Northampton, Massachusets officials have greenlit a plan to create and install four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed manhole covers to celebrate the fact that the massive franchise was originally created there. And to pay for it, the town is using funds intended to help rebuild towns and businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic (which is still a thing, even if a lot of people are trying to pretend otherwise) devastated cities and businesses across the United States starting in March 2020. So in 2021, congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 aka ARPA. This was a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus package that was designed to help the country recover faster from the various effects of the pandemic as well as to try to deal with the ongoing recession. After barely passing in congress, President Biden signed it on March 11, 2021. As a result, Northampton, Massachusets received $4 million that the town and its officials could put toward its Covid-19 recovery efforts.
And that’s, I guess, how we ended up here: With a city spending $20,000 on TMNT-themed manhole covers.
WCVB
As reported by WCVB, the four manhole covers will be located along Main Street and each one will represent a different turtle. This isn’t just a random choice, as the city was the original home of Mirage Studios, the place where the TMNT franchise was born. Since their creation in 1984, the turtles have expanded beyond comics into movies, cartoons, games, toys, you name it. So, I get it. TMNT is a big deal to the town. But it still seems odd.
According to the city’s breakdown of where all the ARPA money is going, the idea behind the custom manhole covers is to “invigorate downtown arts” via a “public art tribute to the Northampton-born Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” That’s all well and good and checking the list of other grants, it’s clear more important projects are getting far more resources from the city. But I can’t help but wonder if that $20,000 could be better spent on helping more people directly. Or creating a tribute to a far superior show, Disney’s Gargoyles.
Lately, America’s biggest entertainment conglomerates have participated in a sometimes agita-inducing quarterly ritual of revealing their latest financial results to the Wall Street community. Their performances have been mixed. Disney—once again led by smooth-talking CEO Bob Iger—said it lost subscribers at Disney+ for the first time during the last three months of 2022, as its streaming division totaled more than $1 billion in losses, and prepared to lay off 7,000 people in a broader effort to slash costs. Warner Bros. Discovery, whose one-year anniversary is approaching, fared slightly better, reporting small gains at HBO Max, where aggressive efforts to rein in spending last year led to smaller streaming losses. “We took bold, decisive action over the last 10 months, and the bulk of our restructuring is behind us,” CEO David Zaslav assured investors. Netflix, meanwhile, reported that efforts to stanch last year’s subscriber nosedive, which spooked the entire industry, has been working. Projecting confidence as the company’s stock recovers from the great plunge of 2022, co-CEO Ted Sarandos promised, “It’s an enormous amount of growth ahead.”
Executives’ once jubilant tones that prevailed over the early days of the streaming wars, however, have been notably absent from these carefully choreographed announcements. In this latest installment of Inside the Hive,Vanity Fair senior media correspondent Joe Pompeo and Hollywood correspondent Natalie Jarvey talk what comes post–Hollywood’s peak TV era (which may very well have actually peaked last year with a head-spinning total of nearly 600 scripted series). As an ominous New York Times headline suggested at the end of 2022: “Streaming’s Golden Age Is Suddenly Dimming.“
There are certainly signs that the sun is setting on the golden age of streaming. For the last few years, media companies invested billions to try and catch up with super-spending Netflix. But the streaming pioneer’s rough 2022 prompted every player with a competitive service to question whether it’s actually worth chasing subscriber growth at all costs. FX chairman John Landgraf, who calculates how many series Hollywood unleashes each year, recently predicted that the number of shows will start to fall in 2023 as companies pull back on their content budgets.
The cutbacks have led to a confusing few months for viewers who, until recently, have enjoyed the spoils of the streaming wars. Buzzy shows like Westworld and Super Pumped are being pulled from streaming services. Netflix is cracking down on password sharing. And it’s more complicated than ever to figure out which streamer you need to pay for to watch a hit series like, say, Yellowstone. The uncertainty in Hollywood is also creating anxiety for the people who make all this entertainment. TV writers, already frustrated that streaming has shaken up how they get paid, are worried that fewer shows will mean fewer jobs, and as a May 1 deadline for their union contract looms, some are agitating for a strike that could shut down much of Hollywood.
It’s all enough to wonder: Is the streaming party over? Listen to the episode and let us know what you think.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill giving him more control over Walt Disney World’s self-governing district. The bill is seen as a punishment for the company’s opposition to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.
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Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi tell “Face the Nation” that the new House select committee focused on China plans to “have a conversation” with NBA, Disney and other companies that have “substantial business interest in China.”
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The Florida family who went viral for a TikTok video that showed how to make their toddler son meet the height requirements for certain thrill rides at the Disney theme parks is now apologizing for the “shoe hack.”
The family has also removed all videos referencing the hack, save for a single apology video, where they claim, “With influence comes responsibility.”
