Former Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter Speaks Out: "Disney Fired Me"

Former Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter Speaks Out: "Disney Fired Me"

We recently learned that controversial (former) chairman of Marvel Entertainment, Ike Perlmutter, had been released from his position at the company, and the exec has now responded...

By MarkCassidy - Apr 06, 2023 08:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Studios

Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter, controversial (former) chairman of the now dissolved Marvel Entertainment, was recently removed from his position at the company.

Perlmutter's clashes with the likes of Bob Iger and Kevin Feige are well documented, and in a rare interview with the Wall Street Journal, the 80-year-old exec explained why he believes he was let go.

“All they talk about is box office, box office,” he tells the site. “I care about the bottom line. I don’t care how big the box office is. Only people in Hollywood talk about box office.”

Perlmutter, who confirms that he was "fired" and not simply "laid off," is certain that his termination was based on "fundamental differences in business between my thinking and Disney leadership, because I care about return on investment.”

It's worth pointing out that The Marvel Cinematic Universe is without question the most profitable film franchise in history, even if they did have to spend a lot of money to achieve such massive success. 

Ike was also reportedly unhappy about Disney's spat with Governor Ron DeSantis over Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act which prohibits classroom instruction regarding sexuality or gender identity in Florida's public schools from kindergarten through third grade.

Perlmutter says he warned the higher-ups not to "get involved in politics. You're going to get hurt. It's a no-win situation."

How do you feel about Perlmutter being ousted? Drop us a comment down below.

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SATW42
SATW42 - 4/6/2023, 8:41 AM
Ike didn't want them to get involved in politics because he's a Trump guy. If they came out in defense of DeSantis he wouldn't have said a [frick]ing word.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 4/6/2023, 9:39 AM
@SATW42 - This is probably true. Having said that, what he said is also probably true. When you get involved with these kinds of things you are picking a side. And no matter what side you pick, you are losing the other side.

But, to your point, his reasons for saying this are probably not genuine, because like you said, if Disney had taken Desantis' side, I'm willing to bet he wouldn't be saying this.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 4/6/2023, 10:41 AM
@SATW42 - i’m neither a Trump nor a Biden guy, but the masses are seriously and helplessly brainwashed to hate Trump. People hate him so much like he personally spat in their cereal. This country is really fcking weird….
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 4/6/2023, 10:42 AM
@SATW42 - Its true though, keep your hands off politics. If LGBQT is going to make you lose money...why bother supporting it? Let others deal with it and reap the benefits later. No 1 gives a shit if your political onscreen or not as long as you deliver a good movie.

Its obvious disney is already losing mad money trying to be political and please a loud voice generated by twitter bots and influencers who are just trying to get subs.
Vigor
Vigor - 4/6/2023, 10:52 AM
@Matchesz - he metaphorically HAS spat in my cereal. He represents everything I live my life actively fighting against. I'm not saying he's the spawn of Satan. But I believe in having morals and I draw a fine line with certain individuals.

People have to stand up for something
Rmcbride7349
Rmcbride7349 - 4/6/2023, 10:52 AM
@Matchesz - It's pretty simple for me, anyone who has regular meetings with white supremacists is a bad. You can't defend that guy without defending everything he's ever done so don't try.
Vigor
Vigor - 4/6/2023, 10:53 AM
@mastakilla39 - LGBT is not political
nhoj3
nhoj3 - 4/6/2023, 11:40 AM
@Matchesz - Logistically it would be impossible for him to personally spit in everyone's bowl of cereal, but you know what he HAS done to everyone?

- Undermined their faith in democratic institutions
- Undermined their faith in the judicial system
- Undermined their faith in journalism
- Undermined their faith in the constitution
- Normalized abhorrent behaviour in their leaders

When you do all of these things to an American, you're doing far worse than spitting in their cereal, so yeah... I get the hate.
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/6/2023, 11:41 AM
@Matchesz - I said what I said because it was fact. He is firmly a Trump guy. He's a member of Mar-a-Lago and was not so secretly an advisor of Trump regarding the VA. I could have said "republican" but when it comes to Ike, he is actually a "Trump guy" it wasn't me stating an opinion, just a fact.

The opinion was his reasoning behind not wanting Disney to speak out against DeSantis, but knowing his history, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't say anything if he agreed with Disney's stance.
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/6/2023, 11:47 AM
@mastakilla39 - Disney reported an 8% gain in revenue for Quarter 1 of the 2023 fiscal year. I just don't understand this narrative that Disney is "losing mad money"

It seems to me that the only people who think they are losing mad money are a small but loud voice generated by twitter bots and influencers looking for subs, but not the ones you think, ones like the quartering.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 4/6/2023, 12:07 PM
@SATW42 - No, they reported 34% box office revenue loss ever since and their D+ subs retention rate is less than 40% and they missed their target of 20% gains per year. They are losing money in their media output due to their political agenda on films and Florida stance. Only thing making money is their amusement park because they are overcharging families which Bob Iger admitted recently.

@Vigor - Agree, LGBQT is not political. Them going against Florida's stance on banning topics about it are. A company is supposed to be "neutral" and not take any sides.
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/6/2023, 12:12 PM
@mastakilla39 - A company is supposed to be neutral? Says who? I'll tell you who says the opposite of that, the Supreme Court. Corporations are people, remember?
mountainman
mountainman - 4/6/2023, 8:41 AM
The bottom line vs box office comment is interesting. It’s not all about revenues if costs are high. Ant Man 3 could have been profitable if they wouldn’t have spent so much making it. It seems like the budgets have to be really high for every production because they think every movie is going to make over $700 million.
SATW42
SATW42 - 4/6/2023, 9:00 AM
@mountainman - it's not just stuff like this though. Dude didn't want to spend money. Remember, he was essentially booted out of Marvel Studios around Civil War, because he thought they were spending too much money. Disney had enough.

I'll try to use a non controversial take as an example. Most people here tend to agree that Black Widow should have had a solo movie before phase 4, right? I think that's safe to say? Well he was 100 percent the reason we didn't get one until we did. There are other examples but they tend to be more "controversial" and will distract from the point.
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