Disney's Bob Iger And WB's David Zaslav Said To Be "Stunned" About Being Vilified Due To The Strikes

Disney's Bob Iger And WB's David Zaslav Said To Be "Stunned" About Being Vilified Due To The Strikes

As the Hollywood strikes show no signs of coming to an end, a new report claims that David Zaslav, Bob Iger and other studio heads are shocked about being portrayed as the villains in the situation...

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By MarkCassidy - Aug 30, 2023 09:08 PM EST
Filed Under: DC Studios

With no end in sight to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, a new report indicates that the heads of two of the biggest movie studios in the world, Warner Bros.' David Zaslav and Disney's Bob Iger, are surprised by the amount of backlash they've received.

According to Deadline, several major studio chiefs, including Zazlav, Disney’s Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, Amazon Studios’ Mike Hopkins and Jennifer Salke, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Universal’s Donna Langley (Iger will not be present) are set to take part in a virtual sit-down today to discuss their options.

Following the recent news that the WGA rejected the last deal, calling it “neither nothing, nor nearly enough,” mistrust between the all parties involved is believed to be at an all-time high - and this seemingly extends to a certain amount of in-fighting among studio CEOs.

“Thin skinned” Iger and Zaslav are said to be “stunned” that they have been so vilified by the guild and its members over the past few months, according to one insider.

“Almost everyone is looking for someone to blame. They’re paralysed, even as the clock is ticking, and it’s Ted’s fault, Iger’s fault, even Tony Vinciquerra’s fault, depending on who you ask. It’s not helping the situation, or anyone.”

“These guys are worried about what comes next, after the strike,” states another source. “Remember, they’re competitors, they’re always thinking about how to best each other. The strikes don’t change that.”

The strikes have resulted in a freeze on major film and TV announcements (you may have noticed), cast and director promotion/interviews, and several delays. The biggest project to be pushed back is undoubtedly Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part 2, which was moved from its original release date of November 2, 2023 to March 15, 2024 (more here).

For now, 2023's remaining studio tentpole comic book/superhero movies, The Marvels and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, are staying put, but if the strikes go on much longer, we will almost certainly see more delays.

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SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 8/30/2023, 9:40 PM
The greatest lie the Devil ever told was convincing the world he wasn't real.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 8/30/2023, 10:37 PM
@SonOfAGif - what the fudge does this have to do with anything?
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 8/30/2023, 11:23 PM
@philinterrupted - The bad guy will do everything he can to convince you he isn't the bad guy. Is that easier for you to comprehend?
Gabimaru
Gabimaru - 8/30/2023, 11:41 PM
@philinterrupted - should i spell it out for you?
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 8/31/2023, 1:34 AM
@SonOfAGif - trick* pulled* didn't exist*
bobevanz
bobevanz - 8/31/2023, 4:03 AM
@SonOfAGif - Origame would tell you you're wrong lol where is that boot licker
Origame
Origame - 8/31/2023, 4:45 AM
@bobevanz - yup. Should've expected you to be perpetually triggered by me. I did do the worst crime imaginable by disagreeing with the group think.

How dare I say that it's nonsense to expect 3 days work in a year should be liveable for that entire year.
The1st
The1st - 8/31/2023, 7:35 AM
@SonOfAGif - And their self
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 8/31/2023, 8:35 AM
@Gabimaru - oh my god. I understand the quote. I just think it’s not applied correctly here.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 8/31/2023, 8:36 AM
@SonOfAGif - I get the quote, I just don’t think it applies here.
Matador
Matador - 8/31/2023, 9:11 AM
@philinterrupted - 21 disagree with your point of view it may sound like an over reaction or over dramatic but not wrong in how it's used. When these people in power control the funding and get paid crazy amounts but say it's not there fault that's kind of a lie. And those that know full well the devil always lie or there just politicians.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 8/31/2023, 9:33 AM
@Matador - oh no, 21 whole people disagreed with me.
It’s a terrible analogy. It just sounds like a cool thing to say.
But hey, people love hyperbole.

To be clear I think the studio heads are wrong and have mismanaged their companies for years. The analogy still stupid.
Matador
Matador - 8/31/2023, 10:01 AM
@philinterrupted - The heads [frick]ed up and now they gotta reap what they sowed.

When you don't care about the people or when they quoted “The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.”

