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Tag: walt disney company

  • Disney accuses ByteDance of ‘virtual smash-and-grab’ when using copyrighted works to train its AI

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    Disney is going after another generative AI tool, accusing ByteDance and its recently released Seedance 2.0 of using its copyrighted material without permission. As first reported on by Axios, the Walt Disney Company sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, claiming the Chinese company developed its Seedance tool “with a pirated library of Disney’s copyrighted characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney franchises, as if Disney’s coveted intellectual property were free public domain clip art.”

    The letter, which was obtained by Axios, included examples of Seedance videos featuring copyrighted Disney characters, including Spider-Man, Darth Vader, Peter Griffin and more. Even though ByteDance just released Seedance 2.0 on Thursday, it’s already earned praise, but also indignation from Hollywood studios, when it comes to its AI-generating capabilities.

    With the strong early momentum, Seedance has already found itself in hot water with one of the largest media companies in the world. However, it’s not the first time that Disney has threatened legal action against an AI company, since Character.AI received a cease-and-desist letter for the same offense in September. A few months later, Disney even accused Google of copyright infringement when training its AI models. On the other hand, Disney partnered with OpenAI in a three-year licensing agreement that allows the AI giant to generate images and videos using that highly sought-after intellectual property.

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  • DeSantis appointee to Disney board taught seminar using discredited research claiming White people were slaves in America | CNN Politics

    DeSantis appointee to Disney board taught seminar using discredited research claiming White people were slaves in America | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    An appointee by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to an oversight board of Disney’s special tax district taught a seminar in 2021 falsely claiming “Whites were also slaves in America,” using discredited research to say there was an “Irish slave trade.”

    The comments were made by Ron Peri, one of five people DeSantis appointed earlier this year to oversee the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to replace the old board after the company spoke out against what critics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida.

    Peri, an Orlando-based pastor and CEO of a Christian ministry group called The Gathering, made the comments in an hourlong class for his group posted on YouTube about critical race theory called “Cunningly Devised Fables.”

    In other comments Peri spread false claims that Irish slaves were forcibly bred with enslaved Africans. He also said a “significant” number of free Blacks in the antebellum era owned slaves, claims disputed by reputable historians who say the number was minimal. CNN archived Peri’s comments from 2021, which he deleted from YouTube following his appointment to the Disney oversight board.

    The oversight board, previously called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, governed Disney’s sprawling 25,000 acre footprint around Orlando. Created in 1967, its duties include providing services like sewage, fire rescue and road maintenance and issuing debt for infrastructure projects supporting Disney’s theme park empire.

    “Slavery is a moral wrong wherever it exists or existed and is one of America’s great historical wrongs,” Peri told CNN in a statement Tuesday. “Similarly, racism is likewise wrong. I countenance neither to any degree, so the criticism of the belief that thousands of people being held in slavery was significant and a terrible wrong is severely misplaced. Even one person in slavery is egregious and morally reprehensible, regardless of race.”

    The DeSantis administration but did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

    Peri’s 2021 comments came in the context of him pushing back on claims of “systemic racism” in the United States from past White ownership of slaves.

    “Look at old newspapers, as old as you can find, and you’ll find that Whites were also slaves in America,” said Peri. “The Irish slave trade began when James II sold 30,000 Irish prisoners as slaves to the new world. His proclamation of 1625, which you can go back and see, required Irish political prisoners be sent overseas and sold to English settlers in the West Indies.”

    “By the mid 1600s, the Irish were the main slaves sold to Antigua and Montserrat,” Peri added. “From 1641 to 1652, over 500,000 Irish were killed by the English, and another 300,000 were sold as slaves.”

    “The settlers began to breed Irish women and girls with African men to produce slaves with a distinct complexion,” Peri added.

    Peri’s claims are based on fabricated material that has circled the Internet over the last two decades and has been the subject of repeated debunkings from news organizations like the New York Times, Reuters, the Associated Press, Snopes, and frustrated historians – many of whom signed an open letter in 2016 disputing the claims.

    Even the article Peri cited as evidence was updated before he used it in the seminar to note it contained a number of factual errors.

    Historians who spoke to CNN said that the research Peri cited is ahistorical and based on invented research: Whites were never considered slaves in America, legally or socially; 300,000 Irish were not sent as slaves to the Americas; English King James II – who Peri cited as issuing the proclamation in 1625 – was not born until 1633 and did not take the throne until 1685. Even then, no proclamations by King James II on Irish slaves exist. The Irish did not “breed” with African slaves, as Peri claimed.

    Irish immigrants in North America and the Caribbean were never considered slaves but were indentured servants, said Matthew Reilly, a professor of anthropology at City College of New York.

    Indentured servitude consisted of a fixed period of time, usually five to seven years, and was not inheritable. Whereas the race-based chattel form of slavery kept enslaved people as property for life and children would inherit their mother’s status.

    “The conditions may have been like that of slavery, but socio-legally, it was a very different form of unfreedom,” said Reilly.

    In another comment, Peri used data attributed to the 1830 census to say the numbers showed a “significant” and “large number” of free Blacks owned slaves. However, the 1830 census data cited by scholars show that out of 2,009,043 slaves in the United States, 3,776 free Blacks owned 12,907 slaves – 0.006%.

    “The justification that they have for it is they claim that systemic racism emanates from White ownership of slaves,” Peri said. “Therefore, all White wealth is based on the hard work and abuse of Black slaves and women. That’s their justification. Well, the reality is all races owned slaves.”

    “A significant number of these free Blacks were the owners of slaves,” Peri added.

    Historians, like esteemed Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., have noted that a large number of those Black slave owners “owned” their own family members to protect them – oftentimes by purchasing a family member. And that pointing to other races owning slaves is a way to minimize the brutal realities of slavery.

    “The vast majority, the overwhelming majority – to the tune of millions of people who were brought from West and West Central Africa to the Americas – they were enslaved. Not people who were perpetrating slavery themselves,” Jenny Shaw, a professor of history at the University of Alabama, told CNN. “There’s a small number who did because they rose up in society and did what society was doing, which was enslaving people.” And that some people of African descent enslaved people because they were family members bringing them into their households with the intent of freeing them.

    Peri’s unearthed comments come amidst the controversy over the Florida Board of Education’s new standards for teaching Black history.

    Peri’s appointment to the Disney oversight board followed a clash between the company and DeSantis over a state law that would restrict certain classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity. While Disney first declined to weigh in publicly on the legislative fight over what critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, then CEO Bob Chapek, under immense pressure from the company’s employees, later changed directions, and shared his concerns with the legislation. Later, after it became law, the company in a statement said it would work to get it repealed.

    However, Peri has also accused Disney in the past of adopting teachings of critical race theory in its company training. The comments touched on another top concern of DeSantis, who sought to ban employers from training workers about privilege and systemic racism when he signed the Stop Woke Act, parts of which were blocked by a federal judge from going into effect.

    “We’re seeing companies embracing CRT,” Peri said in his Zoom. “I’m gonna just share two – Walt Disney you’re quite familiar with. You know, down here in Orlando.”

    DeSantis has faced backlash in recent days over Florida’s board of education approving controversial new standards for teaching Black history in the state, which includes teaching “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” DeSantis has defended the state’s curriculum.

    Peri previously faced scrutiny after CNN’s KFile uncovered that the Orlando pastor had suggested tap water turned people gay. Peri disputed that he made the remark during a May 1 Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board meeting, saying from the dais, “I never said that. I don’t believe it, certainly.”

    The latest revelations about Peri’s beliefs come as DeSantis’ conflict with Disney is embroiled in dueling legal challenges. Peri is named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Disney, which alleges that the Florida governor has punished the company for exercising its First Amendment rights while describing his hand-picked board as a pawn in his “retribution campaign” against the entertainment giant.

    In its complaint, filed in the United States Circuit Court for the Northern District of Florida, Disney alleged DeSantis picked board members who would “censor Disney’s speech and discipline the Company” and that DeSantis’ action against the company “threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”

    Peri, meanwhile, voted with the rest of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board to sue Disney in state court. In the past week, a Central Florida judge rejected Disney’s request to dismiss the state lawsuit. In the federal case, lawyers for DeSantis have asked the court to delay a trial until after the presidential election while Disney attorneys suggested a timeline that would put the case before jurors next July.

