Disney CEO Bob Chapek isn't proving to be particularly popular, and certainly doesn't have the same goodwill as his predecessor, Bob Iger. Whether it's clashing with Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson or raising Disneyland ticket prices, Chapek is a divisive figure and doesn't seem to have a great grip on what makes Disney...well, Disney.
That's evident from some new comments that have gone viral and seen him ridiculed on social media.
Discussing the Disney+ brand at a recent Tech Live conference, he said, "Our fans and audiences put their kids to bed at night after watching Pinocchio, Dumbo or Little Mermaid, then they’re probably not going to tune in to another animated movie, they want something for them."
While Chapek was making this point in regards to adding R-Rated content to the platform, his attitude flies in the face of what Walt Disney once said: "I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether we be six or sixty."
The fact is, the majority of Disney fans do love animated movies, hence why those live-action adaptations are often so poorly received. These remarks also do a disservice to critically acclaimed animated movies like Encanto, Lightyear, and Sony Pictures' Oscar-winning Marvel movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
One of that movie's producers and writers, Chris Miller, has responded to Chapek's comments on Twitter with an eye-roll emoji, likely telling you all you need to know about how he feels. Chapek simply isn't endearing himself to Disney fans, and comments like these may well speak to larger problems with his leadership.
There are rumblings Disney+ will soon be home to more adult content, something that's already the norm overseas. That feels like the right next step for the platform, but we're sure there are many fans and parents out there who will also continue to enjoy animated content.
Check out Chapek's comments in full below.