It all started when Ty and Haley Kelly posted a video where they glued flip-flop bottoms to their son’s shoes so he’d meet the 38-inch height requirements for some rides.
Although Ty Kelly described the shoe-gluing as the “ultimate theme park hack,” others weren’t impressed by the couple’s ingenuity, feeling, as one YouTuber commenter noted, as if they seemed to care more “about a youtube video than your child’s safety.”
At first, Ty Kelly responded to the criticism by claiming the “hack” was faked in a now-deleted video.
“I would never condone any other parent trying to put their kid on a ride that they aren’t tall enough for,” he said in the clip. “You don’t know what happened. In the video, you didn’t see him actually go on any rides.”
Ty Kelly also claimed his son is actually tall enough for the rides, but didn’t acknowledge that someone viewing the first video without that context might take his advice seriously.
That changed on Friday when the couple posted an apology video. In the apology, they said they now realize that “what started off as us trying to make an entertaining video for our audience that we thought you’d enjoy quickly turned into us realizing that what we put out on our platforms has more consequences than we initially thought.”
Ty Kelly admitted that while his own son was unharmed from the video, he and Haley Kelly now realize their actions could influence another parent to try the potentially dangerous shoe stunt on their own kids.
Haley Kelly said that she hopes their followers give them the chance “to prove that we love our children” and they take their responsibility as “influencers” seriously.
Although some commenters did vow to give the couple the benefit of the doubt, others were skeptical.
One YouTuber commenter said, “You aren’t sorry for what you did, you’re sorry you suffered consequences for your horrible choices.”
A person commenting on the couple’s TikTok page pointed out the weird excuses the family has used since the original video.
“You put out a hack that you claimed you used and then claimed that you didn’t do it because you knew how dangerous it was but despite knowing how dangerous it was you claimed you did and claimed you wanted others to try for entertainment,” the person wrote.
In the Hawkeye Disney+ series, Clint Barton and his family go to see a musical centered around the Avengers. Now tourists will get to experience what it’s like to see a weirdly uncomfortable Broadway show based on a Marvel concept when Rogers: The Musical is turned into a real stage show at Disneyland’s California Adventure Park later this year.
In Hawkeye, Rogers: The Musical is just a short gag so Barton can make fun of the inaccuracies, but the production basically mounted a lengthy excerpt from the show, with music by real Broadway composers, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. If you managed to stick around through the credits of the last episode of Hawkeye without hopping into your next binge, you’re treated to a full-length version of the track.
Shaiman talked about the possibilities you have in an Avengers musical back in 2021, explaining that there are plenty of avenues for the story to take.
There are a million things that you could create in a Marvel musical, especially with Steve Rogers. The fact that he exists in the ’40s as well would allow us to write a whole lot of different genres, so the whole Marvel story would take place over decades. It would be a thrill to get to do that.
The official Disney Parks Twitter page has released a short teaser, which implies that the musical will be “Coming Soon.” The musical will be hitting Disney California Adventure Park as a one-act play sometime this summer.
The fact that Peggy Carter is the one looking at the playbill for Rogers: The Musical seems to suggest that she will appear in the show as well. (The Hawkeye version was basically just the one sequence inspired by The Avengers, so they’re going to have to write a bunch more material, even for a one-act show.
Every Marvel Disney+ Show, Ranked From Worst to Best
A year and a half into Marvel Studios’ dive into television, here are all their shows so far.
If you “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” while visiting Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida this winter, it looks like you may not have much of a choice.
The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, a fan-favorite thriller ride featuring memorabilia, video imagery, and, of course, music from Aerosmith, officially shut down this week for renovations, Disney World said in a statement on its website.
“Beginning February 21, 2023, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be temporarily closed for refurbishment,” the company wrote. “This rocktastic attraction will resume its super-stretch limo rides in summer 2023.”
The ride originally opened in the summer of 1999, making this year the 24th year that the ride has been in operation at the park.
Signage is up in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to remind guests that Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is temporarily closed for refurbishment pic.twitter.com/4wgobu3ucx
The car for the coaster represents a limousine, with the premise being that riders need to speed in the limo (alongside Aerosmith) to make it to the band’s concert in time, prompting a 0-60 mph speed increase that’s reached in a quick 2.8 seconds.
Though Disney did not specify what refurbishments would be made to the thrill ride, rumors have been swirling on social media that the ride may be set to feature another rock band — one popular fan theory claims that Queen will become the new star of the show. None of these rumors have been corroborated or addressed by Disney officials.
According to social media, the merchandise store outside Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster remains open despite the temporary closure.
Even though Rock’N’Roller Coaster is closed, you can still shop the merchandise outside at Shop’N’Roll at Subset Showcase pic.twitter.com/azK8eo1esn
In August 2016, Disney digitally altered an image of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s hand on the ride after people complained that the musician was performing a hand gesture meant to symbolize a lewd sexual act.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is not the only iconic park attraction to shut down in recent months.
