Just a year ago, Disney CEO Bob Iger was in the midst of an ongoing apology tour for the studio after string of tepid box office returns. At a conference last November, he acknowledged that things had a taken a downturn and promised, as he had been doing regularly, that Disney will be stressing quality over quantity after The Marvels, the latest Indiana Jones and a handful of other films disappointed.
“I’ve been very public about it saying, and I would say right now, my number one priority is to help the studio turn around creatively,” he said.
Now he has something to crow about.
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The company’s fiscal fourth quarter that ended in September was one of the best ever in the studio’s history. Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine became the top films of the year so far, setting box office records. Disney became the first studio to cross $4 billion globally in 2024.
In executive commentary around the numbers this morning, Iger and CFO Hugh Johnson cited renewed creative strength, “a result of the extensive work we began two years ago to restore creativity to the center of the company.”
Iger rejoined the company as chief executive almost exactly two years ago, replacing his ousted, hand-picked successor Bob Chapek. His contract is over at the end of 2026 and board chair James Gorman is heading the search for a successor.
Iger and Johnston will be taking questions from analysts on an 8:30 am ET call.
“We are encouraged by this momentum in our studio business going into the holiday season,” they said, with upcoming Moana 2 later this month and Mufasa: The Lion King in December. Titles in 2025 include Captain America: Brave New World, Lilo & Stitch, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash.
“With the combination of our intellectual property, creative talent and an increased number of consumer touchpoints extending the reach of our stories, a successful Disney movie today drives more value than ever before.”
The studio, housed in Content Sales/Licensing — one of three divisions in Disney’s Entertainment Segment with streaming and linear TV — saw revenue jump by 39% to nearly $2.6 billion last quarter. It swung to a $316 million profit from a $149 million loss.