BOB CHAPEK

Disney plans to make sure ESPN is not "your father's old sports experience," CEO Bob Chapek told CNBC in an interview.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he'd love to own Comcast's 33% stake in Hulu "tomorrow" but acknowledged the chances of an early deal are "less and less."

Disney Chief Executive Bob Chapek said Thursday that the company's sports network ESPN is looking for a partner to help it step into sports gambling.

Comments over the weekend from CEO Bob Chapek indicated Disney has big plans for the sports entertainment giant.

Activist investor Dan Loeb indicated that he's going to retreat from his push to get Disney to spin off ESPN.

Disney continues to add new features and attractions to its theme parks and cruise lines, which it outlined Sunday at its D23 Expo.

Bob Chapek's decision to boost Disney+ pricing 38% runs counter to predecessor Bob Iger's pricing strategy.

These are the stocks posting the largest moves in midday trading.

Daniel Loeb's Third Point has taken a new stake in Disney, according to a letter obtained by CNBC's David Faber. In a letter to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, Loeb urged the entertainment company to integrate streamer Hulu directly into the Disney+ direct-to-consumer platform. Comcast has an agreement to sell its 33% stake in Hulu to Disney in two years. Loeb said Disney should "make every attempt" to acquire Comcast's remaining minority stake before the 2024 deadline. He had held a stake for two years from 2020 to early 2022, pushing Disney to ramp up its streaming services.

CNBC checked in with the top bosses at Disney (DIS) and Devon Energy (DVN) on Thursday. They had lots of positive things to say.

Disney is raising prices on the strength of its brand and products rather than because of inflation.

Disney Results FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2019, photo, a Disney logo forms part of a menu for the Disney Plus movie and entertainment streaming service on a computer screen in Walpole, Mass. The basic Disney+ service today costs $7.99 per month. Disney said it added 14.4 million subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service in the April-June fiscal quarter. Netflix ended June with 220.7 million subscribers after losing nearly 1 million subscribers in the past quarter. Disney said paid subscriptions for Disney+ grew by 31%, much of that internationally, over the same time last year.

Disney streaming is also hiking fees for its services, with the monthly fee for Disney+ jumping by 38% in December.

The basic Disney+ service today costs $7.99 per month. Netflix’s most popular streaming plan in the U.S. is now $15.50 per month, and its top-of-the-line plan is $20 per month. Disney said it added 14.4 million subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service in the April-June fiscal quarter. Netflix ended June with 220.7 million subscribers after losing nearly 1 million subscribers in the past quarter. Disney reported revenue of $21.5 billion in the three months through July 2, up 26% from the same time last year.

Disney said it is raising prices for streaming subscribers in the U_S_ who want to watch Disney+ without ads as more viewers switch to what CEO Bob Chapek described Wednesday as the “best value in streaming.”.

A big quarter for Disney+ will give investors hope there's still growth in streaming, while disappointing numbers will ring alarm bells.

The Disney-backed streaming service Hulu is refusing to run political ads on central themes of Democratic midterm campaigns.

The classic log flume water ride, “Splash Mountain” will be approaching its final days as it receives a “Princess and the Frog” makeover which will be called “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” when it opens in late 2024 at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Carmen Smith, Disney senior vice president of Creative Development says “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” will not be a retelling of the 2009 animated film “Princess and the Frog” but will act as a sequel of sorts taking place right after the original film ends. Advertisement“Picking up where the film left off, guests will join Princess Tiana, Naveen and jazz-loving alligator Louis on an adventure through the bayou as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration where everyone is welcome,” Smith said. The decision to change the beloved “Splash Mountain” that has been open since 1992, came from Disney CEO Bob Chapek who said he believes the “Zippity Doo Dah” attraction based on the controversial film, “Song of the South” didn’t belong in Disney parks anymore. “The Splash Mountain attraction was originally based on ‘Song of the South,’ and we are eager to create an entirely new experiences that is more inclusive and inspirational for all guests.”“Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” will replace both Splash Mountain attractions in Disneyland and Disney World and will open in late 2024.

