Dick Cook Resigns

[goofystitch]

What I find even more unbelievable is that someone who ran television is now running films. That doesn't make much sense. Usually I would think you would bring in someone who worked with films before instead of TV.

Well, when you consider the fact that Bob Iger himself came from TV (he worked for ABC when Disney bought them), it's not so hard to believe. And from a business standpoint, he has a really good track record at Disney Channel for making them lots and lots (and lots) of money.

Rich Ross isn't in charge of Disney Channel anymore, right? He'll move onto the film division and someone else will take his job?

Correct.

Just because he helped with HSM, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, etc., doesn't mean that it's his favorite thing...it was his job and he did a good job and made Disney lots of money. I'm saying this because he won't necessarily push Disney Channel content on DVDs...Disney Channel was his previous job (if he indeed is moving onto the film division and no longer is in charge of Disney Channel).

True. However, since he is coming from Disney Channel, where he knows everybody, he might be inclined to do certain things to benefit his friends there. Such as giving them preferential treatment on the studio side of things. I'm not saying he will, but I'm just pointing out that he has been given a lot of power. Dick Cook started at Disneyland, but moved to the studios in marketing and rose up the ranks, so when he became president, he had been there for a while and knew everybody. Ross is coming in and has to manage a lot of people who loved Cook, so he has some challenges in terms of getting acquainted with everybody and getting them on board with his vision for the Studio.

Also, Ross has a bad reputation in Hollywood for being a backstabber and being ruthless to get what he wants. The amazing thing about Dick Cook was that he was an honest and genuine person. That is how he was able to attract such talents as Johnny Depp, Jerry Bruckheimer, Tim Burton, and John Travolta, and Steven Spielberg into having long lasting partnerships with Disney. They trusted him, something which is rare in Hollywood.

[blackcauldron85]

Some interesting comments from readers of BlueSkyDisney (usually I wouldn't just post to another website's comment section, but there are some good points):

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogI ... 9865&pli=1

I think that, if the people who say that Ross will only greenlight tweeny material are right, Ross would get fired pretty quickly, since people would be unhappy with the film division. Have some hope!

However, since he is coming from Disney Channel, where he knows everybody, he might be inclined to do certain things to benefit his friends there. Such as giving them preferential treatment on the studio side of things. I'm not saying he will, but I'm just pointing out that he has been given a lot of power.

That makes sense, in some respects, sure, but again, there can't just be one genre and one target audience for Disney films here on out, so yes, he may make more theatrical Disney Channel films, for example, but again, that won't be all that comes out of Disney now!

[estefan]

Considering my dis-taste for Disney Channel now (the only curently running series of theirs that isn't even close to annoying with lame jokes and ham-fisted acting is "Wizards of Waverly Place"), I'm not particuarly pleased with this decision.

I've felt this for a while and while Iger is doing a great job when it comes to the animation branch of Disney, me thinks he seems set on turning the Company into one squarely aimed at tweens. Say what you will about Michael Eisner (who wasn't all that great, either), but at least he understood Walt Disney's philosophy of making the Company aimed at all ages, not simply one demographic.

[blackcauldron85]

Ross' First Greenlight...
http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/2009/ ... light.html

[yukitora]

A Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron Sleeping Beauty Western would've actually been pretty amusing.

[blackcauldron85]

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/ ... heads.html

Mark Zoradi, president of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, has resigned effective immediately.

Zoradi oversaw the worldwide marketing and distribution for all Disney films, including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Disneynature.

“Mark has done an outstanding job over his many years with the Studio," Walt Disney Studios Chairman Rich Ross said in a statement. "He’s a respected leader throughout the entertainment industry and we wish him the very best.”

Zoradi's is the latest domino to fall since Dick Cook's sudden ouster as Walt Disney Studios chairman on Sept. 18 ...

http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayP ... 1109Zoradi

In a continued housecleaning at Walt Disney Co., studio distribution veteran Mark Zoradi is leaving the company after 29 years.
The departure of Zoradi, president of Disney's motion pictures group, follows the ousting of his former boss, Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook and Miramax Films President Daniel Battsek.

The studio is being remade under Cook's successor, Rich Ross, who was formerly president of Disney Channels Worldwide.

During his nearly three decades at the company, Zoradi worked in the television, home entertainment and film divisions, most recently overseeing worldwide marketing and distribution for pictures made under the Walt Disney Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Disneynature banners.

This weekend, Zoradi received the Louis B. Mayer motion picture business leader of the year award from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

[WDWLocal]

Considering my dis-taste for Disney Channel now (the only curently running series of theirs that isn't even close to annoying with lame jokes and ham-fisted acting is "Wizards of Waverly Place"), I'm not particuarly pleased with this decision.

I've felt this for a while and while Iger is doing a great job when it comes to the animation branch of Disney, me thinks he seems set on turning the Company into one squarely aimed at tweens. Say what you will about Michael Eisner (who wasn't all that great, either), but at least he understood Walt Disney's philosophy of making the Company aimed at all ages, not simply one demographic.

