Disney Headlines for December 24th, 2021
Disney has struggled through a stressful week. The company has released a trailer starring a canceled actor (not that one) and heard rumblings of a scary Supreme Court case.
Meanwhile, Bob Iger hasn’t even left Disney yet, but a whisper campaign has started for his return.
The holiday season has gifted us with some fascinating Disney Headlines.
Return of the King?
Bob Iger’s last day at Disney is less than ten days from now. Yet, remarkably, one rival executive has already predicted his return.
Yes, CNBC did that thing where they asked unknown industry insiders to make absurd claims predictions.
I’ve participated in these before, and it’s always like NFL mock drafts the day after the draft. Unfortunately, nobody’s crystal ball can see a year into the future.
These are entertainment exercises rather than anything we should take seriously.
Still, one prediction definitely worked as clickbait. An anonymous source suggested that Bob Iger would return to Disney in 2022.
The belief is that this scenario would unfold if Disney stock continued to drop. As a major shareholder himself, Iger would be incentivized to return.
This rumor fails the laugh test, most notably because Iger just announced his replacement as Chairperson of the Board at Disney.
If Iger had any real interest in returning as CEO, he would have kept that title for leverage.
Depending on the bylaws, the board’s chair could probably push out the CEO at any point. At a minimum, the chair could make the CEO’s life more difficult.
You can tell from my tone that I’m not taking this seriously…yet. The one oddity is that Iger recently did an interview with Variety.
This discussion functioned as a reminder of Iger’s many successes at Disney. Iger tried to come across as humble, which isn’t his skill set.
However, he correctly noted his impact as an executive, casually mentioning that he surprised even himself.
Iger has always stood out as a master of corporate politics. So if he started a whisper campaign against his successor, something like this would be the first step.
I don’t buy it yet, but I promise to track the story for you in 2022.
Why Disney Fears The Game of Life
A while ago, I mentioned a potential legal battle involving Disney. Steve Ditko’s family filed for copyright termination.
That’s a terrifying prospect to Disney because the late Ditko created many iconic Marvel characters, including Spider-Man and Dr. Strange.
Hey, what’s the most popular movie of the year? Doesn’t it star…Spider-Man and Dr. Strange.
So, yeah, that could be a thing. However, the lawyers that Ditko’s family hired had previously tried the same argument with Superman. They lost in court after a protracted legal battle.
Still, “according to the Copyright Act of 1976, creators and their heirs can restore the rights to something like, say, Spider-Man or Doctor Strange.”
Obviously, it’d be a billion-dollar triumph if somebody did that successfully.
At that point, the people in charge of the copyright could turn around and license it to the highest bidder.
Disney currently decides how much Disney pays for the Spider-Man copyright. It also chooses for Sony, although that requires some negotiation.
If Ditko’s maneuver worked, the family would make Sony, Disney, and other interested parties engage in a bidding war. That’s a nightmare scenario for Disney.
Most people, myself included, believe that turn of events is a longshot. However, something could happen to change that thinking.
Marvel and the Game of Life
At the behest of Reuben Klamer, Bill Markham created a prototype for what we now call Game of Life.
Milton Bradley had hired Klamer, who, in turn, brought Markham onboard for the project.
When the game sold enough copies to become iconic, Markham’s family filed a copyright termination but lost in court against Milton Bradley.
The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals recently confirmed this decision. Unfortunately, that leaves the family with only one option, arguing the case in front of the Supreme Court.
Their argument would center on how courts have used the 1976 Copyright Act as a basis.
However, Game of Life should fall under the 1909 Copyright Act. After all, it existed before 1976.
If the Supreme Court takes that case, a ruling could impact similar works…such as the Marvel characters Steve Ditko created in the 1960s…
Suffice to say that Disney really wants the Supreme Court to pass on this case.
Death on the Nile Accurately Named
In September of 2019, filming started on the sequel to Murder on the Orient Express.
Disney had recently acquired this franchise from Fox and decided to move forward with a second film.
More than two years since that date, the movie still hasn’t opened in theaters or on home video.
What’s the cause of the delay? Well, the pandemic’s the obvious answer. That’s only a partial excuse, though.
Disney has released other 2019 Fox titles already. For example, Free Guy is already available for purchase on digital video.
This title will also debut on HBO Max and Disney+ in February. Meanwhile, Death on the Nile hasn’t been released yet.
What’s the explanation? Well, Murder on the Orient Express went all-in with its casting, hiring many famous celebrities.
Disney regrettably followed the same formula with the sequel. I say regrettably because one of their choices at the time was Armie Hammer.
The Hammer Problem
You may or may not know that specific details of Hammer’s personal life came to light in January of 2021.
I’ll spare you the specifics other than to say that he’s into branding (people, not cows) and fantasizes about cannibalism. That’s…not very Disney.
Hammer is also currently under criminal investigation for sexual assault. Many people allege he’s not a good guy.
Film executives faced a choice. By this point, it was far too late to recast. Also, a CGI replacement would have led to a different set of problems.
So, here we are at the end of 2021. Death on the Nile will arrive in theaters on February 11th, 2022. Disney has no choice but to advertise the film.
Check out the international poster for #DeathOnTheNile, in theaters February 11. pic.twitter.com/NxX26JSddg
— Death on the Nile (@DOTNMovie) December 21, 2021
I mean, theoretically, director Kenneth Branagh is in the mix to win an Academy Award next spring. So, this movie deserves a chance.
Disney apparently feels that way. Here’s the trailer with Hammer appearing frequently:
Yes, that’s Armie Hammer reciting the following dialogue: “You are mad.” That’s awkward.
If the story follows the book’s plot, Hammer’s character is essential to the plot. Ergo, Disney had no good options here.
Murder was just the beginning. See #DeathOnTheNile in theaters February 11. pic.twitter.com/5Yc6BQa287
— Death on the Nile (@DOTNMovie) December 21, 2021
Death on the Nile might be a PR problem, though. Personally, I wouldn’t have put Hammer on the poster, but Disney did precisely that.
Feature Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images