These are the stocks posting the largest moves before the bell.

The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors unanimously voted to extend CEO Bob Chapek’s contract by three years on Tuesday.

Disney has extended CEO Bob Chapek's contract for three more years, the company announced Tuesday. "In this important time of growth and transformation, the Board is committed to keeping Disney on the successful path it is on today, and Bob's leadership is key to achieving that goal. Bob is the right leader at the right time for The Walt Disney Company, and the Board has full confidence in him and his leadership team." Chapek, 63, has worked for the Walt Disney Company for nearly 30 years and is its 7th CEO. He took over the position from Bob Iger in 2020 just as the coronavirus pandemic began to shuttered different facets of the entertainment industry.

Authorities across much of the Muslim world have barred Disney’s latest animated film “Lightyear” from being played at cinemas after the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple.

By the time that Taika Waititi's untitled Star Wars film hits theaters in 2023, it will have been four years since the franchise has been on the big screen.

Sir Elton John is preparing to say goodbye in fabulous splendor, with the help of a documentary crew and the Walt Disney Co. Disney Original Documentary and Disney+ said Wednesday that the film, entitled “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Final Elton John Performances and the Years that Made his Legend,” will serve as the definitive and official feature on John’s life and career.

While the company touted its gains to investors, it did not say anything about the dismantling of the special district that governs Walt Disney World.

Previous clashes between Republican lawmakers and prominent businesses in the states they control have not always worked out as planned.

This is how a culture war death spirals.

"We don't know where we are going," district official says of the state's feud with its biggest private employer.

Company tells investors it is business as usual in the Sunshine State, despite feud with governor and lawmakers.

Ron DeSantis' retaliation against wokeness isn't built on principle, just pretext, but corporate America should think twice about participating in the culture wars.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As Walt Disney World remains embattled over Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redistricting, a Texas county judge is hoping to lure the company away from Central Florida to the Houston area. READ: DeSantis signs bill to dissolve Disney’s self-governing powerFort Bend County includes several cities, including parts of Houston. George mentions other major employers such as Amazon, Texas Instruments, Comcast and Gallery Furniture who have set up shop in Texas. “With a strong focus on economic development, we encourage small and large business growth through a business-friendly climate,” George writes.

Placeholder while article actions loadAfter weeks of sparring with the Walt Disney Co. after they criticized one of his prize pieces of legislation, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a law that dismantles a special tax district created 55 years ago that enabled the company to build what has become the world’s most popular theme park. ”You‘re going to marshal your company’s might to attack the parents of Florida?” DeSantis said Friday. Disney has not commented on the legislation since DeSantis introduced it Tuesday during a special legislative session. This program called Reimagine Tomorrow is not only morally wrong, it is now illegal in the state of Florida,” Rufo said.

Disney management should be able to clean up the company's debt-heavy balance sheet, which is one reason the Club believes in the stock long-term.

Placeholder while article actions loadFlorida’s Republican-led state legislature on Thursday passed a bill sought by Gov. Ron DeSantis to cancel Walt Disney World’s special tax district in Florida. That law prohibits discussions about gender-related issues in public school classes up to third grade, and potentially through high school. The Disney law will dissolve the entertainment giant’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was created in 1967 after Walt Disney bought 40 square miles of land in Central Florida to build the Magic Kingdom. Disney lobbyists said the project was too massive for local governments to handle, so legislators gave Disney the authority to run the development as a quasi-governmental agency.

Charlee Corra Disney, who came out as transgender, said they regretted not speaking out earlier against Florida's "don't say gay" bill.

Daily Wire Kids is the conservative company’s newest push into the entertainment industry.

Disney has vowed to help have Florida's HB 1557 law, known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, repealed.

