The era of Bob Iger: 5 of the biggest things to happen during his tenure as Disney CEO

Bob Iger announced yesterday that he’ll be stepping down as CEO, with Bob Chapek replacing him. What are some of the biggest things to come out of Iger’s tenure with Disney?

After a 15-year tenure as the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger has decided to step down from the role, effective immediately. Iger has passed the torch to Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products. The announcement caught Disney board members and fans by surprise yesterday, but on the bright side, Iger will be staying on as executive chairman through 2021 to provide training and guidance for Chapek.

Iger’s exit marks the end of an era, one during which Disney has made a number of profitable moves. With Iger at the helm, the studio has made some of its biggest acquisitions, opened new resorts and parks, and even launched its own streaming service. If Iger can say one thing on the way out the door, it’s that he’s made a striking difference in the past 15 years. Looking back, Disney is almost unrecognizable — and we mean that in the best way possible.

So, what are some of the biggest things that have happened with Iger at CEO?

Acquiring Pixar

Only the year after Iger took up the role of CEO, Disney made one of its most important acquisitions to date: that of Pixar. It’s hard to imagine a time when Disney and Pixar weren’t one and the same, but that time did exist, however long ago. Prior to this acquisition, the two companies worked together on certain films, like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life. Disney taking over, however, enabled the studio to start producing more animated films more quickly — and we have this merger to thank for some of our recent faves.

Acquiring Marvel

Another acquisition that has changed the game for Disney is, of course, that of Marvel. Disney acquired Marvel back in 2009 for only $4 million, which is insane to think about when you consider how much Marvel movies have made the studio since.

And it’s clear Disney’s acquisition of Marvel held benefits for both parties. When Disney first came into the picture, Marvel was nowhere near as huge as it is today — and much of that is due to Disney (and then Kevin Feige) taking the reins. Disney’s guidance helped the Marvel Cinematic Universe become what it is today — and it’s hard not to wonder if it would look more confused and scattered without the input from the major studio.

Acquiring Lucasfilm

A more recent acquisition made during Iger’s time as CEO would be that of Lucasfilm, which is one that fans are mixed on to this day. There’s no doubt Disney acquiring the rights to Star Wars has resurrected the franchise, leading to new movies and miniseries set in the galaxy we all know and love. Of course, some fans believe the content was superior before the Disney acquisition — but we honestly can’t complain about anything that gives us more Star Wars to immerse ourselves in.

Acquiring 20th Century Fox

Just last year, Disney announced that it had acquired 20th Century Fox, encompassing the company’s film and television studio. It has since rebranded the movie side of things, changing 20th Century Fox to 20th Century Studios and Fox Searchlight Pictures to Searchlight Pictures.

While the ability to create original content using 20th Century Fox’s large catalog of films and TV series is a big deal for Disney, it’s hard to say what this means from the fan perspective. Disney hasn’t done much with this acquisition just yet, but it’s certainly opened a world of possibilities — and judging by the other acquisitions on this list, Disney will find a way to capitalize on those.

Launching Disney+

One of the final accomplishments Iger will have under his belt is the launching of Disney’s new streaming platform, Disney+, which officially came out in the United States in November. And with most of Disney’s classic catalog available on the platform, along with original content like The Mandalorian, Disney+ has been a hot commodity since its launch date. In fact, a quarterly earnings report for Q1 of 2020 revealed that Disney+ aleady has 26.5 million subscribers — and Disney forecasts a total between 60 and 90 million subscribers by 2024.

What is your favorite thing to come of Bob Iger’s time as CEO? Are you sad to see him depart? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!