(ConservativeJournal.org) – A major Disney investor is bashing the company for its use of “woke” messaging. Nelson Peltz gave comments to The Financial Times recently wherein he suggested that Marvel boss Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger have seemingly forgotten why people go to see movies. He said it wasn’t “to get a message.”
Peltz mentioned “The Marvels” and “Black Panther” specifically and highlighted how the use of a primarily female or all-black cast is unnecessary and alienates potential viewers with overt messaging.
Writers for The Hollywood Reporter suggested that the comments were similar to that of Ike Perlmutter, former Marvel chairman and CEO of the company. Perlmutter and Peltz are friends.
Disney let Perlmutter go last year after laying off huge swaths of the company, saving $5.5 billion in the process. They also laid off Marvel co-president Rob Steffens and their top lawyer John Turitzin. Disney axed nearly 7,000 jobs at the time.
In comments given to the Wall Street Journal, Perlmutter suggested he was fired over “fundamental differences” in how to run the business between himself and Disney’s chiefs. He told The Hollywood Reporter that he had long anticipated a parting of the ways.
Perlmutter added that he was only attempting to improve Disney’s profitability, and thus fulfill its fiduciary obligation to its shareholders by making them money. Before being let go, he was in charge of publishing comics, large trade shows, consumer products, and issuing game licenses.
The Marvels was released in late 2023 and its cast features three “Marvels” or women with energy-based super-powers. The antagonist in the film is also a woman. The film only has male side characters in minor roles with the largest male role being Nick Fury played by Samuel L. Jackson.
Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) feature predominantly black characters and the internal politics of the fictional nation of Wakanda, a technologically advanced and xenophobic African nation. The films predominantly featured black actors.
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