Throughout the day, pockets of employees staged demonstrations at various sites across the country, including near Orlando’s Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Studios. The debate forced the company into a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. Local 362, which represents custodians, housekeepers and other Walt Disney World theme park workers. Republican lawmakers pushing the Florida legislation argued that parents, not teachers, should be the ones talking to their children about gender issues during their early formative years. About 20 Disney workers gathered at New York City’s Stonewall Inn, birthplace of the gay rights movement, to write letters in support of families affected by the Florida legislation.

Union leaders for employees at Disney theme parks advised workers not to walk out because doing so would defy contractual obligations.

Throughout the day, pockets of employees staged demonstrations at various sites across the country.

Controversial measure would bar schools from instructing younger students on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The full-scale walkout is a bid to urge the company to take a stronger stance against the Parental Rights in Education legislation in Florida, what critics have called the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Disney Walkout FILE - A statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stand near the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Jan. 9, 2019. With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, March 22, 2022, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File) (John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. — (AP) — With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. "We are not in support of that," Romualdas Dulskis, a Teamsters official in Orlando whose local represents costumed characters, bus drivers and other Disney workers, said Monday. Local 362, which represents custodians, housekeepers and other Disney World theme park workers.

Disney Walkout FILE - A statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse stand near the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Jan. 9, 2019. With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, March 22, 2022, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File) (John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. — (AP) — With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. "We are not in support of that," Romualdas Dulskis, a Teamsters official in Orlando whose local represents costumed characters, bus drivers and other Disney workers, said Monday. Local 362, which represents custodians, housekeepers and other Disney World theme park workers.

With some workers across the U.S. staging a walkout, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself performing a high-wire act of balancing the expectations of a diverse workforce against demands from an increasingly polarized and politicized marketplace.

Even though only a small percentage of Walt Disney Co. workers participated in a walkout, organizers felt they had won a moral victory with the company issuing a statement denouncing the anti-LGBTQ legislation that sparked employee outrage.

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger chose Bob Chapek to succeed him, but their relationship soured quickly, and the pressure is on Chapek to show he's right for Disney.

Several ESPN broadcasters on Friday participated in an on-air moment of silence to protest Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill.

Workers plan to walk out because of CEO Bob Chapek's slow response to publicly denounce what critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Senior leaders at Disney's studios have expressed their frustration to CEO Bob Chapek about his handling of the "Don't Say Gay" bill in Florida, sources say.

Disney workers are planning walkouts during their breaks every day this week to protest CEO Bob Chapek’s slow response in publicly criticizing Florida’s so-called Don’t Say Gay legislation.

(Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via AP) (Martha Asencio-Rhine)ORLANDO, Fla. — (AP) — Disney workers are planning walkouts during their breaks every day this week to protest CEO Bob Chapek’s slow response in publicly criticizing Florida legislation that critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The act of protest will culminate next Tuesday with a general walkout by LGBTQ workers and their supporters at Disney worksites in California, Florida and elsewhere, the group of Disney employees said this week on their website. Organizers asked Disney workers to check in online with their plans to participate in the full-scale walkout for next week. With his public responses being panned by some Disney workers and supporters, Chapek last Friday apologized and said the company was pausing all political donations in Florida. “I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community," Chapek said in a message to Disney workers.

Despite movies with LGBTQ characters and "gay days" at its theme parks, Disney has contributed funding to every Republican that supported the anti-LGBTQ legislation known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. In response to backlash, the company says it will pause political donations in Florida.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said Friday in an apologetic email to employees that he “missed the mark” in his response to HB 1557, controversial Florida legislation dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek announced Friday that the company would be pausing all pausing all political donations in the state of Florida in response to the passage of the Parental Rights in Education bill last week. Disney has come under fire from the LGBTQ+ community, for not taking a more aggressive stance on what has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. And today, we are pausing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review. I am committed to this work and to you all, and will continue to engage with the LGBTQ+ community so that I can become a better ally. I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community.

