Even though Hollywood is practically at a standstill over the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes, Disney is still working overtime to right its ship and get everything in order for when things finally do return to normal. That includes figuring out what the heck to do with ESPN.
As Bob Iger stated last month in his somewhat infamous sit-down interview with CNBC, the Mouse House is figuring out which direction to take the sports network because, as it stands, it’s not doing Disney any favors. Iger threw around the notion of bringing in “strategic” partners, and now a possible partner has been revealed. More importantly, what we as consumers can expect to pay for this new business venture.
Meanwhile, Disney strikes TV rating gold overseas as a superpowered spy thriller earns the Mouse House Squid Game-style success.
Recent reports suggest Disney is working with Amazon to bring a streaming version of ESPN to life
It’s all very new at the moment, but recent reports from the Information suggest Disney is working with Amazon to create a streaming version of ESPN. What that would look like is still unclear, but it follows through on Iger’s promise last month to forge “strategic” partnerships in order to “stay in the sports business.” Iger hinted at either a joint business venture — such as a streaming service — or buying a stake in the sports network. It looks like he’s gone with the former, at least for now. The service will allegedly cost around $20 and $35 a month, making it the most expensive streaming service in the U.S. Stay tuned for more news on this front.
Bob Iger receives flack online for WGA comments he didn’t actually say
Take it from someone who has read every single word of the article Discussing Film cited as a source (allyourscreens.com) in this X/Twitter post. I can assure you there is absolutely zero mention of Bob Iger or any indication that the studio is “personally offended” over the WGA’s refusal to accept the AMPTP’s recent proposal. That proposal, in case you missed it, involved a three-year contract for a compounded 13% pay increase, but the WGA refused and walked out of the meeting. And while it’s very true that Iger makes over $25 million a year and writers are requesting a fraction of a fraction’s worth of the studio’s annual earnings, it can’t be stressed enough how not everything you read on the internet is true.
That’s not to say Iger’s previous comments calling the strikes “disturbing” weren’t distasteful, but the CEO has been clearly putting in the work to correct his public image, walking back on those comments and vowing to “quickly find solutions.”
Disney may just be sitting on the next Squid Game
Squid Game remains Netflix’s most popular property to date, English or otherwise. With over 2.2 billion hours of watch time, it surpasses Stranger Things season 4 and Wednesday. Disney Plus is a little less transparent with its numbers, but according to Variety, the streamer has found its most-watched South Korean original show in the U.S. after just seven days on streaming. Moving is a spy thriller about the superpowered children of Korean spies. It debuted on Aug. 9, and already it’s becoming the streamer’s biggest rival to Netflix’s Squid Game. It hasn’t quite become a pop culture phenomenon yet if it will at all, but it spells good news for Disney’s fight to preserve its superhero genre.
That’s all we got for you today. We’ll see you back here in a couple of days for more because as you know by now, there’s always plenty lurking in the shadows.
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