Ike Perlmutter Makes Excuse For Resisting BLACK PANTHER As Iger Prepares For Ousted Exec To "Fire" At Disney

Ike Perlmutter Makes Excuse For Resisting BLACK PANTHER As Iger Prepares For Ousted Exec To "Fire" At Disney

We recently learned that Former Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter had returned, seemingly with a view to taking revenge on Disney CEO Bob Iger. Now, Ike's plan has begun to take shape...

By MarkCassidy - Jan 03, 2024 06:01 PM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Studios

Late last year, we learned that controversial former Marvel Entertainment Chairman Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter had joined forces with veteran Disney executive Jay Rasulo and pledged his considerable Disney shares to billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz.

Peltz's firm, Trian Partners, has a $3 billion stake in Disney, and after taking their case to shareholders, the investor is looking for three out of the twelve seats on the board.

Disney has come right out and stated that Perlmutter has a "personal agenda" against Iger and that his interests "may be different than that of all other shareholders," but with Ike's shares alone making up 80% of Trian's stake, they could obviously cause some big problems.

According to a new report from THR, the ultimate goal is to get board seats for both Peltz and Rasulo, and, most likely, install Rasulo as new CEO.

“Jay has credibility. He’s not some Palm Beach crank," one Disney insider tells the trade. "He’s a very legitimate voice about where Disney was eight years ago. Ike is angry and eating three nights a week at Mar-a-Lago but Jay showing up on that side is a very significant event.”

Perlmutter’s long-time attorney, John Turitzin, dismisses the perception that his client is seeking retribution, however.

“It’s an absurd suggestion to make,” he says. “[Perlmutter] has got, I don’t know how many billions of dollars tied up in Disney. He’s not going to [play] a revenge game with the majority of his personal wealth.”

Perlmutter made a lot of enemies during his time at Marvel, and reportedly attempted to stand in the way of the studio developing both Black Panther and Captain Marvel because he didn't think toys depicting Black and female superheroes would sell.

According to one source, when the decision was made to replace Terrence Howard with Don Cheadle in the 2010 Iron Man sequel, Perlmutter told a Disney executive that the move saved money and no one would notice because "Black people look the same" (Turitzin denies that Perlmutter said this).

Turitzin also addressed Perlmutter resisting Black Panther, claiming that it was “not because [he was] racist but because it had never been done before and its success wasn’t guaranteed."

Perlmutter is no fan of Kevin Feige, either, so if he does manage to regain some power at Disney, some major changes at Marvel Studios could well be on the horizon.

We'll be sure to keep you updated as this situation develops.

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AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:08 PM
There is no denying the success the MCU had while Ike Perlmutter was there. I keep seeing the same couple of alleged "incidents" trying to take the guy down. Feige, like most creators need to have some kind of checks and balance. What about all the things he went along with?

Either way, a company is most successful when they are willing to listen to differing opinions. What Iger did was get rid of anyone that disagreed with their agenda (which is really funding from Blackrock and Vanguard). The worst thing to happen to Feige is he won this political battle.

Not every project is a good idea.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/3/2024, 6:11 PM
@AvalonX - No, but the two movies Ike is said to have tried to block both made over a billion. Doesn't seem like a particularly clever exec to me.
dracula
dracula - 1/3/2024, 6:14 PM
@AvalonX - They had success when he was around, but Marvel's most successful run was after he left.

Phase 3 consistently knocked it out of the part with 1 or 2 exceptions, but always brought in good money at the box office
MadThanos
MadThanos - 1/3/2024, 6:23 PM
@MarkCassidy - Captain Marvel sandwiched between the two biggest MCU movies of all time?

Without that, you can clearly see The Marvels box office.

He was also so freaking wrong about Black Panther.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:29 PM
@MarkCassidy - Come on Mark, we know why the first Captain Marvel did well. The second is their biggest flop so he was probably right.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:31 PM
@dracula - Phase 3 stuff still had his influence. He helped build the MCU. Those first 2 phases set the tone for billion dollar movies. Without him? They are in a tank so its not a fair comparison.