"Discrimination is bad for business," says new ad signed by companies including Alphabet, Apple and Johnson & Johnson.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek apologized for not being a "stronger ally" for the LGBTQ+ community and for the company's silence over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Walt Disney World The Human Rights Campaign said it is refusing a $5 million donation from Disney related to Disney’s opposition to the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. Ron DeSantis has fired back after the Disney CEO asked him not to sign the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. On Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he signed the Human Rights Campaign’s statement opposing the legislation. Opponents call it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and worry it could harm LGBTQ families across Florida. READ: Disney CEO says he opposes Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education billYou can read the bill in full below:Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Walt Disney World The Human Rights Campaign said it is refusing a $5 million donation from Disney related to Disney’s opposition to the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. (WFTV.com News Staff)The Human Rights Campaign said it is refusing a $5 million donation from Disney related to Disney’s opposition to the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. On Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the donation would be made to support LGBTQ rights protections. But the HRC said it won’t accept the money until “meaningful action is taken to combat” the bill, which critics have deemed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. READ: Florida Senate passes controversial Parental Rights in Education billChapek said he plans to meet with Gov.

It may be a while before Walt Disney World receives its promised Mary Poppins attraction at EPCOT.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek publicly opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill—dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics—Wednesday at a shareholders meeting, nearly a week after people protested and asked the company to share its views on the controversial piece of legislation.

Alan Horn, the film executive who helped turn Walt Disney Studios into the most powerful movie studios in Hollywood and whose 50-year career has touched films from from “When Harry Met Sally.

On what’s traditionally one of the sleepiest weekends at the movies, the Marvel film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” smashed the record for Labor Day openings with an estimated $71.4 million in ticket sales.

Steven Yeun, Nathan Lane, Issa Rae, Robert Pattinson, Janet Jackson, Leslie Odom Jr. and Laverne Cox are among the artists being invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Disney’s top executive says the CDC’s decision to ease up mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated people is “very big news for us.”.

A number of states have embraced new federal guidelines that say fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors or out in most situations.

Disney’s top executive says the CDC’s decision to ease up mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated people is “very big news for us.”.

Disney second-quarter revenue dropped as the pandemic continued to weigh on its parks and theme parks.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Guests making reservations for future trips to Walt Disney World now have the opportunity to make theme park reservations in 2023. According to Walt Disney World’s reservation system, slots are now available for all its theme parks through Jan. 14, 2023. (Walt Disney World)Officials said the new system was put in place to manage capacity limits in the parks while also following health and safety guidance. The new reservations in 2023 follow the Walt Disney Company’s 2021 quarter one earnings report, which was released last week. Absolutely not.”AdNo word on if the reservation system will stay in place following these new reservation dates.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he expects the strict safety precautions at the parks to last through the end of the year. He hopes there are vaccines for everyone who wants them by April, Chapek said that could be a ‘gamechanger’ for the theme parks. “But do we think we will be in the same state of 6-foot social distancing and mask-wearing in 2022? Absolutely not.”Disney parks in Central Florida are also expected to stay at some level of limited capacity. The battered cruise industry continues to rock Disney’s business plan, and the parks division alone reported a $119 million loss last quarter.

In this combination photo, Alan Bergman, left, and Alan F. Horn, attend the premiere of "The Mandalorian" in Los Angeles on Nov. 13, 2019. The Walt Disney Company announced Monday, Dec. 21, 2020 that Bergman has been named Chairman, Disney Studios Content, effective January 1, and Horn will continue to serve as the divisions Chief Creative Officer. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, file)Walt Disney Co. veteran Alan Bergman has been named chairman of Disney Studios, the company said Monday. “The Walt Disney Studios’ achievements under the leadership of Alan Horn and Alan Bergman have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Bob Chapek, Walt Disney Co. CEO, in a statement. Bergman has worked at Disney for 24 years and served as president of Walt Disney Studios from 2005 to 2019, helping to integrate Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and Twenty-First Century Fox into the Disney stable of brands.

