Bob Iger is the current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. He has been in this role since 2005 and has overseen the company’s acquisition of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 21st Century Fox, and other media companies. He is credited with turning Disney into a major force in the media and entertainment industry.
Due to the ongoing actors’ and writers’ strikes in Hollywood, many movie and series projects have been pushed back indefinitely. With large production houses under its banner, Disney is facing a turbulent episode of various projects being shelved or halted until the next year. This has caused the company’s CEO Bob Iger to speak up and urge the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions to conclude their ongoing strike.
Bob Iger Urges Writers & Actors To Put An End To The Strike
Earlier in July 2023, Bob Iger had called the WGA strike “not realistic” which led to a media uproar. According to Variety, Iger said-
“It’s very disturbing to me. We’ve talked about disruptive forces on this business and all the challenges we’re facing, the recovery from COVID which is ongoing, it’s not completely back. This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption.”
He had even called the strike “disruptive” during the interview.
“There’s a level of expectation that they have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive.”
However, seems like the tables have turned as Bob Iger’s latest statement suggests that he is personally invested in resolving the matter.
“Nothing is more important to this company than its relationships with the creative community. That includes actors, writers, animators, directors and producers.”
“I have deep respect and appreciation to how vital they are to the extraordinary creative enginge that drives this company and our industry. It is my fervent hope that we can quickly find solutions to the issues that have kept us apart these past few months. And I am personally committed to working toward this result.”
Even if the Disney CEO is able to resolve the matters with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA union, there are several Disney projects that will be delayed since the strike has crossed the 100-day mark.
Every Disney Project That Is Affected Due To The Hollywood Strike
1. Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
Marvel Studios announced in July 2022 at San Diego Comic-Con. The momentous project of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, has caused the release date to be moved forward a year to May 1, 2026. It was also confirmed that Destin Daniel Cretton will be directing the project and Jonathan Majors will be returning as Kang the Conqueror.
2. Star Wars
The Star Wars universe is broad and the year 2026 is an essential component. A union in December 2025 will lead to a grand introduction in May of the following year, with another secret story launching in December. Disney’s announcement in April of three new Star Wars stories aroused interest, and Daisy Ridley is reported to make a comeback as Rey Skywalker.
3. Avatar
In the realm of cinematic marvels crafted by the ingenious James Cameron, a captivating trilogy is slowly coming to life. Fans of the series can look forward to the third movie’s release on December 19, 2025, followed shortly by the fourth on December 21, 2029, and the fifth on December 19, 2031. We all eagerly await these masterpieces in the making, however, these dates could face a delay if the Hollywood strike doesn’t come to an end soon. The Disney CEO needs to act soon.
4. Captain America: Brave New World
Disney-led Marvel Cinematic Universe will be introducing its newest addition, Captain America: Brave New World, at an unexpected date – July 26, 2024. Fans were originally expecting to see the premiere on May 3, but the story has taken an interesting turn and the excitement is growing as the world awaits the grand entry of this new chapter.
5. Thunderbolts
An alteration to the Marvel landscape has been noticed as Thunderbolts makes a change in its launch date. The originally planned date of July has been replaced by December 20, 2024. There were murmurs in May that the WGA-SAG-AFTRA labour dispute was the impetus for a break in filmmaking. Filming was slated to begin in June 2023 yet has been put on hold pending the strike’s termination so that filming can continue.
6. Deadpool 3
Ryan Reynolds’ passionate involvement with Deadpool 3 led to a swift journey six months forward to the noteworthy day of May 3, 2024. Viewers will be welcomed to a much sooner experience with the cheeky anti-hero than in other motion pictures, as the industry changes.
7. Poor Things
The cast of Poor Things stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe leading the charge. The grand debut of this story is scheduled for December 2023, and it is based on the 1992 novel of the same name. It follows the journey of Bella, brought back to life by Dr Godwin Baxter, as she works to break down social barriers and fight for equality. The movie is a Searchlight Pictures production which is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.
8. Freaky Friday 2
Disney recently released information about the much-anticipated sequel to the 2003 classic Freaky Friday, starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, the making of the movie has hit a snag due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, causing a temporary interruption in the creative process.
9. Blade
Within the Marvel Comics American comic books, a character emerges crafted by the combined talent of author Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan. This character brings a bright tale to life. Yet, the start of its movie voyage is delayed until June 2023, as the ongoing strike needs to be concluded first before production can restart.
10. Fantastic Four
The long-awaited comeback of the Fantastic Four may test the perseverance of eager fans. The potential of a strike could darken the carefully planned shooting schedule, even with the scheduled start of filming due to begin in early 2024. Crafting the script is a complicated process that requires a great deal of time, and Marvel Studios is determined to make sure that the Fantastic Four’s return is nothing short of amazing before the cameras begin rolling.