Perlman said the comments amounted to wishing that “families starve,” adding the executive makes millions of dollars a year for “creating nothing.”

When execs act like this you might as well consider them being devils.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 8/31/2023, 10:45 AM
@Matador - hey, I'm not going to dive into everything this quote is saying. If all you want to take out of it is a comparison to the Devil, ok.

The statement in question is infinitely cooler than anybody who has ever used it. It makes for a great blurb. But here it’s not relevant, unless all you’re paying attention to is the devil reference. But I guess details don’t matter when you’re throwing stones.

In the times I’ve talked to you I’ve seen you as someone who gets off on hyperbole. It makes you feel good to make big statements even if they’re not entirely accurate. As long as it makes you feel good and morally better than others, who gives a shit.

The studio exec who made the comments you referenced is a piece of shit. but I won’t hold every studio exec to that one’s statements. I’m sure some are looking to find solutions.

The studios are holding on to the old models. It’s bad business. They need to evolve if they want to stay relevant.

But hyperbole has never helped find a solution or brought people together.
Matador
Matador - 8/31/2023, 3:34 PM
@philinterrupted - Technically I'm not throwing stones just analyzing the quotes both sides in my opinion are bad but have to decide who is worse.

CEO's control everything but have a different view and perspective of the people and funding.

The writers and actors also share a bit of the blame for the mediocre crap we all pay for and there salaries it comes from the general audience in the end.

The General Audience might make less than both those groups but as the GA & fans will find a way to support them.

So who ends up with the short stick?
sadham
sadham - 8/30/2023, 9:40 PM
Really shows you how out of touch they are. Maybe it's time for guillotines to become fashionable again.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 8/30/2023, 9:45 PM
@sadham - It's sickening when a millionaire whose fortune came about from layoffs and outsourcing wants to be the white Knight for how much is a suitable living wage for an employee.
TheLobster
TheLobster - 8/30/2023, 11:44 PM
@sadham - Amen to that shit
Variant
Variant - 8/31/2023, 12:27 AM
@SonOfAGif - @sadham - @TheLobster - Iger has shown support for the strikes. People just don't read past the headlines and then take quotes out of context.
Dunejedi
Dunejedi - 8/31/2023, 1:43 AM
@Variant - The only support he _can_ show is to agree to the union’s demands. Iger doing his impression of a ventriloquist-dummy regurgitating tepid corporate-speak is not “support”, it’s optics.
Matador
Matador - 8/31/2023, 9:14 AM
@Variant - One misquote while your not getting paid or have to worry about bills and food is enough to trigger someone when the rich person doesn't have to worry about those problems.
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 8/30/2023, 9:46 PM
So they are in fact that much tone-deaf after all.

IDK what the hell was Zaslav expecting when you add all that he did last year. Or his comments earlier when the strikes began saying that they would end "because they all love to work" or something stupid like that.

And they're acting immaturely and not knowhing whom to blame?
dracula
dracula - 8/30/2023, 9:46 PM
iger i can see.

but didn't zazlaff voice his support of the strike
Variant
Variant - 8/31/2023, 12:25 AM
@dracula - So did Iger. But no one reads past headlines.
eagc1995
eagc1995 - 8/31/2023, 1:53 AM
@dracula - Iger changed his tune recently showing "support"
dracula
dracula - 8/31/2023, 2:02 AM
@eagc1995 - yeah thats why i said i can see iger

But what has zazlaff done or said?
braunermegda
braunermegda - 8/31/2023, 8:38 AM
@dracula - zazlaff said at the beginning people would stop the strike because they love to work no matter the circumstances. Iger on the other hand if he really supports the strike he could agree on the unions demands. Other than that is just public image so the general audience don't see him as the evil corporate ceo he is.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/30/2023, 9:51 PM
No love for these execs. Just want to clarify that before I share this.

I saw something today, I wish I had a link to it, showing the salaries of the WAG employees. They far exceed the average union member’s annual salary.

I only point this out to show that the union is not this benevolent entity. It’s a bureaucracy that benefits by growing itself and it’s power.

That being said, this stuff is complex. I get the artists demands for fair pay and protections against AI recreation.

I just know this issue is far more complex that these articles and our discussion board comments can go.