    The board installed by DeSantis has said much of its power was stripped by Disney in an agreement reached before the governor’s appointees took over in February.

    Since then, DeSantis and the board have focused on clawing back authority while threatening to develop the land around Disney – including by building a prison or a competing theme park next to Disney World.

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  • Why celebrities are on strike: Not every actor makes Tom Cruise money | CNN Business

    Why celebrities are on strike: Not every actor makes Tom Cruise money | CNN Business

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    CNN
     — 

    On Friday, the SAG-AFTRA, a union representing about 160,000 Hollywood actors, officially went on strike after failing to reach a deal with Hollywood’s biggest studios.

    That means Hollywood actors and writers are on strike simultaneously for the first time in more than 60 years, bringing most film and television productions to a halt.

    Among other demands, actors on strike are calling for increased pay and a rethinking of residuals, which union members say has significantly diminished amid the rise of streaming services. Residuals are financial compensation paid out to actors whenever TV shows or movies they’ve appeared in are replayed.

    Here are some significant numbers:

    The union’s 160,000 members join the 11,000 Writers Guild of America members who have been striking since May.

    While many of the world’s highest-paid celebrities, including Meryl Streep and Matt Damon, have voiced their support for the strike, the concerns about higher pay and residuals affect thousands of actors who perform in hundreds of films and TV shows.

    SAG-AFTRA’s president, Fran Drescher, pushed back on the notion that all actors are wealthy, saying that a vast majority “are just working people just trying to make a living just trying to pay their rent, just trying to put food on the table and get their kids off to school.”

    “Everything that you watch, that you enjoy, that you’re entertained by are scenes filled with people that are not making the big money,” she added.

    That’s how much the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported as the average pay for California actors in 2022. However, the BLS noted in the data that actors aren’t paid full-time year-round due to the nature of the job.

    Before the contract between actors and movie studios officially expired this week, SAG-AFTRA members had negotiated specific minimum rates for performers. For example, an actor who worked on a television show for one week was paid a minimum of $3,756.

    However, Kellee Stewart, an actress who has performed for more than 20 years and has appeared on the television series “All American” and “Black-ish,” noted that performers traditionally don’t get to take home the number that appears as their rate.

    “You don’t get to keep it all when you get a paycheck,” she said.

    “You have to pay taxes, plus commissions. For me, that would include an agent, a manager, and a lawyer that negotiates your deals. Right away, when you’re giving a quote for what you’re going to get paid, you already know that’s really going to be 35% less, give or take,” she added.

    Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the highest paid actor of 2022, raking in $270 million, according to Forbes’ list of highest paid entertainers. Johnson received hefty paydays from his roles in “Jungle Cruise” and “Red Notice,” but, according to Forbes, the majority of his earned income in 2022 came from his tequila brand, Teremana.

    Tom Cruise made headlines last year for reportedly making $100 million from his deal to star in “Top Gun: Maverick,” for which he received a cut of ticket sales, according to Variety.

    On CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, IAC Chairman Barry Diller called on both top-paid actors and movie executives to take 25% pay cuts.

    “You have the actors union saying, ‘How dare these 10 people who run these companies earn all this money and won’t pay us?’ While, if you look at it on the other side, the top 10 actors get paid more than the top 10 executives,” Diller said. “I’m not saying either is right. Actually, everybody’s probably overpaid at the top end.”

    The minimum amount of money a performer must take home in one year to qualify for health insurance is $26,470.

    However, while well-known actors are paid millions of dollars to star in movies and TV shows, many members of SAG-AFTRA don’t bring in enough income each year to meet the union’s minimum requirement.

    According to Shaan Sharma, an actor and SAG-AFTRA board member, just 12.7% of SAG-AFTRA members qualify for the union’s health plan.

    Actor Rod McLachlan, who has appeared in television shows such as “Blue Bloods,” said it’s “a constant struggle” to meet the health insurance threshold.

    “If you think about it, $26,000 isn’t a middle-class wage,” he said.

    “The thing about the life of an actor is that you have good years and bad years,” he added.

    Due to the unpredictable nature of TV acting and the competitive nature of landing roles, actors traditionally rely on residual payments, paid out when films or movies are replayed, as a form of steady income when work is hard to come by.

    “If you were in a popular episode of a popular show, the income streams could last for quite some time. You have almost 18 months on one level or another where you are receiving income that was significant enough to help you until the next time you did a network show,” McLachlan said.

    Actors say that the calculation around residuals has changed. As more shows and movies have moved to streaming services, where it isn’t always clear how often content is replayed, actors say they’re making significantly less money.

    Striking writers and actors take part in a rally outside Paramount studios in Los Angeles on Friday, July 14, 2023. This marks the first day actors formally joined the picket lines, more than two months after screenwriters began striking in their bid to get better pay and working conditions.

    “The residuals that I get when it’s on network television versus what I would get on Netflix are night and day,” Stewart said.

    On Twitter, Stewart shared a screengrab of 5 residual payments totaling 13 cents from replays on streaming services.

    “There’s not just a difference between traditional residual television and streaming; they’re not even in the same conversation,” she told CNN.

    On Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Iger said striking actors’ and writers’ demands are “just not realistic.”

    “They are adding to a set of challenges that this business is already facing, that is quite frankly, very disruptive,” he told CNBC.

    When Iger rejoined Disney as CEO in November 2022, he agreed to an annual base salary of $1 million with a potential annual bonus of $2 million dollars. The agreement also includes stock awards from Disney totaling $25 million.

    On Wednesday, Iger agreed to remain in his post as CEO of Disney through 2026 while the company’s board searches for a successor. In his new agreement, Iger is now eligible for a bonus of up to $5 million, according to a company filing, meaning his total pay may reach $31 million per year.

    Walt Disney Studios is part of The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the trade group that negotiates with currently striking writers and actors. Other major movie studios, such as Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures, along with streaming services like Netflix and Apple TV+ are members, as well. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, is also a member.

    Netflix’s co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters made $50 million and $28 million respectively in 2022, according to a company filing.

    In a statement to CNN, the AMPTP said they were “deeply disappointed” with the union’s decision to strike.

    “Rather than continuing to negotiate, SAG-AFTRA has put us on a course that will deepen the financial hardship for thousands who depend on the industry for their livelihoods,” the AMPTP said.

    SAG-AFTRA did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

    The potential economic impact of the combined writers’ and actors’ strike could cause $4 billion or more in damage, Kevin Klowden, the chief global strategist for the economic think tank, the Milken Institute, told CNN.

    Klowden said the double strike, which has brought Hollywood projects to a grinding halt, may affect more than just the US economy.

    “London and the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and other places, which either have studios or even do post-production, will face a real impact,” he said.

    – CNN’s Natasha Chen contributed reporting to this story

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  • Florida teacher says she is under investigation after showing 5th grade class Disney movie with gay character | CNN

    Florida teacher says she is under investigation after showing 5th grade class Disney movie with gay character | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    A fifth-grade teacher said she is being investigated by the Florida Department of Education after she showed her students “Strange World,” a 2022 animated Disney movie featuring a character who is biracial and gay.

    Jenna Barbee is a teacher in Hernando County’s Winding Waters K-8 school. “I am the teacher that’s under investigation with the Florida Department of Education for indoctrination for showing a Disney movie,” Barbee said in a TikTok post over the weekend.

    In the post, Barbee explained she played the Disney movie to a class which was partially full after a day of standardized testing. She also said she had previously-signed permission slips from all the parents, allowing the students to watch a movie rated PG.

    According to Barbee, a parent then complained and reported her to the state Department of Education.

    The parent who reported her, who is also a member of the Hernando County School District Board, complained to the principal about the movie not being appropriate for students, according to Karen Jordan, spokesperson for Hernando County Schools. Jordan also provided CNN with a copy of the announcement from the school district to parents.

    “Yesterday, the Disney movie ‘Strange World’ was shown in your child’s classroom,” the school district said. “While not the main plot of the movie, parts of the story involves a male character having and expressing feelings for another male character. In the future, this movie will not be shown. The school administration and the district’s Professional Standards Dept is currently reviewing the matter to see if further corrective action is required.”