Again, Im not saying the guy isnt a douche. Im just saying sometimes you need business people.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/3/2024, 6:40 PM
@AvalonX - I mean, yeah the MCU was pretty much untouchable at the time, but CM still did a lot better than some of its contemporaries.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 6:46 PM
@AvalonX - He was very wrong about Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel is now and forevermore a far more valuable asset to Disney. I don’t know why people continue to only keep their gaze in these tiny boxes as if theatrical receipts are the only things that matter to these companies.
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 6:47 PM
@MarkCassidy - ok, I'll give you black panther. But after the marvels it's clear captain marvel only made a billion because it was hyped as being super important to endgame when the mcu was in its peak popularity.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 1/3/2024, 6:48 PM
@MarkCassidy -
You can speak about success after the fact, but try selling a $200m female-led Superhero movie to a group of people when the only prior examples you had at the time were films like Elektra and Catwoman which both lost money on lower budgets.

Similarly, try justifying the production of a $200m Black Panther movie when the $40-$60m Blade films barely made any profit.

If Ike had seen financial potential in the concepts, he would have done so, but you can't be a reckless idiot in business otherwise you wind up with Phase 4/5.
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 6:51 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - literally the last two properties attached to this character failed. Ms marvel, which was always attached to this franchise, ended up being the lowest viewership of the mcu shows at the time, and the marvels is their biggest box office bomb. Outside of that is endgame, but she's barely in it and is part of all of the parts people call the worst.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:51 PM
@MarkCassidy - Mark all im saying is this guys gets labeled a racist for basically two alleged decisons. Iger outted him and gave Feige full control. If you compare the before and the after, its not close in terms of quality and profitibility. The reality is, the people who deserve the most credit for Phase 3 are probabay the Russos who took the integration of the entire MCU to another level. Thats means things like Guardians had to happen which was a risk. You can take two (alleged) decisions in a vacuum because you disagree with it. Someone, maybe not this guy has to reign Feige in because Iger is controlled by the board (who is controlled by Blackguard and Vanguard)

Now does that sound totally racist that he didnt think a black toy would sell? Sure. But if you take the emotion out of it, this guys entire fortune is tied up in Disney. He wants to make money. He doesn't care about toys. You need the creator and the business man. No different than any company where I have to deal with the CFO all the time when I have a great idea. Sometimes I cant get funding and I dont like it but that doesnt mean the CFO is some kind of racist.
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 6:52 PM
@Scarilian - I actually agree. Black panther could've failed based on what we've seen before.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:55 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - Are you insane? They reduces her role in Endgame. They made her sequel an ensemble and it bombed. Why is she a valuable asset? She barely wants to play the character.

dagenspear
dagenspear - 1/3/2024, 6:55 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - It ultimately made money, but whether that would have gained much in other circumstances I think may be fairly debatable. As a movie, personally I think it doesn't do much with creative storytelling or character weight.
AvalonX
AvalonX - 1/3/2024, 6:56 PM
@Origame - Another true believer.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 1/3/2024, 6:57 PM
@MadThanos - Now, BP, I do think was effective.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 1/3/2024, 6:58 PM
@AvalonX - LORD willing, insulting isn't right.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 1/3/2024, 7:02 PM
@AvalonX - he's been labelled a racist for allegedly saying and doing racist shit. I don't know if he is or not for certain, obviously, but if it looks like a duck, etc etc.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 7:05 PM
@Origame - Even if true is irrelevant. At one point in time Waterworld was the biggest box office bomb of all time. But by this point in time it has actually turned a profit for Universal. When The Predator came out and bombed everyone said that was the end of the franchise. Same with Alien: Covenant. And yet when Disney acquired Fox they wasted no time putting new films and shows into production. Because the business of franchises is about far more than initial theatrical runs. A lot more. These things simply existing makes the company more valuable which is the most important thing of all to these companies. Captain Marvel is now a known quantity even if you hate her, even if all your friends hate her, she is now more valuable than an unknown character. And her solo movie made a big profit. Disney the company is very happy indeed didn’t listen to Ike and they made Captain Marvel.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 7:12 PM
@dagenspear - It made way more than the other movie released between Infinity War and Endgame. But regardless it both made money and made Captain Marvel a recognizable concept in the minds of a lot more people than before the movie. It’s a win win for Disney.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 1/3/2024, 7:16 PM
@MadThanos - yes, blame the marvels lack of success on Ike being right and not movies all over bombing. Yall have no context to anything yall say yall just say shit
dagenspear
dagenspear - 1/3/2024, 7:19 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - Yeah, and it was the only movie that Infinity War had a post credits scene leading to.
dagenspear
dagenspear - 1/3/2024, 7:19 PM
@MarkCassidy - Seemingly allegedly.
MadThanos
MadThanos - 1/3/2024, 7:22 PM
@MyCoolYoung - ok, you're not so cool
Kurban
Kurban - 1/3/2024, 7:22 PM
@MarkCassidy - Let’s be real, the second one was a fluke. If it wasn’t, its sequel would have at least broke even instead of becoming the worst flop in MCU history. Captain Marvel didn’t make a billion on its own merits, but because of the brand it was attached to and their efforts to link it to Endgame.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 7:23 PM
@AvalonX - She is a valuable asset because she exists as a concept in the minds of a lot more people than before. Even if only 10% of those people like her that still makes her more valuable than before the movie. The movie just existing is an asset. Old TV shows that haven’t been culturally relevant in decades are still valuable assets. They still get sold to TV stations and streaming services. They still sell DVD box sets. They still have random merchandise for sale. They generate income. Even bombs like The Marvels, Shazam 2, Aquaman 2 and Blue Beetle become assets going forward. They don’t stop generating income for a company the moment they leave theaters. And if Disney were to want to sell the character of Captain Marvel to another company it is now worth more and it would sell for a better price after Captain Marvel came out than before it was announced.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 7:31 PM
@dagenspear - Yeah the movie was helped by being part of a larger narrative. Duh. Every MCU movie has been helped by that. And that has been one thing that has been killing the MCU movies as of late. There have been no Avengers movies to tie everything together. No Avengers movies to pump up the excitement and box office for any of the solo efforts.
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 7:40 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - dude, I'm confident an unknown property can make more than the marvels.

