In a surprising move, Walt Disney Studios chairman Rich Ross has been fired from the company, reportedly by Disney chairman Bob Iger. There’s been speculation that this is because of John Carter, a movie that Disney had a lot riding on but ultimately made them lose about $160m and is reported as the biggest flop in cinema history. Ross was reported as one of the executives who had a lot of faith in John Carter, and he’s made some controversial desicions in the past, so could this have been the last straw for Iger? Some sites are reporting that he has resigned, but Deadine (who broke the story) say he was fired although the reason is currently unknown at this point. Read the press release from Ross and a comment from Iger below:
For the last 15 years, I have had the opportunity to work with incredibly talented people on behalf of the world’s best loved brand. During that time, we’ve told some amazing stories around the world, created successful TV programming, movies, and franchises that generated new opportunities for the company in the process.
I’ve always said our success is created and driven by our people – whom I consider to be the absolute best in the business. But, the best people need to be in the right jobs, in roles they are passionate about, doing work that leverages the full range of their abilities. It’s one of the leadership lessons I’ve learned during my career, and it’s something I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to as I look at the challenges and opportunities ahead.
I believe in this extraordinary Walt Disney Studios team, and I believe in our strong slate of films and our ability to make and market them better than anyone else. But, I no longer believe the Chairman role is the right professional fit for me. For that reason, I have made the very difficult decision to step down as Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, effective today.
It has been my honor to work with such incredible teams – at Disney Channels Worldwide and The Walt Disney Studios and the many other Disney businesses I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with. I know I leave the Studios in good hands and, even on separate paths, I am confident we are all destined for continued success.
-Rich
Statement from Bob Iger, Chairman/CEO, Walt Disney Co
For more than a decade, Rich Ross’s creative instincts, business acumen and personal integrity have driven results in key businesses for Disney, redefining success in kids and family entertainment and launching franchises that generate value across our entire company. His vision and leadership opened doors for Disney around the world, making our brand part of daily life for millions of people. I appreciate his countless contributions throughout his entire career at Disney, and expect he will have tremendous success in whatever he chooses to do next.
UPDATE: Remember earlier when I promised that that article would be the last Kevin Fiege article of the day? Well, I kinda lied. Variety are reporting that Kevin Fiege (Marvel Studios’ Head of Production) is the frontrunner to replace Rich Ross as chairman of Walt Disney Studios. This of course is brilliant news for fanboys, as this could mean bigger and more Marvel movies and could possibly convince Disney to look into buying the rights back for some characters that are seriously needed in the MCU right now if a Civil War movie was to happen (check our Breaking News section for some info on that).
SOURCE: Deadline
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