    The complaint is part of Florida’s controversial legislation, signed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, banning certain instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom. DeSantis and other supporters pushed the measure as a form of “parental rights,” while opponents said it tried to erase LGBTQ people from schools and dubbed the law “Don’t Say Gay.”

    The law initially banned instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade or in a way deemed not age-appropriate for all other grades, but it has since been expanded to limit such information all through high school. Teachers who violate the state policy can be suspended or have their teaching licenses revoked.

    Disney was among those who spoke out against the law last year, spurring DeSantis and Florida Republicans to retaliate against the entertainment company by targeting their control over the land in and around its theme parks.

    The animated film “Strange World,” released last year, told the story of a family of explorers and starred the voices of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid and Lucy Liu. The movie also featured Disney’s first-ever out-gay character, voiced by comedian Jaboukie Young-White.

    On May 9, Barbee addressed the school board members during public comment at a meeting. In attendance was the parent who had complained, school board member Shannon Rodriguez, she acknowledged during the meeting.

    “A school board member, an elected official of power, who was supposed to be nonpartisan, is allowed to present to the public that she is Christian and that God appointed her to the board. And yet it is indoctrinated that I showed a Disney movie. I’m a first-year teacher,” said Barbee.

    The teacher told district board members the movie was in no way sexual and was tied to the current lesson plan of the environment and ecosystems.

    Barbee claimed in the meeting Rodriguez “came to my school took me away from my students to tell me how bad and wrong I was.”

    At the end of the school board meeting, Rodriguez said she called the state department of education regarding the incident, which prompted the state investigation. She said her daughter is in Barbee’s class.

    She said at the district meeting Barbee broke school policy because she did not get the specific movie approved by school administration and said the teacher is “playing the victim.”

    “It is not a teacher’s job to impose their beliefs upon a child: religious, sexual orientation, gender identity, any of the above. But allowing movies such as this assist teachers in opening a door, and please hear me, they assist teachers in opening a door for conversations that have no place in our classrooms,” Rodriguez said.

    Rodriguez said “as a leader in this community, I’m not going to stand by and allow this minority to infiltrate our schools … God did put me here,” she said.

    CNN has reached out to Rodriguez and Hernando County School District and the Florida Department of Education for comment.

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  • GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson says he would sign federal abortion ban but supports exceptions | CNN Politics

    GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson says he would sign federal abortion ban but supports exceptions | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson said Sunday he would sign a federal abortion ban if he were elected president but would support exceptions.

    “I would support the restrictions, and I would advocate for the exceptions of the life of the mother and the cases of rape and incest,” the former Arkansas governor said on CNN’s “State of the Union” in an interview with Dana Bash. “I believe that’s where the American public is. I don’t think anything will come out of Congress without those exceptions. And I certainly would sign a pro-life bill, but I would expect those exceptions to be in place.”

    As governor in 2021, Hutchinson signed a near-total abortion ban into law that did not include exceptions for rape and incest. He told CNN at the time that he signed the measure because he hoped the US Supreme Court would eventually take up the legislation and overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized abortion nationwide.

    A year later, the Supreme Court did just that, allowing various state restrictions on the procedure to move forward, including in Arkansas. Hutchinson told CNN last year before Roe was overturned that he believed the Arkansas law should be “revisited” to provide exceptions for instances of rape or incest.

    Hutchinson said Sunday that unless Republicans earn supermajority status in Congress, “we’re going to keep this issue in the states.”

    Republicans have been wrestling with the issue of abortion, which has become a political landmine for their party and has hurt conservative candidates in recent elections. CNN previously reported that House Republicans have abandoned a yearslong push by their party to pass a federal abortion ban and are exploring other ways to advance their anti-abortion agenda.

    Still, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Sunday that Republicans need to directly take on abortion issues in order to appeal to independents.

    “Abortion was a big issue in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania so the guidance we’re going to give to our candidates is to have to address this head-on,” she said on “Fox News Sunday,” adding that Republicans need to “fight back” against Democratic attacks.

    “You need to say, ‘Listen, I’m proud to be pro-life. We have to find consensus among Democrats and Republicans,’” she added.

    Hutchinson formally kicked off his campaign in Bentonville, Arkansas, last week, touting his experience and record as a “consistent conservative.”

    Asked by Bash on Sunday if there’s any appetite for his brand of Republicanism, Hutchinson said, “Absolutely. I wouldn’t be in this race if I didn’t believe it.”

    The former governor also took a swing at a potential GOP rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, over his yearlong fight with Disney, saying, “I don’t understand a conservative punishing a business that’s the largest employer in the state.”

    “It’s not the role of government to punish a business when you disagree with what they’re saying or a position that they take,” Hutchinson said.

    DeSantis’ clash with Disney dates back to the entertainment giant’s opposition to a Florida measure that restricts certain instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. The law was dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents, and Disney vowed to help overturn it.

    The Florida governor has defended the state’s actions against Disney, which include taking over the company’s special taxing district.

    “In reality, Disney was enjoying unprecedented privileges and subsidies,” DeSantis said recently. “It’s certainly even worse when a company takes all those privileges that have been bestowed over many, many decades, and uses that to wage war on state policy regarding families and children.”

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  • Video: Bodycam footage shows aftermath of Jeremy Renner’s snowplow accident | CNN

    Video: Bodycam footage shows aftermath of Jeremy Renner’s snowplow accident | CNN

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    Newly released video shows scene of Jeremy Renner’s snowplow accident

    Newly released body camera footage shows firefighters and sheriff’s deputies rushing to help actor Jeremy Renner after a near-fatal snowplow accident in January. The “Avengers” actor broke more than 30 bones and suffered other severe injuries. CNN’s Chloe Melas has more.

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  • Video: Panelist’s reaction to DeSantis’ threat against Disney has guests in stitches | CNN Business

    Video: Panelist’s reaction to DeSantis’ threat against Disney has guests in stitches | CNN Business

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    ‘My stomach is hurting from laughing’: Hear panelist’s reaction to DeSantis’ threat to Disney

    CNN panelists react to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis floating the idea of building a competing theme park next to Disney World in Orlando.

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  • Disney quietly took power from DeSantis’ new board before state takeover | CNN Politics

    Disney quietly took power from DeSantis’ new board before state takeover | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    The battle between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may not be over yet.

    The new board handpicked by the Republican governor to oversee Disney’s special taxing district said Wednesday it is considering legal action over a multi-decade agreement reached between the entertainment giant and the outgoing board in the days before the state’s hostile takeover last month.

    Under the agreement – quietly approved on February 8 as Florida lawmakers met in special session to hand DeSantis control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District – Disney would maintain control over much of its vast footprint in Central Florida for 30 years and, in some cases, the board can’t take significant action without first getting approval from the company.

    “This essentially makes Disney the government,” board member Ron Peri said during Wednesday’s meeting, according to video posted by an Orlando television station. “This board loses, for practical purposes, the majority of its ability to do anything beyond maintaining the roads and maintaining basic infrastructure.”

    The episode is the latest twist in a yearlong saga between Disney and DeSantis, who has battled the company as he tries to tally conservative victories ahead of a likely bid for the 2024 GOP nomination.

    The board on Wednesday retained “multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior,” DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske said. According to meeting documents, the board was entering into agreements with four firms to provide counsel on the matter.

    “The Executive Office of the Governor is aware of Disney’s last-ditch efforts to execute contracts just before ratifying the new law that transfers rights and authorities from the former Reedy Creek Improvement District to Disney,” Fenkse said. “An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law.”

    In a statement to CNN, Disney stood by its actions.

    “All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” the company said. Documents for the February 8 meeting show it was noticed in the Orlando Sentinel as required by law.

    Multiple board members did not immediately respond to request for comment. The Sentinel first reported on Wednesday’s vote to hire legal counsel.

    According to a statement Wednesday night from the district’s acting counsel and its newly obtained legal counsel, the agreement gave Disney development rights throughout the district and “not just on Disney’s property,” requires the district to borrow and spend on projects that benefit the company, and gives Disney veto authority over any public project in the district.

