Bob Iger: "Marvel Will Return to Its Old Ways"

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, has declared that he will revert Marvel Studios' strategy to its pre-2021 state. After Iger left Disney in 2019, his successor, Bob Chapek, had Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm produce numerous Disney+ series. Iger, who returned at the end of 2022, has now reversed this course, bringing it back to his style.

Marvel faced several challenges under Bob Chapek. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were pressured to release and announce unprepared projects to reassure investors. Many Disney+ original series were rushed into production with only a title decided, leaving them in a precarious position.

Iger is now focusing on Marvel's key franchises and reducing the number of releases to the 2019 level. He assessed that efforts to increase Disney+ subscribers caused Marvel Studios and other entities to lose focus. Moving forward, he intends to release no more than three Marvel films and one TV series per year.

Consequently, current Marvel films may face further delays. 'Thunderbolt,' initially slated for release in 2025, and 'Avengers 5,' scheduled for 2027, were not mentioned at all in this financial report. 'Thunderbolt' has reportedly faced production difficulties due to the recent Hollywood strikes.

'Avengers 5' faces major changes due to Jonathan Majors, who plays the main villain, 'Kang the Conqueror,' being found guilty of assault charges. Substantial alterations to the film's key aspects are now inevitable.