Disney Headlines for November 25th, 2025
In this week’s Disney Headlines, the company wrote lots of big checks.
In fact, Disney just reset the market for animated voiceover work.
Alas, a pair of Disney actors just confirmed that they’re not getting Frozen money.
Let’s talk about who had tickets to ride Disney’s money train and who didn’t.
All Aboard!
Photo: The Walt Disney Company
Dana Walden has remained incredibly busy during the second half of 2025.
First, she celebrated Disney’s Emmy victories with her buddy, Jimmy Kimmel.
Variety
Then, she spent a couple of weeks making the best of a bad situation there.
Disney had barely calmed down for a couple of weeks before the next incident.
Photo: Variety
As the Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Walden found herself squarely in the middle of the Google fight.
Walden handled a fair bit of the negotiations for the YouTube TV carriage renewal.
Photo: YouTube
So, you can understand why her overall workload got a bit backlogged.
We’ve all been there where we’re behind on work, and stuff keeps breaking right then.
JON KOPALOFF/GETTY IMAGES
Murphy’s Law is real, and Walden’s September through early November proved it.
Now that she’s finally caught up, the executive has aggressively cleaned up her to-do list.
Alien: Earth
The dealmaking started with Noah Hawley, the creator of Fargo and, more recently, Alien: Earth.
Two weeks ago, Walden did the smart thing in locking up Hawley for a long time.
FX’s Alien: Earth — “Mr. October” — Season 1, Episode 2 (Airs Tues, August 12) — Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. CR: Patrick Brown/FX
The deal isn’t surprising due to the strong working relationship between Walden and the Hawley brothers.
In case you didn’t know, Noah and Alexi Hawley are twins. Who is Alexi Hawley?
The Wrap
He’s the creator of The Rookie and its spinoff series. So, these two love working with Walden.
As part of the Noah Hawley deal, Walden secured the second season of Alien: Earth.
(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
Let’s just say I’d be filling up a swear jar if Hulu hadn’t renewed this marvelous series.
Now, both Hawley brothers have long-term contracts that will keep them programming Disney content.
(Photo by Phil Faraone/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
I’m actually being a bit misleading here, as Alexi technically works for Lionsgate, but that’s licensing nonsense.
The point is that Walden brokered a deal with one of her most reliable producers.
Even More Giant Bags of Cash
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
The Hawley deal makes sense, and nobody in Hollywood took issue with it.
Then, we have the other deal Disney signed, although this one doesn’t technically fall under Walden’s purview.
Disney
Alan Bergman, the other Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, runs the movie side of things.
He opened up the checkbook as well…and my goodness, did he ever.
Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images
As a combination of gratitude for prior work and a raise for future performance, Bergman rewarded some voice actors.
Specifically, three actors from Frozen – Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, and Idina Menzel, just got PAID.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (10465637a)
As we told you the other day, the voices of Anna, Olaf, and Elsa will make over $60 million each.
In other words, Disney will pay each of them more than $30 million to perform in Frozen 3 and Frozen 4.
Photo: 2019 Disney
That’s an important factor we shouldn’t overlook here. The pay covers two films.
Even better from Disney’s perspective, they’re sure to be blockbusters.
Photo: Disney
I mean, nothing’s ever technically certain in Hollywood, but these are two of the safest bets on the entire film schedule.
So, Disney has offered significant deals to all three performers, all of whom are integral to Frozen’s success.
Photo: Wikimedia
The actors receive “upfront fees and back-end bonus payments in each case.”
Basically, Disney is establishing set fees now so that it doesn’t need to do backend payments later.
Photo:Disneycoupon.jpg
Hollywood prefers this type of deal, and the voice actors are all too happy to take Disney’s money.
These are defining roles for all three performers, and I’m saying that as a Kristen Bell superfan.
Photo: Netflix
In fact, as I type this, her new Netflix series, Nobody Wants This, is a top-five program on streaming.
Still, her playing Anna matters to most fans more than even her iconic work on The Good Place and Veronica Mars.
A Deal That Worries Hollywood
Photo: Hulu
What’s notable about this deal is how it transcends Disney but also represents a change in tactics.
When Disney announced the return of Futurama on Hulu, almost all the performers signed on quickly.
Photo: Hulu
The notable holdout was arguably the most important one, John DiMaggio, the voice of Bender.
He asked for more money from Disney, and was refused, which led to this Variety article.
Photo: Hulu
The pertinent quote is, “Trying to get money out of Disney is like trying to get blood out from a stone. You ain’t gonna get it.”
I kinda wish I could have seen the look on DiMaggio’s face when he learned this Frozen news.
Photo: Hulu
While the deal reflects the difference in financial importance of Frozen and Futurama, it’s even more to some.
Disney just disrupted the standard pay model for Hollywood’s voice actors in major movies.
Let’s say that Chris Pratt wants more for a third Super Mario movie. Universal must pay that now.
If Universal doesn’t, Pratt’s agent can point out that Disney is paying its talent better, a huge no-no.
The very public nature of Disney’s announcement places the other studios in an awkward position.
As The Wrap phrases it, “even in the context of successful franchises, the paydays stand out as rich.”
Photo: Disney
Since Disney has so much riding on the Frozen franchise, it’s taking care of its talent.
By doing so, the talent will feel more compelled to honor Disney’s other requests.
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure – on Disney+
Given the sheer volume of Frozen-themed lands in operation, that’s a smart move.
Still, in the unlikely event that Frozen disappoints at the box office, people WILL bring up these salaries.
Photo: Disney
But do you know who isn’t getting any big Disney paychecks? Emily Blunt and The Rock.
Sadly, for all the money Disney is tossing around, Jungle Cruise apparently isn’t in the company’s plans.
Photo: OC Register
I guess The Rock will have to make do on the $88 million he earned in 2024.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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Feature Photo: Getty/Yahoo Canada