    “The lack of consideration, the delegation of legislative authority to a private corporation, restriction of the Board’s ability to make legislative decisions, and giving away public rights without compensation for a private purpose, among other issues, warrant the new Board’s actions and direction to evaluate these overreaching documents and determine how best the new Board can protect the public’s interest in compliance with Florida Law,” the statement from Fishback Dominick LLP, Cooper & Kirk PLLC, Lawson Huck Gonzalez PLLC, Waugh Grant PLLC and Nardella & Nardella PLLC said.

    The spat between Disney and the governor stems from the company’s opposition to a Florida law that prohibits the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity through third grade and only in an “age appropriate” manner in older grades. In March of last year, as outrage against the legislation spread nationwide, Disney released a statement vowing to help get the law repealed or struck down by the courts.

    DeSantis and Florida GOP lawmakers retaliated by eliminating the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the special taxing authority that effectively gave Disney control of the land in and around its sprawling Orlando-area theme parks. But Republicans in control of the state legislature changed course this year and voted instead to fire the board overseeing the district and gave DeSantis power to name all five replacements. It also renamed Reedy Creek as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and eliminated some of its powers.

    DeSantis stacked the board with political allies, including Tampa lawyer Martin Garcia, a prominent GOP donor; Bridget Ziegler, the wife of the new chairman of the Republican Party of Florida; and Peri, a former pastor who once suggested tap water could be making people gay.

    The controversy is central to DeSantis’ political narrative of a leader who is unafraid to battle corporate giants, even one as iconic and vital to Florida as Disney. It is a saga that is featured prominently in his new book and one he often shares at events across the country as he lays the groundwork for a likely national campaign.

    At last month’s signing ceremony for the bill that gave him control of Reedy Creek’s board, DeSantis declared, “The corporate kingdom finally comes to an end.”

    “There’s a new sheriff in town,” he added.

    However, it may be a while before the new power structure has control, if Disney gets its way. One agreement signed by the outgoing board – which restricts the new board from using any of Disney’s “fanciful characters” – is valid until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England,” according to a copy of the deal included in the February 8 meeting packet.

    The stealth move by Disney prompted allies of DeSantis’ chief political rival, former President Donald Trump, to suggest the governor had been out-maneuvered.

    “President Trump wrote ‘Art of the Deal’ and brokered Middle East peace,” said Taylor Budowich, spokesman for the Trump-aligned Make America Great Again PAC. “Ron DeSantis just got out-negotiated by Mickey Mouse.”

    DeSantis’ political operation insisted the governor’s appointees were holding Disney accountable.

    “Governor DeSantis’ new board would not, and will not, allow Disney to give THEMSELVES unprecedented power over land (some of which isn’t even theirs!) for 30+ years,” Christina Pushaw, of DeSantis’ rapid response team, wrote on Twitter.

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  • DeSantis push for more control of Disney special district gets approval from Florida legislature | CNN Politics

    DeSantis push for more control of Disney special district gets approval from Florida legislature | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    Florida lawmakers on Friday gave final approval to a proposal to give Gov. Ron DeSantis more control over the future of Disney’s Orlando-area theme parks, the latest escalation in the Republican leader’s feud with the entertainment giant.

    The GOP-led state Senate voted 26-9 Friday on a bill to let the state take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body that has given Disney unique powers in Central Florida for more than half a century. Under the bill, the district’s existing board will be replaced by a five-member board hand-picked by DeSantis.

    The measure passed the Republican-controlled House on an 82-31 vote Thursday. It now heads to the desk of DeSantis, who is expected to sign it.

    The latest move against Disney comes a year after the company spoke out against a bill to restrict certain classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation drew a forceful rebuke from Democrats and LGBTQ advocates, who feared the bill would marginalize LGBTQ students and teachers and make them feel less safe in schools. In March of last year, as outrage against the legislation spread nationwide, Disney released a statement vowing to help get the law repealed or struck down by the courts and saying the company was “dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.”

    After signing the bill into law, DeSantis then set his sights on punishing Disney. He called on lawmakers to strip the company of its special governing powers, which they did in a special session last year, voting to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District at the end of May 2023.

    Lawmakers, though, changed course this week and instead voted on a new future for Reedy Creek, one that puts DeSantis appointees in charge of the district’s long-standing powers to tax, build and borrow money for projects around Disney’s vast footprint in Orange and Osceola counties. It also renames Reedy Creek as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

    Proponents say the changes ensure that there will not be a disruption to the district’s existing debt or contracts. The final page of the 189-page bill states: “The Reedy Creek Improvement District is not dissolved as of June 1, 2023, but continues in full force and effect under its new name.”

    The changes seemed to satisfy some concerns that the district’s outstanding debt, reported at about $1 billion, would fall on Florida taxpayers. Fitch Ratings, which put Reedy Creek Improvement District’s debt on watch for a negative bond rating, told CNN in a statement that the proposed legislation “appears to address key uncertainties.”

    In a statement to CNN earlier this week, Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, said the company is “monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.”

    “Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,” Vahle said.

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  • DeSantis appointees would oversee Disney’s theme parks under bill to revamp Reedy Creek | CNN Politics

    DeSantis appointees would oversee Disney’s theme parks under bill to revamp Reedy Creek | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    Gov. Ron DeSantis may soon get to pick the people who govern Disney’s Orlando-area theme parks, a move that would give the Republican leader new authority over the state’s largest employer and a recent political foe.

    Republican lawmakers on Monday unveiled a bill to turn over control of Disney’s special taxing district, called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, to a five-member board chosen by DeSantis. The proposal also comes with a rebrand; Reedy Creek would become the “Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.”

    The move to take over Reedy Creek is the latest step in a yearlong spat between DeSantis and Disney over a bill to restrict certain classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity. DeSantis signed the bill into law over the objections of Disney’s then-CEO Bob Chapek.

    In an act opponents decried as political retribution, DeSantis then pushed lawmakers to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which for 55 years effectively gave Disney control of the land around its Florida properties. Republicans, who control the seats of legislative power, complied, and the district was scheduled to be sunset on June 1.

    But the bill proposed Monday breathed new life into the taxing district and kept many of its special powers. Indeed, the final page of the 189-page bill states clearly: “The Reedy Creek Improvement District is not dissolved as of June 1, 2023, but continues in full force and effect under its new name.”

    In a statement to CNN, Jeff Vahle, the president of Walt Disney World Resort, said the company is “monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.”

    “Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,” Vahle said.

    The bill, introduced by state Rep. Fred Hawkins, also seeks to limit the damage that could be done to Disney, one of the state’s most vital tourism engines, and to taxpayers. It makes clear that the changes to Reedy Creek should not affect the district’s existing debt, previously estimated at about $1 billion, or any other contracts. Local governments last year expressed concern that dissolving Reedy Creek could lead to a debt bomb on the residents of Orange and Osceola counties. Reedy Creek, in a statement to bondholders last year, said the state couldn’t dissolve it without paying off its debt, or it would violate a 1967 state law.

    The legislation would also remove some powers from the board, like the ability to build an airport or a nuclear power plant.

    Democrats criticized the legislation, which was introduced in a special session called in part to address Reedy Creek’s future, while stopping short of endorsing Disney’s unique arrangement in Central Florida. State Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Miami Democrat, said Disney was “not a sympathetic victim in my book,” citing the company’s recent labor fight with unionized workers at Disney World. But he said that “the market should dictate these situations” and likened DeSantis moving in on a private company to “socialism.”

    State Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, said of the bill: “Disney still gets perks but they’re now a political prisoner of the governor.”

    DeSantis is supportive of the changes, which are likely to pass the Republican-controlled legislature within the next couple weeks.

    “These actions ensure a state-controlled district accountable to the people instead of a corporate-controlled kingdom,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said.

    Under existing law, the board for Reedy Creek has been made up of landowners with close ties to Disney. The bill introduced Monday makes clear that none of the appointees chosen by the governor can be recent Disney employees or their relatives, nor that of a competitor. The state Senate, where Republicans currently hold a super majority, would have final approval of the appointees.