In fact I can prove it. Elemental made more at the box office. And cost less. While being an unknown property and not attached to a known franchise like the mcu.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 1/3/2024, 7:40 PM
@AvalonX - Ike eating three times a week at Trumps poop castle is so hilarious to me
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 1/3/2024, 7:47 PM
@MadThanos - black panther 2 also struggled compared to the first one. I'd put more of that on them not recasting T'Challa then on it being in close proximity to the 3rd and 4th avengers movies though.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 7:49 PM
@Origame - Look dude I don’t even know how to respond a comment that stupid. Like seriously how is that a response to what I said? No one said original movies can’t be successful. In fact I named an original movie that had become profitable in my comment. You are for some reason arguing a point no one made but congrats for winning that argument.
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 1/3/2024, 7:49 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - the marvels lost Disney $100s of millions, its literally the opposite of an asset.
EskimoJ
EskimoJ - 1/3/2024, 7:51 PM
@AvalonX - How did they reduce her role in a movie that was completed before her movie was even released?
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 7:56 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - ...you made the claim captain marvel was value just from being known. And I pointed out unknown properties that made more money than her recent film. Its a clear counterpoint to your claim.

Where is the value if not in the money?
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 8:00 PM
@Ryguy88 - A) That’s not assets work. If I bought a new car for 20,000 dollars and today it’s worth 10,000 dollars it still counts as an asset today. You still add that 10,000 dollars to my net worth. When the movie airs on television in the future it will generate income. When it streams in Disney+ it will generate an income. It is an asset moving forward.

B) The Marvels lost money at the box office. But will in the life of its existence turn a profit for Disney.

C) I said Captain Marvel, the character, the intellectual property itself is a greater asset to Disney today that it was before the first movie was ever announced. You can sell that individual intellectual property for far more today than you could ten years ago before the character had appeared in the movies. This is why Marvel and DC will continue to introduce new characters into the movies.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 8:12 PM
@Origame - Because those things aren’t mutually exclusive. An original movie like Avatar being successful doesn’t suddenly mean the Minions have no value. That’s silly. They have nothing to do with each other.

The value is in everything. There are Captain Marvel coloring books. And action figures. She’s a character in video games mobile and console. She’s a character at theme parks. There are plushies and funko pops. Keychains and t-shirts. Disney makes the majority of its money not from the box office. All these things create value and they all push each other.
Origame
Origame - 1/3/2024, 8:21 PM
@TheUnworthyThor - 1) minions is shown in value by the fact it makes a lot of money.

2) ok, how much is it making on coloring books? Or games? How many people are going to the theme parks because of captain marvel? Hell, captain marvel doesn't even have her own game, so how do you know people are buying them for her and not characters like spiderman or wolverine?

But if you actually paid attention, you'd know this is completely wrong. Marvel action figures are rotting on store shelves, and people aren't going to the theme parks anymore.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 1/3/2024, 8:24 PM
@Origame - You really do live in a world all your own. You know how I know all those are making money? Because they continue to make them. A pretty simple economic principle.
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