Disney’s beloved water ride, Splash Mountain, permanently closed last month after complaints of racial stereotypes due to the ride’s ties to the 1946 movie, “Song of the South.”
The ride FKA Splash Mountain is set to reopen in late 2024 as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on the 2009 film “The Princess and the Frog.”
New gameplay from the upcoming Star Wars Jedi: Survivor seems to reveal that, unlike in the first game, the sequel will finally let Jedi Cal Kestis slice up stormtroopers and other human enemies. And that’s a good thing, as this much-wanted change makes lightsabers feel powerful and deadly again.
The lightsaber is one of the coolest pieces of Star Wars tech and genuinely one of the best fictional weapons ever created. Instantly iconic, the weapon and its sounds are so ingrained in our minds that when grown adult actors in Star Wars movies or shows are handed a prop lightsaber they make all the hums and whoosh noises like they were eight years old again. And I don’t blame anyone for loving the lightsaber. It’s a powerful laser sword that can cut off limbs, slice through metal doors, and it comes in rad colors. What more could you want? But for a long time, most Star Wars games—including 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order—haven’t let you really slice and dice with these iconic laser blades, treating them more like glowing bats.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Combat Stances Explained
However, in new gameplay released by IGN yesterday, we see that this doesn’t appear to be the case in Survivor. In a neat video going over how the game’s combat stances work, the devs showcase Cal fighting different enemies while explaining how his various moves will work and how stances factor into combat.
That’s all fine and dandy. But more interesting to me is what happens during the fight against some Imperial scout troopers at around 4:14:
Gif: IGN / EA / Lucasfilm / Kotaku
Look at that! Cal just cut a dude’s leg off. And if you look around the floor at that point in the video you can see at least two more cut-off limbs, likely from earlier in the fight. This is exciting!
Kotaku reached out to EA and Respawn about this dismemberment and was told “The footage is what it is” and that the publisher wouldn’t provide any additional comment.
For many years now, Star Wars games have made lightsabers feel pretty weak as it can often take dozens of hits to kill a random enemy and you never get to cut off limbs or do real damage to your target unless they are a droid or random animal. In an interview in 2019, Respawn senior designer Justin Perez seemed to imply Lucasfilm and Disney weren’t okay with lightsabers cutting off arms or legs. This was further backed up by people who worked on season 7 of The Clone Wars, which is also mentioned in that IGN interview from 2019.
So, I had assumed that was just how things would work. Cal could kill all the innocent animals and aliens he wanted, but he couldn’t chop any limbs off of stormtroopers. But it appears that Disney and Lucasfilm have either relaxed this rule or given Respawn a pass.
Either way, I’m excited to play Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and cut off some legs when it launches on April 28, 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Disney has apparently been thinking long and hard about giving their animated features a longer window in theaters before moving them over to Disney+. This whole hybrid approach to releasing movies is still pretty new, and it seems like Disney still has some kinks to work out. While the animated features they’ve been putting out have been getting decent responses from critics and fans, they aren’t raking in the big bucks like Disney anticipates.
Perhaps the biggest examples of this whole issue are Lightyear and Strange World. Lightyear was in theaters for 47 days before it made its way over to Disney+, and during that time, it only narrowly made back its budget. But if you think that’s bad, check out what happened with Strange World… Despite stellar reviews pretty much all around, it was Disney’s first box-office bomb since 2007’s Meet The Robinsons. Since the specific budget isn’t public knowledge, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how much money the movie lost. Given the range they were likely to have spent, the film could have lost them as much as $150 million dollars.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, as Disney reassess its strategies under its new (and former) CEO Bob Iger “there is talk of longer theatrical windows for Elemental (June 16) and Disney Animation’s Wish (Nov. 22).” They also blame “confusion in the marketplace” about when and where movies debut for some of the company’s recent box office woes.”
The weird thing about this whole situation, and where Disney may actually have the right idea, is that these movies go on to be fairly successful once they hit streaming services. In fact, Strange World became the most-streamed movie on Disney+ for a time. Using that information, it only makes sense that they wait much longer to put movies on streaming, as inconvenient as it would be for consumers who have gotten used to that model. At the very least, it would make sense if Disney waited about as long as they would when physical media like DVDs were still a huge driver of revenue.
Either way, it seems like Disney is desperate for some good news. Maybe that’s why they recently announced sequels to Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia are all now in development.
Liam Neeson has finally entered the Star Wars discourse in a big way, and it seems that he agrees with a hot take that tons of superfans already have. Being a Star Wars fan is difficult right now, and that’s not in regard to the quality of the media. It’s just the sheer quantity of it. First, we had the sequels trilogy. Then, there were standalone films, like Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story. That’s aside from television shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and most recently, Andor. And then there are movies on the horizon, including projects under development from Taika Waititi and Kevin Feige.