    In addition to addressing Reedy Creek, this week’s special session will also address two other contentious DeSantis priorities. Lawmakers have proposed allowing the DeSantis administration to transport migrants from anywhere in the United States, a significant expansion of a program that gained national attention last year after Florida paid for two flights that carried migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

    The state House and Senate will also consider giving DeSantis’ controversial new Office of Elections Crimes and Security the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes involving elections. The proposal comes after DeSantis initiated a crackdown on voter fraud that resulted in the arrest of 20 individuals but hit a legal snag when a judge dismissed a case against a Miami defendant on the grounds that state prosecutors had acted beyond their authority.

    This story has been updated with additional information.

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  • DeSantis feud with Disney enters new phase as Florida lawmakers announce special session next week | CNN Politics

    DeSantis feud with Disney enters new phase as Florida lawmakers announce special session next week | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    Florida lawmakers will return to the state Capitol in Tallahassee next week to finalize their efforts to strip the Walt Disney Company of its special governing powers, the latest round of the yearlong feud between Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the entertainment giant.

    In addition to settling Disney’s future, lawmakers in the GOP-controlled legislature will also consider changes to two other contentious DeSantis priorities – Florida’s new election police force and the state’s migrant transport program – to address legal concerns that have stymied their full impact, according to communications sent to members Friday afternoon by state House and Senate leaders.

    The flurry of action will take place in a special legislative session beginning Monday – just weeks before lawmakers were scheduled to assemble for the state’s annual legislative session. Legislative leaders did not clearly explain why lawmakers were rushing to take on these matters in advance of their regularly scheduled meeting. But DeSantis has already begun to lay out an ambitious agenda for the 60-day regular session beginning in March that could serve as a platform for a potential 2024 presidential campaign announcement later this year.

    If all goes according to the plan from Republican leaders, it could mean a new era is forthcoming for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the government body created in 1967 that effectively gives Disney, the state’s largest employer, control over the land in and around its central Florida theme parks. DeSantis put Reedy Creek in his sights last year after Disney’s then-CEO, Bob Chapek, publicly criticized a bill to restrict certain classroom instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity that the governor later signed into law. At DeSantis’ demand, lawmakers voted during a special legislative session last April to dissolve Reedy Creek in June 2023.

    But lawmakers left town without a plan to unwind a half-century of Disney control or for how to ensure Orange and Osceola county residents wouldn’t be on the hook for funding Reedy Creek services or its $1 billion in debt. Amid the fallout, Reedy Creek told its bondholders that Florida could not dissolve the district without assuming its debts.

    In the months since signing the bill to end Reedy Creek, DeSantis has repeatedly offered assurances that taxpayers wouldn’t have to pick up the tab.

    Speaking at a news conference earlier this week, DeSantis said it was his intention for the state to assume control of the district.

    “We’re not going to have a corporation controlling its own government; that’s going to be reverted to the state,” he said. “Disney will not have governing self-governing status anymore. We’re going to make sure that there are no special legal privileges … and then making sure they’re paying their fair share of taxes and paying the debt.”

    As of Friday afternoon, the legislative framework to accomplish that had not been filed with the state. A spokesman for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but House and Senate leaders said they were coordinating with the governor’s office.

    CNN has reached out to Disney’s corporate headquarters for comment.

    Florida lawmakers at the special session will also consider allowing the DeSantis administration to transport migrants from anywhere in the United States, a significant expansion of a program that gained national attention last year after Florida paid for two flights that carried migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. However, the program has stalled amid legal challenges over whether the DeSantis administration violated a state law limiting the transport to migrants from Florida.

    The change, if approved, could lift a significant legal hurdle that may allow the DeSantis administration to continue operating flights transporting migrants from border states to Democratic-leaning jurisdictions. The program appears to have gone dark since the September flights to Martha’s Vineyard. In his budget proposal released this week, DeSantis indicated that transporting migrants continues to be a priority of his immigration agenda, allocating $12 million for its continuation into 2024.

    According to a letter from Florida House Speaker Paul Renner’s office, the state House and Senate will consider giving DeSantis’ controversial new Office of Elections Crimes and Security the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes involving elections. The proposal comes after DeSantis initiated a crackdown on voter fraud that resulted in the arrest of 20 individuals but hit a legal snag when a judge dismissed a case against a Miami defendant on the grounds that state prosecutors had acted beyond their authority.

    The agenda for next week will reprise some of the most attention-grabbing actions from DeSantis’ first term as governor. The feud with Disney, the migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard and his new election force all thrust the Republican leader into the spotlight throughout 2022, garnering doting coverage from conservative media outlets and provoking widespread condemnation from Democrats in Florida and across the country.

    This story has been updated with additional information.

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  • Union members are poised to reject Disney World contract offer | CNN Business

    Union members are poised to reject Disney World contract offer | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN
     — 

    Jonathan Pulliam has been working at Disney World since 2018, dressing up as everything from beloved Disney cartoon characters to Star Wars villains. And while he loves his job, he says he can’t afford it any longer.

    “Me loving it, that’s not enough to pay the bills,” he said about his $15.85-an-hour salary that usually earns him about $550 a week. With rent for a typical apartment in the Orlando area costing about $1,800 per month according to Realtor.com, he says he couldn’t get by if he wasn’t living with his sister.

    “I’d probably be living in my car. I know several who are living in cars because they can’t afford to pay rent,” said the Kansas native, who remembers annual childhood trips to Disney World with his family. “It’s a tourist area. Everything’s expensive.”

    On Thursday and Friday, about 32,000 Disney employees will be voting on a contract offer from management. These workers do everything from performing as characters to working in restaurants and shops, driving buses, trams and monorails as well as working at front desks and performing housekeeping duties at hotels.

    Those working under this contract, all of them full-time employees, represent more than 40% of all workers at Disney World. Currently, the park has 75,000 cast members, as the company refers to its employees, including full-time and part-time, hourly and salaried staff. It is comparable to Disney World’s pre-pandemic employment levels.

    The company’s five-year offer would raise salaries for cast members by a minimum of $1 an hour per year, taking most workers to at least $20 an hour by 2026. That would be $5 an hour more than the Florida minimum wage, which is in the process of being increased from the current $11 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026. The company said 46% of cast members will get more than a $1-an-hour raise in the contract’s first year.

    This is a “very strong offer” with guaranteed raises each year of the five-year agreement, said Andrea Finger, a Disney spokesperson. She said the majority of employees will see raises totaling 33% to 46% during the life of the contract.

    The company’s offer would pay housekeepers and bus drivers at least $20 an hour immediately and culinary staff would start at $20 to $25 per hour, depending on their role.

    There will also be retroactive pay increases dating back to October 1, when the previous contract expired, providing lump-sum pre-tax payments of about $700 to full-time workers.

    But union leadership is urging members to vote no. The unions say Disney presented this as its best offer and that is why it’s going to membership for a vote – not because there is a tentative agreement, which is the point at which an offer normally goes to rank-and-file union members for a vote.

    And this time around, all indications are that the company’s offer will be rejected.

    The six union locals working under the current contract want an immediate $3 an hour raise, or a 20% raise, for what it says is 75% of the members currently making $15 an hour, plus an additional $1 an hour raise every year after that.

    “The unions have been clear from our very first bargaining session that a dollar in the first year is not enough,” said Matt Hollis, president of the Service Trades Council Union, the collection of six union locals that are negotiating with Disney management. “A dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to keep up with the skyrocketing rent increases. And a dollar does not afford Disney workers with the ability to continue to purchase basic necessities, such as food, gas and utilities.”

    Pulliam, the character performer who says he can’t afford a dollar-an-hour raise, lives about an hour’s drive from the theme park, and says he’ll be voting no because he can’t get by with the wages being offered.

    “I’m filling my car three times a week,” he said. “I would love to ask these execs if they could get by on $1 an hour more. It’s disheartening. They don’t have to decide [whether]...to eat or get gas.”

    Pulliam said he’s angered by recent news reports about fired former Disney executives who left the company with huge pay packages, such as ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who received a $20 million severance package when he was fired by the board in November, or Geoff Morrell, who received $10.3 million for his three months overseeing corporate and public affairs, or more than $100,000 a day.