Chapek said Disney+ subscribers worldwide have reached 86.8 million, up from 74 million last month. But Disney also kept its biggest films — including Marvel's “Black Widow," Pixar's “Luca,” a “Lion King” prequel — on course for theatrical release. Jenkins becomes the first woman to direct a “Star Wars” film. Among the “Star Wars” series are two spinoffs of “The Mandalorian,” set during the series' timeline: “Rangers of the New Republic” and “Ahsoka,” with Rosario Dawson. Seven Disney films topped $1 billion worldwide.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Disney CEO Bob Chapek told investors they are seeing high demand and strong attendance at the parks in Orlando. [RELATED: Disney posts 4Q loss as parks business, costs drag results]Additionally, Thursday was the release of Disney’s fourth quarter and full fiscal year earnings. Disney’s quarter four revenues were over 14.7 billion, that’s down 23 percent from last year. The report shows Disney’s fiscal year revenue was 65.3 billion, down about 6 percent from last year. If you take a look at Disney’s parks, experiences, and products, the number is down 61 percent in quarter four and down 37 percent for the fiscal year.

The company said in August that its Disney Plus service has more than 60 million subscribers, and subscribers to its main combination of streaming services — Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu — top 100 million. It still plans to launch another international streaming service called Star. Disney has released several major titles on streaming services that would traditionally have appeared at cinemas, like a live-action remake of "Mulan" and the upcoming Pixar film “Soul" that will hit Disney Plus at Christmas. Their primary focus will be on making shows and movies for streaming services, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said in a statement. Disney Plus is considered one of the most successful so far.

NEW YORK – The Pixar film “Soul” will skip theaters and instead premiere on Disney+ on Christmas, the Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday, sending one of the fall's last big movies straight to streaming. The successive delays of the film industry's would-be blockbusters has only made the dire circumstances of movie theaters more acute. Without aid, the organization said, 69% of small and mid-sized movie theater companies will close or go bankrupt. “The stark reality is that many movie theaters will not be able to open again if they don’t receive government help,” says Esther Baruh, director of government relations for the association. It recently announced that it would lay off 28,000 workers, most of them at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

This combination shows Yifei Liu in the title role of "Mulan," left, and John David Washington in a scene from "Tenet." On Thursday, Christopher Nolans Tenet will arrive in U.S. theaters, the first big movie to head to cinemas since the pandemic began. I didnt expect that many people to show up.More Americans will make their way back to the movies this weekend than any since the pandemic shuttered theaters in March. After debuting in Europe, Canada and Korea last weekend, Tenet on Thursday lands in the 75% open U.S. theaters, along with cinemas in China on Friday. As long as its done in a sensible way.As difficult as the circumstances are, Warner Bros. also sees opportunity.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Walt Disney World is set to once again open its gates to the Magic Kingdom following a lengthy closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. But with most families staying inside and not traveling, how crowded will the theme parks really be when they reopen? Park Capacity Capacity at 25% Magic Kingdom 57,000 people 14,250 people Epcot 34,093 people 8,523 people Hollywood Studios 30,843 people 7,710 people Animal Kingdom 37,671 people 9,417 peopleA park at 25% capacity would mean very minimal wait times. As we can all imagine, visiting a Disney theme park when it reopens will be a new experience for all -- no matter how many times you’ve visited. The Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom parks will open first July 11, with Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopening July 15.

[MORE: Here’s a glimpse at theme park reopening plans | Behind the closed gates: What’s been happening at Central Florida theme parks during pandemic closures]Disney is opening its Shanghai park cautiously as it evaluates reopening other parks around the world. (Disney)During a roundtable discussion, Disney executive George Kalogridis said the company is considering reopening its U.S. parks with 20% to 30% capacity. Park Capacity Capacity at 25% Magic Kingdom 57,000 people 14,250 people Epcot 34,093 people 8,523 people Hollywood Studios 30,843 people 7,710 people Animal Kingdom 37,671 people 9,417 peopleA park at 25% capacity would mean very minimal wait times. Chapek has said it’s ultimately up to how comfortable people are and how they react to the parks reopening their gates. The next time we visit a Disney theme park, it’ll be like going for the first time.