Bob Iger returning as Disney CEO could fuel Woke agenda, fans divided

Disney is going through some serious changes as Bob Iger returns. Bob Chapek was named CEO last year and was widely regarded as the company's heir apparent following Iger's retirement.

Now that Bob Chapek has been fired from the company following a number of controversies, Iger has landed back in his pre-retirement role, despite previously claiming that his retirement is permanent.

Fans are worried that all the changes that Bob Chapek made will be undone as Bob Iger will eventually tighten his grip on the company.

---

Bob Iger's return to Disney has fans looking forward to different things

After it was announced that Bob Iger would return as Disney CEO, fans of the company took to Twitter to express how they felt, which can best be described as mixed.

While some believe that his return will mark Disney's return to glory, others believe he was the one who started the company's downfall.

New hope for many

Some fans are of the opinion that Iger's re-entry into Disney will undo everything that Chapek has implemented in the company. Chapek pushed the Woke agenda extensively during his 11-month reign as Disney CEO. Their primary belief is that Chapek's Woke agenda proved detrimental to Disney shareholders, and the change in regime is an effort to bring back shareholder confidence.

---

Disney's woke agenda may see further fueling

Many fans have also pointed out that Iger was the one who brought "wokeness" to Disney. Bob Iger's return to power is an attempt to revitalize Disney share prices, which have taken a dip in the last few quarters. While that is true, many fans think that Bob Iger will most likely continue the Woke agenda, and things might not change too much at Disney.

Some Twitter users also had qualms about Chapek's actual involvement when push came to shove. They believed Chapek's silence when the "Don't Say Gay" bill showcased the general corporate indifference to the woke agenda in general.

---

Bob Iger may not be the solution to all of Disney's problems

There's a third voice on Twitter that says that Disney is already suffering from an overly damaged brand image. This means that the company's on-and-off meddling with politics has created bigger problems than just keeping shareholder confidence up.

These Twitter users take into account that Disney is also facing a tough economic downturn in the general climate. While Chapek was brought in as a successor to steer a sinking ship, he clearly couldn't handle it. Bob Iger is here to correct the course, but it might be too late.

---

How Bob Iger became CEO again

Bob Chapek had a challenge on his hands when he first became CEO. In November, Disney showed reports of its expected fourth-quarter financial results, which seem to be worse than expected. While Disney's theme park leg has gone through recovery, the streaming video business is not profitable. Disney+ has lost $1.47 billion in the most recent quarter, but Chapek believes that it will start holding its own in September 2024.

Chapek also dealt with a number of controversial issues, including Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney over Black Widow's stream-only release and Disney's battle with Florida over the controversial bill restricting some LGBTQ topics to students in the third grade. Disney's stock has also taken a huge hit, which paved the way for Iger to take the reins.

Disney's scuffle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the state's “Don’t Say Gay” legislation led to DeSantis stripping Disney's self-governing powers.

Bob Iger had tweeted his opposition to the bill before Chapek did. In an interview with CNN, Iger said that he believed the company and its leadership could have spoken out against the legislation.

Bob Chapek, ex-CEO, Disney (Image via Getty)

Iger was the CEO of Disney from 2005 to 2020. Disney has made big and profitable acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm under his command.

Iger is also behind Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox in a massive $71 billion deal, which also served to bring the streaming revolution to Disney, and led to the formation of Disney+. Iger is returning for a limited duration of two years. He is expected to work with the board to steer the company towards growth and nurture a potential successor at the end of his term.