    Negotiations on a new union contract have been ongoing since August. Despite widespread expectations that unions’ rank-and-file will reject this offer, no strike deadline or strike authorization vote has been scheduled.

    Union leadership said they hope that Disney will return to the table with a better offer once union members reject this one. Disney doesn’t rule out further negotiations, saying that after no votes on contracts there typically are additional rounds of talks.

    “While Disney insists at the bargaining table that this is the best offer, we know Disney can do better, and Disney knows they must do better,” said Hollis. He said the workers who would get more than a $1 an hour pay increase are in jobs where Disney is having trouble filling openings and retaining workers.

    Unions have represented workers at Disney World since soon after the park’s 1971 opening, but employees have never gone on strike. Disney reported that its parks, experiences and products unit, which includes Disney World and other park locations worldwide, had revenue of $7.4 billion and operating income of $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2022, which ran through October 1. (The first six months of that fiscal year were affected by surging Covid cases.)

    Revenue was up 36% and profits more than doubled from the previous fiscal year. And both revenue and operating profits are above what the company posted in fiscal year 2019, before the pandemic, with a 12% rise in revenue and a 10% gain in earnings.

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  • Ousted Disney CEO Bob Chapek will get $20 million exit pay | CNN Business

    Ousted Disney CEO Bob Chapek will get $20 million exit pay | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN
     — 

    Ousted Disney chief executive Bob Chapek is set to receive a hefty paycheck following his exit.

    The Walt Disney Company said the former CEO, who took over in February 2020 after longtime CEO Bob Iger retired, is eligible to take home a severance pay package worth roughly $20 million, according to a regulatory filing Tuesday. That’s in addition to the $24 million he made last year — his $2.5 million base salary plus millions in stock options and awards. That’s down from the $32.5 million he made in 2021.

    Chapek abruptly exited the company in November after a hectic two-year stint marked by Covid-19 shutdowns, a PR debacle related to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill and a significant slowdown in demand for streaming services. He was replaced by his predecessor, Iger.

    The proxy filing said that the board determined that Chapek “was no longer the right person to serve in the CEO role,” even though it had voted to extend Chapek’s tenure for three years in June 2022.

    “The significant developments and change in the broader macroeconomic environment over this period informed how the board viewed the appropriate leader in light of the rapidly evolving industry and market dynamics,” the filing said.

    Disney shares, which were trading at about $170 in January 2022, have fallen to about $100 a share.

    Iger has returned to Disney at a tumultuous time. Its streaming business lost $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter, and Disney’s media networks are struggling as cord-cutting accelerates and once-lucrative outlets like ESPN lose household reach.

    Dan Loeb, the activist investor and Third Point CEO, made headlines in August when he suggested “a strong case can be made that the ESPN business should be spun off to shareholders with an appropriate debt load.”

    A Wells Fargo analyst also called on Disney to ditch ESPN in December.

    Disney

    (DIS)     previously revealed that Iger earned a $1 million base salary. However, that compensation comes with an annual bonus of up to $1 million, as well as an annual incentive-based award with a target value of $25 million. That means that Iger has the potential of pulling in around $27 million.

    Last week, Disney named Nike executive chairman Mark Parker as its new board chair, replacing longtime director Susan Arnold, whose term limit is expiring.

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  • Disney names Nike executive Mark Parker as new chairman | CNN Business

    Disney names Nike executive Mark Parker as new chairman | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN
     — 

    The Walt Disney Company has named Nike executive chairman Mark Parker as its new board chair, replacing longtime director Susan Arnold, whose term limit is expiring.

    Parker, a Disney board member since 2016, takes over Disney’s board at a time of transition for America’s largest media company. Bob Iger recently returned as CEO after a brief hiatus.

    “Mark Parker’s vision, incredible depth of experience and wise counsel have been invaluable to Disney, and I look forward to continuing working with him in his new role, along with our other directors, as we chart the future course for this amazing company,” said Iger in a statement. “On behalf of my fellow Board members and the entire Disney management team, I also want to thank Susan for her superb leadership as Chairman and for her tireless work over the past 15 years as an exemplary steward of the Disney brand.”

    In 2019, Parker stepped down as Nike’s CEO after 13 years at the helm. Disney said among Parker’s qualifications as board chair is that he navigated a successful CEO transition at Nike. Disney announced Wednesday the formation of a CEO succession committee to replace Iger, who said in November he would return as chief executive for only a two-year stint.

    “It is the top priority of mine and the Board’s to identify and prepare a successful CEO successor, and that process has already begun,” Parker said in a statement Wednesday.

    Iger’s return shocked the media industry. Disney ousted Bob Chapek, who replaced Iger in 2020 as CEO.

    Among the problems facing Disney: Its streaming business lost $1.5 billion in the fourth quarter. And Disney’s media networks are struggling as cord cutting accelerates and once lucrative outlets like ESPN lose viewership. Dan Loeb, the activist investor and Third Point CEO, made headlines in August when he suggested “a strong case can be made that the ESPN business should be spun off to shareholders with an appropriate debt load.”

    Another activist shareholder group, Trian Partners, nominated its leader Nelson Peltz as a director. Disney said Wednesday it will work with Peltz but opposed his appointment to the board.

    “Mr. Iger’s mandate is to use his two-year term and depth of experience in the industry to adapt the business model for the shifting media landscape, rebalancing investment with revenue opportunity while bringing a renewed focus on the creative talent that has made The Walt Disney Company the envy of the industry,” the company said in its opposition of Peltz.

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  • Florida’s tussle with Disney wouldn’t have happened ‘if Bob Iger had been CEO,’ says top DeSantis ally

    Florida’s tussle with Disney wouldn’t have happened ‘if Bob Iger had been CEO,’ says top DeSantis ally

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    Florida lawmakers are reviewing ways to restore some of the privileges that the state stripped from Walt Disney Co., still reducing the company’s benefits dramatically without going as far as ending them all, a key legislator said.

    Earlier this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law that in 2023 would dissolve a special government district that’s granted sweeping benefits to Disney for half a century, called Reedy Creek, unless it’s reinstated by the legislature. The move was triggered by what the Republican governor saw as Disney’s criticism of a law he signed that limits elementary school teachings about gender identity.

    The sponsor of the law axing the entertainment giant’s Florida perks, state Representative Randy Fine, said he’s encouraged by last month’s ouster of Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek, who led opposition to DeSantis’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law. Fine said discussions were helped by signs that Disney’s returning CEO Bob Iger will steer clear of Florida politics. 

    “I think Mr. Iger has already said it probably was a misstep on the company’s part and how they handled it,” Fine said in an interview.  “I don’t think we’d be in this situation if Bob Iger had been CEO.” 

    The move pitted DeSantis against one of Florida’s largest and most powerful employers, known for several iconic theme parks in Orlando. DeSantis, who’s widely believed to be plotting a run for president in 2024, has made the blow against Disney a key part of his so-called “anti-woke” agenda. The Florida governor has vowed repeatedly to go after corporations that side against him on culture-war fights over race, gender identity and abortion. Fighting what he called “the woke” was the foundation of a reelection campaign that gave DeSantis one of the largest landslide victories of any Republican in the US midterm elections in November.

    DeSantis won’t make any “U-turns” from the law he signed this year, his chief spokesman said. The governor will not reverse pledges to remove “the extraordinary benefit given to one company,” Press Secretary Bryan Griffin said in an emailed statement.  “A plan is in the works and will be released soon.”

    Iger to ‘quiet things down’ in Florida

    One goal would be to ensure that Disney would be responsible for paying back the nearly $1 billion in municipal bonds issued by the special district, DeSantis has said. “We will have an even playing field for businesses in Florida, and the state certainly owes no special favors to one company,” Griffin said. “Disney’s debts will not fall on the taxpayers of Florida.”

    A Disney spokesperson declined comment. In a recent hall meeting with Disney employees, Iger, said: “Do I like the company being embroiled in controversy? Of course not.” 

    “It can be distracting and have a negative impact on the company. To the extent I can quiet things down, I’m going to do that,” he said, adding that he’s still getting “up to speed” on the situation with Reedy Creek and that he doesn’t have all the details about the ramifications of Florida’s decision.