People were excited for more when there was a pretty sizable span of time without any new Star Wars media after the release of Return of the Jedi. Then, we got the prequel trilogy, which fans have a complicated relationship with. Then, things settled down again outside of an animated movie and a television series taking place during the Clone Wars. When Disney took over, it began to seem like multiple Star Wars projects were being put out every year. It seems they decided to take the Marvel approach and flood the market with their franchise. Some people can’t get enough of the expanded universe lore, while others aren’t so enthused. Liam Neeson revealed why in an episode of Watch What Happens Live!
He was asked if he’d be interested in returning, and he said:
“No, I’m not. There’s so many spinoffs of Star Wars. It’s diluting it to me, and it’s taken away the mystery and the magic in a weird way.”
That contradicts an interview he had with ComicBook.com just last year when he was asked if he would return as Qui-Gon in the future.
“Oh, I think so, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so…if it was a film. Yeah, I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to TV, I must admit. I just like the big screen, you know? Qui-Gon, I can’t believe it’s 24 years since we made The Phantom Menace, I just cannot believe where the time has gone. It was a terrific experience, shooting that film in London.”
It’s probably also worth noting that Liam Neeson did recently return to Star Wars, filming a cameo that appeared at the end of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The next Star Wars series is The Mandalorian Season 3, which premieres next month on Disney+.
Dave Hollis, an author, former Disney executive and the ex-husband of writer Rachel Hollis, has died at age 47, a representative confirmed to CBS News on Tuesday.
Hollis’ literary agent, Kevan Lyon, told CBS News in a statement that Hollis died over the weekend. No cause of death was immediately provided.
“I had the great honor of working with him on several books, including his most recent release with his daughter Noah,” Lyon said. “My thoughts are with his children and his family now in this very difficult and devastating time.”
Dave Hollis, president of theatrical distribution for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, speaks during CinemaCon on April 24, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images
Rachel Hollis, who shared four children with Dave Hollis, posted about his death on Instagram.
“We are so devastated,” she wrote Tuesday. “I have no words and my heart is too broken to find them. Please wrap the kids in prayer as we try and navigate through the unthinkable,” she wrote.
He had been recently hospitalized after experiencing heart-related issues, Variety reported Monday.
Hollis previously was president of sales for the film studio at The Walt Disney Company, according to his website.
After his wife’s blog and 2018 book, “Girl, Wash Your Face,” gained widespread popularity, he left Disney — after having been there for 17 years — and became CEO of The Hollis Company, which focused on producing media content, books and events.
“I finally one day said, ‘Fine, I don’t trust it. I think that there’s some snake oil in this personal development space but it’s worked for you. I have to at least see what it’s about,’” he told The Associated Press in September 2018.
Together, the couple ran popular self-improvement seminars.
After he and Rachel Hollis filed for divorce in 2020, he continued to work as a life coach and run a similar business, authoring books including “Get Out of Your Own Way: A Skeptic’s Guide to Growth and Fulfillment,” and “Built Through Courage: Face Your Fears to Live the Life You Were Meant for,” and hosting the “Rise Together” podcast. The most recent episode of the health-focused interview podcast was posted on Feb. 9.
Hollis also founded the Dave Hollis Giving Fund — which aims to aid children in foster care, homeless teens and the food insecure — and was a four-time foster parent, according to his website.
He has also served on the board of the membership committee for the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences, and was a member of the Academy. He served on boards for Fandango Labs, Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers, National Angels and Pepperdine’s Institute for Entertainment Media and Culture, where he attended school.
Fellow motivational speaker Mel Robbins posted about Hollis after his death, saying she and her husband, Chris, loved him like a brother.
“You made me laugh harder than anyone I’ve ever met. We could talk about anything, and to anyone, for hours and hours. And we did. Everywhere we went there was laughter,” she wrote.
Disney ran an ad celebrating its 100th anniversary at the Super Bowl on Sunday — and faced criticism from the peanut gallery.
The company “got panned” according to The New York TimesDealbook, for taking out an ad amid layoffs at the company, which will total some 7,000 jobs.
Buying a 30-second commercial to run during the game reportedly cost over $7 million. Considering things like production costs and talent, it can easily go up to $10 million, per The Hollywood Reporter. Disney discussed its ad in a press release on Sunday, saying the commercial “spotlights 100 years of unrivaled storytelling and innovation.”
“As we commemorate our historic 100th anniversary, it is remarkable to look back at Walt Disney’s legacy and his passionate pursuit of excellence that continue to propel the company forward today,” CEO Bob Iger said in the release.
The commercial features stars from more recent times like Mulan, or Rey from the Star Wars franchise, as well as older characters, like Mickey Mouse and Mary Poppins.
Disney’s layoffs will represent about 3.6% of its workforce, according to Reuters.
