Disney downplays former CEO Bob Chapek's memoir as internal dispute
Disney insiders say Bob Chapek's upcoming memoir is viewed as a personal grievance against Bob Iger rather than a threat to the company, while the studio prepares for another book about Iger.
Bob Chapek’s memoir, "Behind the Castle Walls," is set to be released on Tuesday. According to a Disney insider, the book is being treated as an internal grievance against current CEO Bob Iger rather than a concern for the company’s operations.
The insider said, "The Chapek thing is done and dusted from Disney’s point of view," adding that the manuscript reads more like an anti-Iger screed. Chapek’s account portrays his three-year tenure as fraught with conflict, citing disagreements over the Florida "Don’t Say Gay" legislation and the 2021 dispute with Scarlett Johansson over the release of "Black Widow."
In a recent Wall Street Journal interview, Chapek claimed the harsh public stance on Johansson was driven by Disney’s communications head and approved by Iger, and that he was instructed to defer talent-related matters to Iger.
Disney executives, however, appear more focused on an upcoming Wall Street Journal biography of Iger titled "The House of Mouse," scheduled for release in December. Reports indicate the company has engaged attorney Charles Harder to prepare for potential legal challenges related to that book.
No comment has been received from Disney or Iger regarding Chapek’s memoir.