    Legislation to replace Reedy Creek will seek to strip away benefits that no other company except Disney enjoys, said Fine, who said he’s involved in discussions among lawmakers and the governor. Fine declined to comment on details of the discussions or what privileges might be on the chopping block once a new law is proposed in the legislature. 

    But he cited perks Disney has enjoyed such as government-like powers to seize land via eminent domain and to sell bonds. The Reedy Creek tax district was created by the legislature in 1967 in a deal that led to the construction of Disney World. It gave Disney self-governing power over 25,000 acres, including overseeing its own building code and permits, which helped the company build faster. 

    “I think what you’ll likely see is some of the things that just made no sense,” said Fine. “You know, it isn’t going to be, ‘Oops, let’s go back to the way it was.’ You’re gonna see something substantially different.”

    Iger, in the wide-ranging meeting with employees, said he’s not going to back down on having Disney be a “good citizen of the world,” which is sometimes mistakenly branded as political. 

    “I think there’s a misperception here about what politics is,” he explained. “I think that some of the subjects that have proven to be controversial as it relates to Disney have been branded political, and I don’t necessarily believe they are.” 

    —With assistance from Thomas Buckley

    Our new weekly Impact Report newsletter will examine how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today’s executives—and how they can best navigate those challenges. Subscribe here.

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  • ‘Willow’ revives the Lucasfilm fantasy with a more contemporary streaming adventure | CNN

    ‘Willow’ revives the Lucasfilm fantasy with a more contemporary streaming adventure | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Disney’s press materials refer to the original 1988 movie “Willow” as “beloved,” which despite its admirers feels like nostalgic inflation of a pretty generic George Lucas-plotted fantasy that provided an early directing showcase for Ron Howard. Setting that aside, a Disney+ revival series isn’t without its charms, in a more contemporary narrative that brings back Warwick Davis while focusing on the next generation.

    The series begins by recounting the events of the movie, which saw Davis’ simple farmer Willow turn sorcerer and join in a fierce battle to protect a baby who carried the kingdom’s destiny on her tiny shoulders, overcoming ancient evil with the help of the swordsman Madmartigan and (eventually) princess Sorsha. The latter were played by Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley, respectively, who as an off-screen bonus got married after the film.

    Kilmer, amid his struggle with cancer, remains out of the picture, but Whalley returns as the now-queen and mother of two headstrong grown children, who play roles in a mythical quest that requires journeying across treacherous lands to thwart the evil crone.

    As for the aforementioned baby, Elora Danan, she has grown up in anonymity, “Sleeping Beauty”-like, to protect her, although her identity (a not-to-be-revealed spoiler) soon becomes known. The quest includes a colorful band with plenty of youthful relationship issues, including Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz), who is secretly in love with the knight charged with training her (Erin Kellyman, whose credits include Lucasfilm’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story”); and Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel), an irreverent brawler in the Madmartigan mode.

    Jonathan Kasdan (who also worked on “Solo”) serves as showrunner, collaborating with four directors who each oversaw back-to-back episodes. As constructed, “Willow” draws upon the original while weaving in flourishes that recall the “Lord of the Rings” movies, including lots of sweeping green countryside and abundant, occasionally quite-violent action.

    As is so often the case with the growing subgenre of expanded-to-series sequels, this “Willow” at times feels as if it’s spinning its wheels, devoting lengthy stretches to Willow guiding the now-older Elora to master her powers, which he presents as the only hope of saving the kingdom. And while Kilmer’s absence leaves a sizable hole Kasdan and company do a reasonably good job of filling it, including the late arrival of another knight (Christian Slater) with whom Madmartigan shared some history.

    Beyond modern-sounding dialogue and situations, the story does exhibit plenty of playful irreverence and humor mixed in among the action sequences and elaborate fantasy production design. The latter in particular suggest that this revival was no small undertaking, and to its credit, it looks like that money ended up on the screen.

    While that combination doesn’t add up into making “Willow” significantly worthier of the “beloved” label than its late-’80s predecessor, consumed on its own unpretentious terms, it’s easy enough to like.

    “Willow” premieres November 30 on Disney+.

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  • The small but mighty love for ‘Willow’ that led to a shiny new series | CNN

    The small but mighty love for ‘Willow’ that led to a shiny new series | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    “Willow,” the 1988 fantasy film costarring Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer, tells the tale of an aspiring wizard in a magical world who, despite his small stature and a treacherous journey, is destined for greatness. The plot might be an allegory for the movie itself, as well as its legacy, since some 35 years later, the relatively esoteric title is getting a brand new life by way of a big-budget fantasy series premiering this week on Disney+.

    It’s a refreshing turn against recent trends that a cult classic without the sizable built-in fanbase of, say, a “Star Wars” or Marvel property would receive the fancy reboot treatment. But those who have loved the film, directed by Ron Howard, are eager for its arrival – even if they might not necessarily have strength in numbers.

    Alban Leloup, the administrator for the Willow Wiki page at Fandom, told CNN that “Willow” fans are somewhat “hard to pinpoint,” describing them as “small pockets” scattered among sites like Tumblr and Facebook.

    “There hasn’t been, so far, a centralized community,” he said.

    According to Fandom community partnership specialist (and “Willow” fan) Mike Delaney, there is also a fair amount of crossover with “Star Wars” – most likely because George Lucas provided the idea for the original film.

    “Willow” loyalists, he said, “look upon ‘Willow’ as a very fun part of the LucasFilm family of films.”

    Delaney likened “Willow” to the Jim Henson gem “Labyrinth” and other landmark movies of the period, saying it “was one of those films in the ’80s that introduced a lot of people to the idea of fantasy films in general and brought them into the mainstream.”

    “There’s this great generational aspect to it,” he added. “In the same way that ‘Star Wars’ does, and other films from the ’80s era that have this nostalgic factor to it, people enjoy carrying it with them and passing it down to their own family and their own friends.”

    Nonetheless, “Willow” remains a rather obscure reference next to “Star Wars” and countless other titles, with Delaney acknowledging that as a single film, there’s “not a lot to draw from,” pointing to the scant other “Willow” content that has arisen in the interim – a comic book, a role-playing game sourcebook and a trilogy of novels written by Chris Claremont (and outlined by Lucas).

    A good indicator of how niche “Willow” is, both Leloup and Delaney agree, is observing just how rare it is to see the film celebrated at film or fantasy conventions.

    “You could be walking around a convention floor, and in a sea of Harley Quinns, you’ll spot a Willow,” Delaney observed. “You have that little moment where you’re like, ‘I know who you are. I know that you’re playing as Willow!’ And there’s probably a load of people around who have no idea who they’re dressed as.”

    Since the series was announced, “there has been a spike” in interest, Leloup said, which they’ve seen reflected in their web traffic and interactions on their site.

    “There’s always a delicate balance between keeping the old fans in the fold, with familiar respects, familiar themes, familiar feel, but at the same time you’re wishing to attract a whole new group,” Leloup said of the growth.

    The arrival of the new 8-episode series comes with high hopes from the small but mighty fanbase.

    The pilot of the show was executive produced by Howard, along with LucasFilm president and super producer Kathleen Kennedy. Bob Dolman, who wrote the screenplay for the original film, also acted as supervising producer on the first episode.

    In terms of what he’s most excited about in the new series, Leloup points to the lore presented in the original movie and where it might go next.

    “There are many sorts of nerds, and I call myself a lore nerd. What I like first and foremost, almost on an equal footing with storytelling, is world-building,” he said. “I am just curious to see where they are going to take this world, and how much world-building they’ll be adding to it.”

    Within that lore is central character Elora Danan in the original movie – a baby princess destined to defeat the evil queen Bavmorda and protected by Willow – and how she’ll figure in the new series.

    The Elora character, who is only mentioned but not seen in the promotional materials for the show, is in fact credited as the reasoning behind why such a small property from the LucasFilm oeuvre was brought back in the first place.

    “Willow” showrunner and creator Jonathan Kasdan told GamesRadar.com this month, “there are a million unanswered questions from the movie, but for me there’s only one, and it’s the reason we did this show at all: what happened to that baby? I think, more than anything George Lucas has done, ‘Willow’ was the one that said ‘sequel’ to me.”

