Disney CEO Bob Iger defends his studio's decision to let go of controversial former Marvel Entertainment chairman Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter as a part of the company's cost-cutting initiative.
Speaking with Time Magazine, Iger was asked about the rationale behind firing Perlmutter, the man who sold Marvel to Disney in a deal worth $4 billion. Iger wouldn't confirm if he handled Perlmutter's axing personally, but insisted it was the best move for Disney going forward and claimed the decision was in relation to Marvel's management structure. "There are times I handle it personally and there are times that I don’t. I’d rather not get into details about this one," he said. "This was a necessary step in the direction of us creating a more efficient company. There was redundancy specific to the way Marvel was being managed."
Ike Perlmutter's Actions Against Disney
Perlmutter reportedly backed the Nelson Peltz-led proxy battle that was initiated due to concerns over Disney's direction and purported overspending. The battle would have seen Peltz become a part of Disney's board of directors if successful. However, the activist investor dropped his initiative this past February after Iger announced a major three-segment restructuring plan which included thousands of layoffs and other budget cuts. When asked if the proxy battle played any part in Perlmutter's firing, Iger said, "This decision would have been made regardless of that."
Ike Perlmutter's Battle With Marvel Studio's Kevin Feige
Perlmutter served on Marvel Comics' board of directors and later became chairman of the board in the early-to-mid '90s. He then became Marvel Comics' CEO, in addition to his control over Marvel Entertainment, before selling the studio to Disney in 2009. Over the years, Perlmutter became an increasingly polarizing figure, becoming notorious for his public spats with Marvel president Kevin Feige. The ousted chairman wanted Feige fired after disagreeing with him over the cost of Doctor Strange, with Perlmutter also losing oversight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
One major reason Perlmutter lost his say in MCU projects was his resistance to inclusion. Feige confirmed in 2019 that the ex-chairman was against Black Panther and Captain Marvel because he didn't believe movies featuring Black or female heroes were marketable. Iger said this past February that Perlmutter still holds a deep resentment towards Feige and rued his inability to oust the Marvel president from his role. Meanwhile, Perlmutter warned Disney not to involve themselves with political situations amid the ongoing spat between the company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been persistent in his attempts to remove Disney's special tax status. Iger has accused DeSantis of threatening the removal in response to Disney speaking out against the "Don't Say Gay" bill the governor passed last year.
Iger has been very vocal as of late regarding all things Marvel as he recently stated the studio doesn't need to make sequels for all of its characters amid the underwhelming box-office performance of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Iger hinted at cutting down Marvel content, stressing the need to explore fresh characters and bring back the special attraction aura that made the MCU increasingly popular since its 2008 inception.
Source: Time Magazine