"Bob Iger is cheap so I’m not surprised": Fans furious as studios and WGA failed to agree on a fair deal

A still from the WGA strike (Image via AP)

After months of speculations and discussions, the WGA strike still rages on alongside the SAF-AFTRA strike, bringing Hollywood to a complete halt. According to recent reports, after the negotiations resumed, Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, has been relatively displeased by the negotiations, as writers refused to accept AMPTP’s latest offer.

As reports confirm, the WGA strike demands as little as 0.18% average of a studio’s annual revenue, which is considered fair pay by the writers. However, as things stand, the studios are not prepared to provide even that.

As this news broke out online, many fans flocked to criticize the studios for being this cheap in the negotiations, especially with the constantly rising disparity in income between the top-level executives and the ground-level workers. Moreover, the studios are also continuing to expand their range of AI-based operations, possibly planning to replace many workers.

A tweet reply to DF's posts about Bob Iger's reaction (Image via X)

All of this has combined to create an air of complete distrust between artists and studios, some of which is evident in the comments from some top actors.

Bob Iger's recent comments spark massive unrest amidst the WGA strike

Previously, many actors, such as Bryan Cranston, directly addressed the Disney CEO in a conversation about fair pay. At this point, Bob Iger has almost turned into the most hated figure in this strike.

Given the current scenario, this has resulted in many fans lashing out at the studio head after he allegedly remarked that he was offended by the WGA for not accepting the latest offer from AMPTP. Many X users even flocked to the platform to comment on how Iger is being "just not realistic."

The WGA strike kicked off on May 2, 2023, and is one of the longest-running strikes in the history of Hollywood. On July 14, 2023, it was joined by the SAG-AFTRA, making it the first double strike in Hollywood since 1960.

With no imminent resolution in sight, it is likely that almost everything will get delayed over the next few months.

Edited by Priya Majumdar