    He later added, “‘Willow’ ended with the most powerful person in the world as an eight-month-old infant, so it felt like there was story left to tell.”

    As for that new story, not much has been revealed, other than the fact that it’s set decades after the events of the original film, with Willow being called upon for yet another perilous quest, this time to rescue the twin brother of Kit (Ruby Cruz), after he was abducted by mysterious evil forces.

    Fandom director of community activations and “Willow” superfan Brian Linder also mentioned another recognizable name in the new cast. “It’ll be interesting to see what Christian Slater’s character is all about.” Slater is credited as part of the cast of the series, but no information on his character is available yet.

    Original star Kilmer, who played the dashing swordsman Madmartigan in the original film, had to be written out of the series just ahead of filming due to Covid-19 restrictions, but Delaney point to fan theories that Slater will perhaps step in for the character in some way. Kilmer’s ex-wife Joanne Whalley, who he met on the original film, will be back in the series as warrior Sorsha.

    Delaney is also looking forward to how the team behind the new series will incorporate more inclusive casting in the world of “Willow,” which in 1988 featured a predominantly White cast.

    New additions to the series include “Raised By Wolves” and “Solo” star Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori of “Spider-Man: Homecoming” fame, and Amar Chadha-Patel.

    Delaney said nothing can be lost from bringing “fresh ideas into a 35-year-old franchise.”

    “I think there’s a bit of excitement to see exactly what they can bring to that and to make ‘Willow’ more relevant for the current generation and the current entertainment landscape,” he said.

    “Willow” the series premieres on Wednesday on Disney+.

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  • Bob Iger moves fast to dismantle Chapek’s reorganization of Disney | CNN Business

    Bob Iger moves fast to dismantle Chapek’s reorganization of Disney | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN Business
     — 

    One day after the shock announcement of Bob Iger’s return to Disney, and the resulting ouster of his successor-turned-predecessor Bob Chapek, an astonished Hollywood is grappling with what exactly the move will mean for the entertainment behemoth’s short-term and long-term future.

    But while there is no shortage of questions that are being asked, two things are certain. First, investors are thrilled to have him once again reigning over the Magic Kingdom. Disney’s shares ended Monday up more than 6% on a day that the Dow Jones was slightly down. Second, Iger is moving fast — not even waiting a full 24 hours to announce sweeping changes — to dismantle Chapek’s reorganization of the company.

    The speed at which Iger is hurtling is especially remarkable given that Disney’s board only made its overture for Iger to return to the embattled company on Friday. “It literally started Friday and ended Sunday,” a person with knowledge of the matter told CNN, adding that Iger “felt a sense of obligation to go back because he really does care about the company.”

    Now he’s already calling big plays.

    A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.

    In a Monday evening memo sent to employees of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, a key organ of the company created by Chapek that frustrated some creatives, Iger announced that Kareem Daniel, the division’s chief and a Chapek ally, would “be leaving the company.”

    Iger also announced the entertainment giant will be undergoing a broader transformation with him back at the helm. “Over the coming weeks, we will begin implementing organizational and operating changes within the company,” Iger wrote to employees. “It is my intention to restructure things in a way that honors and respects creativity as the heart and soul of who we are.”

    Iger added that he had asked Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Jimmy Pitaro, and Christine McCarthy to “work together on the design of a new structure that puts more decision-making back in the hands of our creative teams and rationalizes costs.” Iger said the goal “is to have the new structure in place in the coming months.”

    Outside Iger’s reorg of Chapek’s reorg, the Disney chief could also unwind another key decision made by Chapek that is just weeks from taking effect: Disney+’s price hike. Iger launched Disney+ at a mere $6.99 a month and, as CNBC’s Alex Sherman reported, his strategy was to “slowly raise prices over time.” Chapek, however, ditched that modus operandi earlier this year when he spiked the price to a whopping $10.99 a month.

    Looking further into the future, bigger questions abound: What will Disney look like when Iger’s two-year deal is up? How will Iger position and reshape the company for the digital age? Could he make a move to shed ABC and the broadcast division? Or perhaps execute a mega-deal to eat a company like Netflix? Or will Disney itself be eaten by a Big Tech giant such as Apple?

    One source at a top talent agency pointed out that the biggest question Iger will have to answer is how he “tops his last run as CEO.”

    “The world is a much more complicated place than it was a few years ago and it is going to be hard to live up to the reputation he built as the most formidable media CEO ever,” the source said. “And he’s going to have a short runway to pleasing Wall Street, his staff, creative partners, and the audience.”

    “So much for going out on top.”

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  • Brandy is back as Cinderella in new ‘Descendants’ movie for Disney+ | CNN

    Brandy is back as Cinderella in new ‘Descendants’ movie for Disney+ | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Twenty-five years after she first played the role of Cinderella, Brandy is stepping into her glass slippers again.

    The singer and actress will reprise her role as the fairytale heroine, first seen in the 1997 television movie “Cinderella,” in a new installment of the “Descendants” franchise for Disney+, the Mouse House announced Monday.

    Also joining the project, called “The Pocketwatch,” is Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts from the “Alice in Wonderland” story.

    “The Pocketwatch” follows “Descendants 3” from 2019. The first film in the series, 2015’s “Descendants,” told the story of the teenaged children of some of the most well-known villains from Disney’s animated classics.

    The first three films, which included “Descendants 2” from 2017, starred Dove Cameron, Booboo Stewart and the late Cameron Boyce.

    The new story will explore characters Red and Chloe (Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker, respectively), the daughters of the Queen of Hearts and Cinderella, as they navigate the balance of power between good and evil with a little time travel mixed in by way of a magic pocketwatch.

    Brandy starred in the Emmy Award-winning late-90s retelling of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” opposite Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, for ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney.

    Disney also announced Monday that “Descendants” fan favorite Melanie Paxson will reprise her role as the Fairy Godmother from the previous “Descendants” movies for “The Pocketwatch.”

    A release date for the film has not yet been announced.

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  • ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November | CNN Business

    ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November | CNN Business

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    New York
    CNN Business
     — 

    “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” had the major challenge of following “Black Panther,” one of the biggest blockbusters ever, and had to do so without star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020.

    Despite all of the challenges, “Wakanda Forever” notched a sizable box office opening this weekend. The Marvel movie opened to an estimated $180 million in North America, according to the film’s studio, Disney.

    The opening represents one of the best premieres of the year and makes the superhero film the highest-grossing debut ever for the month of November. The original record belonged to “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” which made $158 million in November 2013. The box office haul comes in around where most in Hollywood were predicting.

    The film has made $330 million globally so far.

    It’s no surprise why “Wakanda Forever” did so well this weekend.

    The film, which stars Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett as the princess and queen of the African country of Wakanda, comes from Marvel Studios — the most lucrative brand in all of Hollywood — and is the sequel to one of the most popular films of all time.

    When “Black Panther” hit theaters in February 2018, it opened to a stellar $202 million weekend. It then went on to make $1.3 billion worldwide and garnered multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. The film is considered to be one of the best from the comic book genre and one of the best from Marvel.

    Audiences also likely bought a ticket to “Wakanda Forever” to see how the film and director Ryan Coogler would handle the passing of Boseman. In an interview with Empire magazine in September, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige said “It just felt like it was much too soon” to recast the late actor. Boseman died at age 43 from colon cancer.

    As for its critical reception, “Wakanda Forever” notched an 84% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences also gave the film an “A” on CinemaScore.

    “‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ faced an inordinate degree of difficulty, addressing the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman,” Brian Lowry, CNN’s media critic, wrote in his review. “That the movie manages to strike that somber chord and still deliver as Marvel-style entertainment represents a major accomplishment.”

    The film’s solid opening comes at the good time for theaters and Disney.

    For theaters, the industry needed a blockbuster to help boost numbers since new, notable films have been hard to find in recent months.

    As for Disney, the media giant’s shares sank 13% Wednesday after the company reported its streaming business lost $1.4 billion last quarter, despite growing its subscriber base.

    The debut of “Wakanda Forever” will unlikely impact Disney’s stock since investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors. But the strong box office performance helps Disney end a bad week on a high note.

    It could also help build momentum for theaters with another potential Disney blockbuster on the horizon next month: “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

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