In October, Disney said the year-long celebration of its 100th anniversary would begin in January 2023 and will “be the largest cross-company global celebration in the 100-year history of The Walt Disney Company.”
Disney also said its marketing spending has gone up due to the Disney100 celebrations, according to its most recent quarterly earnings report.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that sequels to some of the company’s most popular franchises are in the works. In the company’s first quarter earnings call on Wednesday, Iger said Toy Story, Frozen and Zootopia will have additional films.
“We’ll have more to share about this production soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises,” Iger said.
After the first Toy Story movie came out in 1995, three sequels came out, with the most recent one in 2019. The beloved kids’ toys franchise has grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide, making it one of Disney’s most successful projects. The film series had a spinoff movie about Buzz Lightyear’s origins as a human – not a toy – released last year.
Tim Allen, who has voiced Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story franchise since the first film, tweeted about the planned fifth installment.
“See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!” Allen wrote.
See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond! pic.twitter.com/bwRzE487Vi
The Frozen franchise has two movies already, grossing over $2.6 billion total worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. The first Zootopia movie was released in 2016 and it grossed more than $1 billion worldwide in the box office.
The announcement comes as Iger said the company would cut about 7,000 jobs as part of a “significant transformation.”
The job cuts amount to about 3% of the media and entertainment’s global workforce and were announced after Disney reported quarterly results that topped Wall Street’s forecasts. The layoffs are part of a broader effort by Disney to lower costs by $5.5 billion.
Iger, who returned as CEO in November following a challenging two-year tenure by his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek, is under pressure to revive the company’s financial fortunes and its stock price, which has tumbled 24% in the last year.
That was the message heard loud and clear at Disney CEO Bob Iger’s first earnings report since he came out of retirement to head up the global entertainment company.
In a bombshell call with analysts, Iger announced a sweeping corporate restructuring that will result in nearly 7,000 layoffs to save $5.5 billion in costs. The job cuts make up roughly 3.6% of Disney’s global workforce.
“While this is necessary to address the challenges we’re facing today, I do not make this decision lightly,” said Iger. “I have enormous respect and appreciation for the talent and dedication of our employees worldwide, and I’m mindful of the personal impact of these changes.”
The House of Mouse is the latest U.S. company to initiate major job cuts, following in the footsteps of Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Zoom.
Iger said Disney wants to reanimate its film and TV business while cutting costs in “non-content” operations, such as marketing, labor, and technology.
“We must return creativity to the center of the company, increase accountability, improve results and ensure the quality of our content and experiences,” Iger said.
Iger said that the company would reorganize into three segments: an entertainment unit encompassing film, TV, and streaming, a sports-focused ESPN unit, and Disney parks, experiences, and products.
He emphasized that the company’s streaming services, which include Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, will remain its ” #1 priority”. But he added that “we’re not going to abandon the linear or the traditional platforms while they can still be a benefit to us and our shareholders.”
Wall Street reacts
While Disney employees can’t be happy about the news, Wall Street liked what they heard, as Disney shares surged 6% in after-market trading. After tanking in 2022, stock prices have increased 26 percent this year.
Iger shared quarterly P&L numbers that were better than many analysts expected.
Disney’s streaming subscribers were down only 1%, from 164 million to 162 million. But ESPN+ and Hulu subscriber numbers were up 2%. Disney’s theme parks brought in $2.1 billion in profit, up 36 percent from last year.
The reorg marks a new chapter for Iger, who first became Disney CEO in 2005 and retired in 2020, only to return in 2022.
The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday it will cut about 7,000 jobs as part of a “significant transformation” announced by CEO Bob Iger.
The job cuts amount to about 3% of the media and entertainment’s global workforce and were announced after Disney reported quarterly results that topped Wall Street’s forecasts. The layoffs are part of a broader effort by Disney to lower costs by $5.5 billion.
Iger, who returned as CEO in November following a challenging two-year tenure by his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek, is under pressure to revive the company’s financial fortunes and its stock price, which has tumbled 24% in the last year. Disney is struggling with costs for luring new subscribers to its streaming service, Disney+, amid heated competition from Netflix, HBO and others.
“In our zeal to go after subscribers, we got too aggressive in our promotions,” Iger said on a conference call to discuss the company’s first-quarter results, which were released on Wednesday.
Iger said the company wants to “lean more into our core franchises and our brands” while also reducing costs “on everything we make.”
Disney faces pressure from Nelson Peltz, a billionaire investor who is seeking to join its board of directors as part of a proxy fight against the company. Disney has urged shareholders to vote against Peltz, CEO of Trian Partners, according to Reuters. The proxy vote is set for April 3.
Shares of Disney jumped 5.6% in after-hours trading.
