DisneyCEO Bob Iger has boasted about the company’s 2024 box office turnaround, hopeful about future success with releases later this year and beyond. Disney had a rough year at the box office in 2023, with failures fromIndiana Jones and the Dial of DestinytoThe Marvelsresulting in a loss upwards of $1 billion. However, 2024 has been a different story, with thebox office success ofInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverinebalancing out last year’s woes, both movies raking in over $1 billion each globally.
Now,Deadlinereports that, while discussing the company’s quarterly earnings,Iger boasted about Disney’s 2024 box office turnaround, defined by the success ofInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverine. The CEO credits the recent string of successes with a two-year turnaround plan inside the company, prioritizing creativity over anything else made by their studios. He also teases hope for future releases in 2024, saying the current talent can help bolster Disney as they continue producing more high-quality films. Check out what Iger had to say below:
I’ve been very public about it saying, and I would say right now, my number one priority is to help the studio turn around creatively.
[Disney’s 2024 success is] a result of the extensive work we began two years ago to restore creativity to the center of the company.
We are encouraged by this momentum in our studio business going into the holiday season…. With the combination of our intellectual property, creative talent and an increased number of consumer touchpoints extending the reach of our stories, a successful Disney movie today drives more value than ever before.
What Bob Iger’s Statement Says About Disney’s Future Success
The Company Is Back On The Right Path
Despite the potential downturn Disney could face for some future movies, their 2024 box office performances highlight how the company’s newer projects are a positive sign for its future.
Deadpool & Wolverinemanaged to earn $1.337 billion at the worldwide box office this year, putting it just behindInside Out 2’s $1.698 billion worldwide. Together,the movies are the highest-grossing films of 2024, the first time Disney has held the Number 1 spot and subsequent positions since 2019. The year isn’t over, either, withMoana 2and theupcomingMufasa: The Lion Kingstill yet to be released. Based on Iger’s statement, he expects both films to perform well, perhaps even earning the studio another billion-dollar hit.
Moana 2 Beating Disney’s $1.6 Billion Box Office Record Is Difficult - But This Stat Shows Why It’s Possible
While beating Disney’s highest-grossing animated film will be quite a challenge, one impressive stat suggests Moana 2 could very well have a chance.
However, it’s unclear how much this success will stretch into 2025, especially given some of the films coming out have both controversy and massive budgets attached. Thelive-actionSnow Whitehas been the subject of debate for casting choices and lead actor Rachel Zegler’s criticism of the original, while also sporting a reported $200 million budget.Captain America: Brave New Worldhas had extensive reshoots, reportedly pushing the budget upwards of $350 million.Couple these with more expensive Marvel andStar Warsprojects coming soon, and Disney will need to keep up its creative momentumto replicate 2024’s successes universally.
Our Take On Bob Iger’s Hopeful Report For Disney’s Future
It’s A Good Sign More Box Office Hits Are In Store
Despite the potential downturnDisneycould face for some future movies, their 2024 box office performances highlight how the company’s newer projects are a positive sign for its future. Although some expensive movies have a chance of underperforming in the future,their current direction and creative successes offer the boost they need to understand what audiences wantfrom their upcoming movies. With the company going through a strong revitalization period, any forthcoming downturns can still be remedied thanks to the projects they’re currently working on.
Bob Iger will remain CEO at Disney until the end of 2026.