Iger IS doing a great job of running the company. And he DOES understand Disney.

Sure, Eisner understood Disney... for the first half of tenure! He lost touch after Frank Wells died and caused the company to go downhill. And the company is much better off with Eisner out of the picture.

[estefan]

Well, it becomes a tad worrisome when I see a Disney Monopoly box with Hannah Montana and the Sprouse Twins on the front, but no sign of Mickey or Simba.

[WDWLocal]

Well, it becomes a tad worrisome when I see a Disney Monopoly box with Hannah Montana and the Sprouse Twins on the front, but no sign of Mickey or Simba.

That's not a good reason to worry about the direction that Disney is heading in.

I just see things like that as more further ridiculous excuses to be bullies and pick on kids, which is REALLY shameful.

[ajmrowland]

You gotta also remember that the heads of Disney probably take a vote on all their decisions. You can't expect one man to be able to re-track this train himself.

[blackcauldron85]

Here's something I found interesting in this article:

Walt Disney Studios President Mark Zoradi leaves
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-c ... 4256.story
(via animated-news.com)

Nearly five years ago, Iger first broached the issue of narrowing the release windows, but then retreated after theater owners, as well as Cook, balked at the idea.

Zoradi, like Cook, was viewed as being rooted in established marketing and distribution practices, which Iger considers out of step with changes in the business.

I guess that means that anyone who doesn't have Iger's "future-focused" ideas will be out the door?

And, I mean, being stuck in the past in the business world, especially one that relies so heavily on technology, might not necessarily always be a bad thing, but who's to say that Iger's way is the best way? Maybe Cook and Zoradi, and whoever else, have really good ideas. I guess it's hard when your boss thinks one way, and anyone who feels differently is considered to be wrong?

[WDWLocal]

Jim Hill offers his analysis on the Cook news:
http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... eturn.aspx

I know some of you don't like Jim Hill, but he makes some interesting points and analyzes how some of these movies might be affected by his resignation. Though it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Also, I have the feeling that some fans are speaking out of personal bias rather than truly thinking about this whole fiasco.

First off, we don't have the WHOLE story regarding Cook's resignation. Yeah we've been saying how great he was but the truth is that we don't know if things were peachy keen at the company. Remember, Disney is still a company that seeks profit. There's a good chance that the things Cook did might have bothered the company and we just didn't know about it.

Second, PLEASE let's not go crazy with rumors. Sure, uncertainty always brings fear and doubt, and rumors are born out of lack of information. But let's not behave like the rumors will actually happen. Once again, Disney keep things secret and I am pretty sure they are talking about this. If you are starting to feel angry over rumors maybe you should back away from the discussion because its likely the fanboy/girl in you is just talking rather than your logical self, and the former tends to ruin good discussion.

So long story short, it sucks that Cook was fired/he quit, but let's not go crazy now since we don't know exactly why this happened and let's not freak out over rumors and play Chicken Little.

I must also say that I agree with this post as well.

We don't know the entire story. Therefore, we should not go about acting like Chicken Little...or Statler & Waldorf, for that matter.

[blackcauldron85]

Chapek promoted in Disney shake-up
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 877780b998
(via laughingplace.com)


Overhaul at Disney Studios Picks Up Speed
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2 ... -up-speed/
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

UPDATE 2-More Disney shakeup as CFO, parks chief swap jobs
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTech ... 3220091112
(via disneyreport.com)

[blackcauldron85]

Disney CEO Hints at Successor Amid Upbeat 4Q
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wir ... id=9069934
(via laughingplace.com)


Disney to switch top finance exec, theme parks chairman
http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2009/11/ ... -chairman/
(via thedisneyblog.com)

[blackcauldron85]

Disney Channel names Carolina Lightcap as president
http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayP ... 11259Names

[blackcauldron85]

"Wedding Banned" pulled from Disney slate
http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayP ... 2159Pulled

[Escapay]

"Wedding Banned" pulled from Disney slate
http://www.mickeynews.com/News/DisplayP ... 2159Pulled

Aw, that's upsetting. The premise sounds ridiculous, but I'd pay good money to see Robin Williams and Diane Keaton in a movie together! Hopefully another studio picks it up.

albert

[PatrickvD]

Wild Hogs 2 was also cancelled.

I kinda like this guy.

[goofystitch]

I too am starting to warm up to Rich Ross based on his decisions to axe the awful sounding 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea prequel staring Will Smith and Wild Hogs 2. Old Dogs was one of the worst movies I have ever seen and the first Disney movie to offend me. So far, it seems that Rich Ross' greenlighting decisions are based on what will be a guaranteed success, which is exactly what Disney needs right now. After several years of under-performing box office revenues, Disney needs to prove to its shareholders and fans that it is still capable of producing quality films that can make money.