The CEO of Disney has come out and claimed that he doesn’t believe animation is for adults.
Bob Chapek made the claims during Wall Street Journal Tech Live.
The conference happens every year and prides itself on bringing together some of the industry’s biggest players.
Chapek has been CEO of The Walt Disney Company since Bob Iger’s retirement in 2020.
He is seen as being responsible for the company’s push towards streaming in recent years.
However, the sixty-two-year-old made some comments about his beloved company that has raised some eyebrows…
Scroll on to find out more…
Disney is adored by children and adults all over the world.
And it’s no wonder why!
Since its conception in 1923, Disney have created some pretty iconic characters.
Mickey Mouse has to be one of the most recognizable figures on the planet, right?
And let’s not forget about their theme parks either…
Their various parks all over the world offer visitors a total escape from everyday life.
And that’s before we even touch on their movies!
Everyone has a favorite Disney movie.
However, the company’s newest CEO seems to have dismissed the idea that those of us on the older side could possibly enjoy an animated movie…
Chapek’s latest comments have landed him in some hot water.
And, as always, the internet had something to say about it…
One person pointed out: “He’s obviously never seen Family Guy“.
Another said: “We were kids once too, the love for animation doesn’t go away.”
Another rather harshly said: “Talk about a bad employment fit! Maybe this dude should work in a shoe factory, but not as CEO, but rather a position way down the totem pole.”
The CEO explained that he didn’t think parents wanted to watch animated movies of their own volition.
As per UNILAD, he said: “I always say that when our fans and our audiences put their kids to bed at night after watching Pinocchio, or Dumbo or Little Mermaid, they’re probably not going to tune into another animated movie. They want something for them.”
Chapek went on to further explain his point: “I want to respect legacy and what this brand is.
“But at the same time, I know that we may be even more precious about what’s Disney than the consumer base.
“If the consumer base has more elasticity than we’ve traditionally had in defining what’s Disney, we probably ought to listen to the audience, which means we have more degrees of freedom than we probably thought,” Chapek said.
He then went on to explain that, actually, his “own personal feelings aren’t really important.”
“What’s important is how people think about our company, and so I take myself out of it.
“And I think that’s sort of the surprise, is everybody sort of wants to be loved and everybody wants everyone to like them,” said Chapek.
“But in this in this world, that’s not always necessary, so I wash all that away and say, ‘What do we want the ‘capital D’ Disney Company to stand for?’
“And if we’re doing right by the ‘capital D’ Disney Company and can sleep at night, then I can be Teflon and know that we’re doing the right thing,” he concluded.
What do you think about Chapek’s comments?
Have you ever put on an animated movie even after the kids have gone to bed?