“The company unveiled a new structure, with the big difference being that ESPN is now going to be operated as separate entity (although Iger says a spinoff of ESPN isn’t being planned),” Wall Street analyst Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge said in a research note.
As of Oct. 1, Disney employed 220,000 people, of which about 166,000 worked in the U.S. and 54,000 internationally.
In its latest results, solid growth at Disney’s theme parks helped offset tepid performance in its video streaming and movie business.
Disney said Wednesday that it earned $1.28 million, or 70 cents per share, in the three months through Dec. 31. That compares with net income of $1.1 billion, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, Disney earned 99 cents per share. Analysts, on average, were expecting adjusted earnings of 78 cents per share, according to FactSet.
Revenue grew 8% to $23.51 billion from $21.82 billion a year earlier. Analysts were expecting revenue of $23.44 billion.
The company said Disney+ ended the quarter with 161.8 million subscribers, down 1% from since Oct. 1. Hulu and ESPN+ each posted a 2% increase in paid subscribers during the quarter.
“Since my return, I have drilled down into every facet of the streaming business to determine how to achieve both profitability and growth. And so with that goal in mind, we will focus even more on our core brands and franchises, which have consistently delivered higher returns,” Iger said in a call to discuss Disney’s latest earnings. “We will aggressively curate our general entertainment content. We will reassess all markets we have launched in and also determine the right balance between global and local content. We’ll adjust our pricing strategy, including a full examination of our promotional strategies.”
Disney+ has grown fast since launching in 2019, even briefly topping Netflix last year in a count of subscribers, but like other streaming services it faces the high cost of producing content.
White, a former contestant on “The X Factor” who has voice roles in several animated children’s shows, plays a super-genius that brings back a T. rex ― Devil Dinosaur ― to New York City in the upcoming series.
The series ― created by actor Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland ― is based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name and depicts Moon Girl and her prehistoric pal working hand-in-hand to protect New York’s Lower East Side from danger, according to Disney.
Steve Loter, who directed and produced the hit Disney Channel cartoon “Kim Possible” starting in its second season, joins Fisburne and Sugland as an executive producer on the show.
White, in an exclusive look at the series, said that Lafayette is “everything she wanted to be” when she was 13 years old.
“She’s incredible, she’s a superhero, she is a crime fighter, she’s a problem solver,” White said. “I think it’s important for people to see young, strong, Black leading characters. Representation matters and to see someone that looks like you on TV makes the difference, it really does.”
The series makes its Disney Channel premiere on Friday and its first six episodes will air on Disney+ starting Feb. 15.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Given the extensiveheadlines about Disney and Starbucks ordering employees back to the office, you might think that it’s the beginning of a new back-to-office return across the board. Yet do such headlines represent the reality of a new wave or are they just clickbait for anxious workers who want to avoid the threat of a forced office return?
Recent survey data from The Conference Board provides a surprising insight into how companies are approaching the hybrid workplace policy. After surveying 1,100 corporate executives across several industries around the globe, including 24% from the U.S., The Conference Board revealed that Disney and Starbucks represent the exception, not the rule. In fact, of the CEOs from the U.S., a tiny proportion — 3% — indicated they would decrease the availability of remote work in their companies. Disney and Starbucks belong to that 3%.
By contrast, 5% said they would expand it. For example, consider Elon Musk at Twitter. After initially ordering all Twitter staff back to the office, he now reversed course. He embraced remote work by closing Twitter’s Seattle and Singapore offices, telling all staff to work remotely.
In short, it’s likely that 2023 will see a slight expansion of employees working remotely. These findings suggest that the majority of companies are finding the hybrid workplace policy to be a successful solution for their organization.
Case study: Hybrid workplace policy success
One example of a company that has successfully implemented a hybrid workplace policy is a large financial services company, which I know from consulting for it. Prior to the pandemic, this company had a traditional in-office work model. However, as the pandemic hit, the company quickly shifted to remote work in order to keep employees safe.
As the pandemic progressed, the company realized that remote work was not only effective but also improved employee satisfaction. They, therefore, decided to adopt a hybrid workplace policy that allowed employees to work both remotely and in-office. This approach has allowed the company to continue operating effectively, while also supporting the unique needs of its employees.
Another example is a mid-size IT services company. They initially struggled with the transition to remote work and the hybrid workplace policy, as their industry requires face-to-face interactions with clients. They soon realized that the lack of collaboration and communication between employees working remotely and in-office resulted in a decline in productivity and employee satisfaction.
To address this, the company brought me in to advise them on improving their approach. With my advice, they implemented a number of measures to improve collaboration and communication, such as weekly one-on-ones between supervisors and supervisees, and setting clear expectations for communication and collaboration. These measures have helped to stabilize the company’s performance, and the hybrid workplace policy is now working well for them.
