemic hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making and I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually negative when it comes to quality. And I think that’s exactly what happened. We lost some focus.”
Since the launch of Disney+, quantity has been an issue that has plagued some of Disney’s most prized franchises. It has relied on Star Wars and Marvel content to bring in subscribers, creating an overflow that has overwhelmed all but the most die-hard fans.
In creating the large quantity, Disney has also allowed the quality to slip, further eroding the number of people willing to watch the content. This distrust has bled into other Disney franchises as well, and viewers desire fresh IPs rather than rehashed stale ones.
Iger recognizes this problem and has recommitted the company to quality rather than quantity.
“We’re all rolling up our sleeves, including myself, to do just that. We have obviously great assets, great stories to tell from the assets that we either have or that we purchased,” he said. “I feel really optimistic about the slate going forward, which is going to be a balance between some really strong sequels to some very, very popular titles, as well as some good original content, starting with WISH.”
“I feel good about the direction we’re headed,” he continued. “But I’m mindful of the fact that our performance from a quality perspective wasn’t really up to the standard that we set for ourselves.”
As Iger refocuses the company and tries to recapture the Disney fanbase, hopefully, he will consider the company’s messaging as well.
In recent years, Disney has strongly pushed immoral content unsuitable for kids. This has led to the failure of many of its movies and alienated its primary fanbase. Iger would do well to consider changing this policy and return to the family-friendly, morally-based movies that Disney is known for.
Movieguide® previously reported:
After a controversy surrounding the upcoming SNOW WHITE movie, a poll found that people’s view of Disney follows the political divide, as most Republicans have a negative opinion of the company.
In August, Rachel Zegler, the actress playing Snow White in the upcoming live-action remake, shared her disdain for the original movie’s classic storyline.
“I just mean that it’s no longer 1937,” she said. “[Snow White’s] not going out to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true.”
Zegler also called the story “extremely dated” and called the prince “a guy who literally stalks her. Weird. Weird.”
Comments like these and Disney’s overall push of a strong liberal agenda—particularly LGBTQ content—have cratered the company’s image among many Americans.
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