I’ll share the link to that union salary info if I can find it.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/30/2023, 9:55 PM
@mountainman - Found this, although it isn’t a cited source and may not be accurate. If it is though, I wonder how the high salaries of the union employees can be justified in this whole conflict.

https://x.com/robschneider/status/1696911985731104916?s=46
mountainman
mountainman - 8/30/2023, 9:56 PM
@mountainman - At minimum, if we are criticizing the execs from the studios, we should also criticize the execs from the union.

That’s all. Not trying to fight here. I know most people are fighting for the “little guy”. Just saying the union (not it’s members but the entity) isn’t necessarily the little guy.
Itwasme
Itwasme - 8/30/2023, 10:34 PM
@mountainman - it is very much a mess and I don't think this will end well. Studios are being crushed financially, so providing big pay upgrades and being told to ignore one of the biggest technology innovations in years is a tough place to be.

Personally, I don't see a winner here and the real lover will be theaters who are already struggling.
cham2119
cham2119 - 8/30/2023, 11:09 PM
@mountainman - That would be because they work far less months out of the year than the rest of us do the average btl worker will work from job to job as they end and begin (that by the way doesn't justify how little the studios pay us) as well their contracts will in sometimes limit their ability to take on other projects while they are attached to a show. Not to mention you haven't translated those salaries to what they actually mean now with how the studios have changed the rules with streaming this isn't relevant when the people on the other side are making billions in relation to hundreds of thousands
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 8/30/2023, 11:31 PM
@mountainman - Majority of SAG members make less than 30k. Wage is always going to be different based on roles, but theres a major issue when each of the execs are pocketing millions and deciding their own salaries when the actual workers who do the dirty work haven't seen a raise in 12 years and yet expected to double their workload. Bob Iger just told Disney to pay him 32 million dollars in salary this year and to do that he layed off 50% of Disney employees. They are being villian-fied becuz of their greed and disconnect to society because they lack all emotional empathy towards the employees who deliver the work.

How does the studio execs thank their employee's hard work? They announced that they will outsource more work overseas, steal the likelikness of extras, and are investing in AI to replace USA workers. The only people willing to fight for the underdogs are these unions, it makes sense why some salaries are huge because you have to pay for the talent to deal with these execs who have all the money in the world. A majority of these ads and articles are paid by AMPTP to de-moralize strikes and the people who support it. AMPTP own several companies that fund twitter or "x".

Wanna know why AMPTP wants to end the strike before September? Its not because of the box office flops its because thats when vacation season starts for a majority of execs and they don't want to be badmouth while on vacation. They don't even care about the people striking, its all business to them. But like every cheap business man they will never settle for a fair price, instead they will wait and hassle until the strikers have no choice but to accept. Its a power move to show hierarchy.
JDL
JDL - 8/31/2023, 3:34 AM
@cham2119 - There are way too many writers. The industry is contracting* and can not support that many anymore. The union is jonesing for more writers to be employed than necessary and profit-sharing that they have no legal right to. The AI thing though they have a point on if they can find a way to do it legally.

*Far Fewer Ads = Far Smaller Profits.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/31/2023, 10:27 AM
@Itwasme - Yeah it is tough. This whole industry is operating on old business models. I don’t pretend to have the answers here, but something major is going to have to change.

@cham2119 - As I said, I wasn’t defending the studio execs, but sharing that there are higher ups within the union that also make a lot more than the average union member. So there are also problems in that organization.

@mastakilla39 - check out the numbers in that tweet i linked to. This wasn’t defending the studio higher ups, just saying that the higher ups in the union (administration type people) also make a lot more than the average union member. That organization also has issues. It’s a bloated bureaucracy.
Variant
Variant - 9/1/2023, 6:32 PM
@mountainman - This was really well said. And you're spot on with how complex it is. No way everyone in the world can understand these situations thru articles. Not only that, but it seems most people don't even read past the headlines; which makes it worse.

What I would like to ask you about tho is "not having love for the execs". Certainly, there are execs out there who operate off greed and getting over on others. But that's not everyone. There really are a lot of CEOs out there that care. And as someone who's been in startups for 15+ years, I understand the lines between greed and ambition can be blurred. But it's like, if someone is lazy...we look down on that...then if someone is too ambitious...we also look down on that?...
CoHost
CoHost - 8/30/2023, 9:52 PM
They've become Principal Skinner.
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