Benefits of hybrid workplace policy
One of the key benefits of the hybrid workplace policy is the increased flexibility it provides for employees. Remote work can offer a better work-life balance, as well as the ability to work from locations that may be more convenient for employees. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and employee retention, which can be especially important in a competitive job market.
Additionally, the hybrid workplace policy can also lead to cost savings for companies. By reducing the need for office space, companies can lower their overhead costs, and potentially save on costs such as electricity, internet, and office supplies.
Cognitive biases and hybrid workplace policy
However, it’s important to note that implementing a hybrid workplace policy is not without its challenges. One potential issue is the impact of cognitive biases on decision-making. For example, the availability heuristic, which refers to the tendency for people to base their judgments on information that is most easily available to them, may lead leaders to rely too heavily on their personal experiences with remote work rather than considering the unique needs and circumstances of their organization.
Another cognitive bias that may come into play is the sunk cost fallacy, which refers to the tendency for people to continue investing in a decision or strategy because they have already invested resources into it, even if it’s not the most effective solution. This can lead leaders to persist with their initial hybrid workplace policy even if it’s not working well for their organization, instead of getting advice and training on how to improve their approach to hybrid work.
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced companies to rethink their approach to work. The hybrid workplace policy has emerged as a popular solution for many organizations, as it allows for a more flexible and adaptable approach to work. However, it’s important for leaders to be aware of the potential impact of cognitive biases on decision-making when implementing a hybrid workplace policy. Through careful planning and regular reviews, companies can successfully navigate the challenges of the hybrid workplace policy and stabilize their business.
The Walt Disney Company was founded in October 1923 by Walt Disney and his brother Roy in Hollywood, Calif.
Now one of the largest media companies in the world, the journey began with pencil cartoon drawings on paper, turned into animation. Then, in 1928, the landmark animated short film, Steamboat Willie, introduced Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse to the world.
These signature characters are again the stars of an all-new attraction, “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway,” which debuts Jan. 27 at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif. — the home base of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary celebration.
“We call it two-and-a-half-D — it’s 3-D without the glasses. The attraction comes to life around you,” said Jeffrey Shaver-Moskowitz, executive producer with The Walt Disney Company.
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“The show set, the media, the animatronic figures — no matter how you met Mickey, whether it was in his early career, whether he looked like he did in Steamboat Willie or the way he looked in the Mickey Mouse shorts, it’s the same loveable mouse that we are all in love with.”
Visitors to the park will notice platinum-infused décor all around including platinum statues, medallions and banners. Two new nighttime spectaculars punctuate the 100th celebration: “World of Color – ONE” at Disney California Adventure Park and “Wondrous Journeys” at Disneyland Park.
Both celebrate the Walt Disney legacy through displays featuring beloved characters, music and film.
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“It’s a mix of nostalgia and remembering those moments but also excitement for what’s to come for the future and all the newness that’s here…guests are just going to be in awe and in amazement,” said Andrae Gill, Disneyland Resort spokesperson.
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Guests can also purchase Disney100 collectable merchandise like platinum mouse ear headbands and hats. Specialty food and drink items include the platinum trifle, old-fashioned cream soda and lemon tea cake — said to have been a personal favourite of Walt Disney himself.
More magic is set to arrive throughout 2023 including the return of the “Magic Happens” parade on Feb. 24 and Mickey’s Toontown reopening on March 8.
Big arms big arms big arms. Image: Sony / Naughty Dog /Kotaku
We’re only one episode deep into HBO’s live-action adaptation of The Last of Us and fans think they’ve discovered the actor who’ll play Abby.
In a recent tweet, The Last of Us News, a community-run TLoU fan account, uploaded a screenshot of the game creator, Neil Druckmann, following actor Shannon Berry on Instagram. Of course, Druckmann’s following of The Wilds actor could just be his way of pulling a Hideo Kojima by showing interest in actors who star in shows that are similar to his own works.
But give the internet an inch and they’ll take a mile because Twitter has been buzzing about how perfect Berry’s casting would be for Abby, especially when you consider how closely her face resembles the former Firefly and surprise co-star of The Last of Us Part II. It probably also doesn’t help that Berry’s followed Druckmann back on Insta, but that’s show business baby!
“Hey, she’s 22. Bella Ramsey is 19. Their age difference is spot on for Ellie and Abby,” one Twitter user wrote.
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“God, I hope it happens. She’s the perfect Abby,” wrote another.
“Whoever gets the role I really hope they don’t get the abuse Laura Bailey did!! Neither Laura or whoever gets the role for the series deserves it!” another observed.
“Becoming a Shannon Berry Abby Anderson truther as we speak,” wrote one Twitter user, who went the extra mile by making a Kpop-style fancam video of the actor after someone’s suggestion that Florence Pugh would be a good Abby.
Should Abby appear in TLoU (prestige TV edition), “Abby Anderson truthers” think the show should save her appearance for the final episode of the season, so as to create a neat throughline between the original game’s ending and its sequel.
