According to a recent story, former Disney CEO Bob Iger now regrets his decision to name Bob Chapek as his successor and feels it was handled poorly.
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Mr. Bob Iger of Disney
A recent story suggests that former Disney CEO Bob Iger now views the decision to replace him with Bob Chapek as one of the worst of his career.
Starting as President of ABC Television from 1994–1995 and working his way through the ranks until he succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO of The Walt Disney Company in 2005, Iger was instrumental in the company's ascension to Hollywood dominance over the preceding three decades.
Iger oversaw Disney's $7.4 billion purchase of Toy Story animator Pixar, $4 billion purchase of Marvel Entertainment in 2009, $4.06 billion purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012, and $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox before he left.
With the introduction of Disney+ and the conclusion of his term in 2021, Iger has announced his retirement from his roles as CEO and chairman of Disney.
It was reported that Bob Chapek, who had previously served as chairman for several studio divisions such as Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, would succeed Iger as CEO, while Iger would remain with the company as an executive and board chairman to support Chapek with the transition.
Iger and Chapek's transfer of power may not have gone as smoothly as planned.
Related: The Scandal Surrounding Every Disney+ Movie, From Black Widow to Pixar to Cruella, and Beyond
According to a recent article in Business Insider, former Disney CEO Bob Iger is not happy with Chapek's hiring.
The COVID-19 outbreak and pressure from the studio's board of executives prompted Iger to seek to expedite the process of handing over the reins to the studio, according to sources close to the matter.
As the pandemic began badly impacting Disney's plans and Chapek began making big restructuring plans, Iger allegedly began regretting his choice within weeks of its release.
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Reply to "Bob Chapek"
Since Chapek took over as CEO of Disney, the company has been the target of constant criticism from both outsiders and individuals working for Disney.
While there has been a generally good reaction to Disney's efforts to provide material to audiences via Disney+ in the middle of the current COVID-19 outbreak, Pixar employees have voiced their displeasure with Disney+'s exclusive streaming releases of films like Luca and Turning Red.
In addition, Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney over the simultaneous release of Black Widow generated a deluge of the unfavorable press as the two parties lashed out at one other.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been under fire for the company's muted reaction to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" statute and subsequent attempts to explain the studio's decision to stay out of the controversy, despite the positive public perception of the company in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Eventually, Chapek issued an apology for his early responses to the law and announced payments to LGBTQ+ foundations and a halt to donations to political parties in Florida, which may have helped his reputation, but many still deem his decision-making suspect.
It remains to be seen whether Iger's dissatisfaction with Chapek's tenure as Disney CEO will arise despite the fact that Chapek just received a contract extension.