Since The Last of Us premiered on the streamer, fans and critics alike have heralded the HBO show as the one that’s finally broken the terrible video game adaptation curse. While I think the show knocked it out of the park with its 80-minute pilot episode, I can’t help but notice the pop culture zeitgeist’s tendency to haphazardly regurgitate that accolade whenever a new video game adaptation that isn’t dog water comes out.
The ‘95 Mortal Kombat movie (which is good, don’t @ me), Paramount Pictures’ Sonic films, and Netflix’s Castlevania, League of Legends, and Cyberpunk 2077 shows have all rightfully received the same praise for their overall quality and respect for source material. But much like how Disney keeps having new “first LGBTQ characters,” gamers always tout the latest video game adaptation hotness as finally having “broken the curse” despite us having gone through this whole song and dance like five times over the past two years or so. I suppose recency bias is a bitch.
Regardless, we’ll have to wait and see whether the internet’s admittedly parasocial stalking of Druckmann’s Insta follows results in Berry’s casting as Abby. But right now let’s just appreciate how yoked out Abby is.
Dana BisbeeAfter working at both US parks, there are certain things I won’t buy at Disney.
I wouldn’t bother buying a balloon.
Disneyland and Disney World both sell balloons up and down Main Street USA. Dana Bisbee
Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the brightly colored balloons every time I walk down Main Street, but I’d personally never waste my money on one.
They average between $12 and $17, and they just become a hassle for you all day.
You’re not able to bring your balloons on any rides, so you’ll either need to tie it to a stroller (if you have one) or see if a cast member, what Disney calls its park employees, can hold it for you by the attraction entrance.
If a balloon is an absolute must for you, I’d recommend waiting until the end of the day to buy one to avoid the headache.
I don’t even think buying one popcorn bucket is worth it — and I definitely wouldn’t collect them.
Disney comes out with limited-edition and themed popcorn buckets all year. Dana Bisbee
This may be controversial because there are some diehard popcorn-bucket collectors out there, but I always skip them.
They usually range between $17 and $25, and new buckets are released seasonally at the parks. On release days, people can spend hours waiting in line to buy limited-edition buckets and I’d personally rather spend that time riding a few rides.
If you’re a major fan of Disney popcorn, you might be able to buy enough discounted refills to make the savings worth it. But you also have to lug the buckets around the parks with you all day.
Although they’re cute, I ultimately find the popcorn buckets to be impractical. I’ve only ever purchased one, and it’s just sat on a shelf collecting dust since I brought it home.
Your pets probably won’t appreciate how much their Disney toy cost.
Disney sells a whole range of pet products. Dana Bisbee
As a proud fur mom, I love the Disney Tails collection and think it has great product design. But I never buy any of the pet toys.
The toys range from $18 to $26, and I just can’t justify spending that much on something my dog will destroy in 12 hours.
If you’re absolutely dying to bring your pet a special treat from your Disney trip, I’d recommend a collar, harness, or even a spirit jersey instead.
The lollipops are never as exciting as they seem.
There are plenty of sweets and candies at the Disney parks. Dana Bisbee
As a child, I remember begging my parents to buy me a lollipop every time I saw one of the giant stands. But as an adult, I never bother with them.
The lollipops average between $3 and $7, but there’s nothing truly spectacular about them.
Other than the pretty plastic packaging that just gets thrown away, it’s a regular-tasting lollipop you could find anywhere. There are so many better park treats in the same price range.
I’m not interested in dropping that much cash on the National Geographic line.
There’s some expensive outdoor gear in Disney’s Nat Geo line. Dana Bisbee
Last year, Disney released a National Geographic merch collection in the parks. It mostly offers hooded sweatshirts, joggers, puffer vests, and jackets that range from $40 to $190.
But I think the collection feels out of place. If I’m going to spend $190 on a jacket, it’s not going to be at the Disney parks.
If you find yourself cold and in need of a jacket or sweatshirt, there are other options ranging from $50 to $90 throughout the parks.
As someone who used to sell them, I don’t think the bubble wands are worth it.
I worked on Main Street selling bubble wands. Dana Bisbee
I loved getting to play with all the bubble wands, but I’d never spend $25 to $32 on them.
They don’t come with much bubble liquid, meaning you’ll need to buy refills if it’s being played with all day. I’ve also found that they can be easily breakable.
There are other more durable toys in the same price range available at the Disney parks.
The key chains are a little steep for my liking.
I don’t think the key chains are worth the price. Dana Bisbee
The Disney key chains are cute and can make a great souvenir to bring back to a loved one, but I never spend my money on them.
They range between $9 and $15, which I find to be pretty expensive for a small piece of plastic.
If you’re looking for something that will last longer and serve as a better reminder of your trip, consider picking a mug or a pin for a similar price.
