Bob Iger is set to step down as Disney CEO in March 2026, with Disney naming Josh D’Amaro as his successor. Reuters reported that D’Amaro will take over in March, while Iger will remain a senior adviser through the end of the year. For Star Wars fans, that makes this more than just a Disney boardroom story. Iger was the CEO who pushed Disney to acquire Lucasfilm in 2012 for about $4.05 billion, a deal Disney announced officially at the time as a major long-term franchise play. Lucasfilm Was One of the Defining Iger Moves When people look back at the Iger era, Lucasfilm is going to be one of the first things they mention. Under Iger, Disney did not just buy Star Wars. It turned Lucasfilm into one of the company’s most important franchise engines across films, streaming, merchandise, and theme-park strategy. Disney’s 2024 proxy-fight materials, as reported by…
Bob Iger
Disney+ to Feature AI-Generated Content by September 2026, Bob Iger Confirms
Disney’s streaming service Disney+ will introduce AI-generated short-form videos by the end of September 2026, CEO Bob Iger confirmed during the company’s recent first-quarter earnings call. The new content will be powered by OpenAI’s Sora, enabling the creation of 30-second videos featuring beloved characters from Disney’s vast library. This marks one of the most ambitious applications of artificial intelligence within a major entertainment platform, blending fan-driven creativity with Disney’s storytelling heritage across franchises like Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. What the Sora Integration Means for Disney+ The integration revolves around OpenAI’s generative video model, Sora, which can produce short video clips based on text prompts. Under the licensing agreement between Disney and OpenAI — part of a multi-year, multi-billion dollar partnership — users will be able to prompt Sora to generate AI-driven videos up to 30 seconds long using a selection of over 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars…
Disney Is Expected to Name Its Next CEO Next Month — Here’s What That Could Mean for Lucasfilm and Star Wars
Disney is reportedly preparing to make one of its biggest leadership decisions in years. According to the Los Angeles Times, Disney is expected to name its next CEO next month, as Bob Iger’s contract continues toward its scheduled end. For most Disney fans, this is obviously a massive corporate story. But for Star Wars fans (and anyone watching Lucasfilm closely), it’s also something else: A reminder that Star Wars doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it’s tied directly to Disney’s broader leadership strategy, budgets, and long-term priorities. Disney Has Been Here Before — and It Didn’t Go Smoothly The LA Times notes that Disney can’t afford another “succession implosion,” referencing the previous transition plan that backfired and led to Iger returning. That context matters, because the next CEO decision won’t just be about: It’s also about how Disney manages its crown jewel IP, including Star Wars and Marvel. Four Internal…
On This Day 13 Years Ago: Disney Bought Lucasfilm and Announced the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Thirteen years ago today, on October 30, 2012, the entertainment galaxy shifted forever. Disney officially announced its acquisition of Lucasfilm for a staggering $4.05 billion — and with it, the promise of a new Star Wars sequel trilogy. It was one of those rare cultural moments where business news and fandom collided, leaving fans equal parts thrilled, cautious, and curious about what the future of the galaxy far, far away would look like. A $4 Billion Deal That Changed the Galaxy When Disney announced the purchase of Lucasfilm from George Lucas, it wasn’t just buying a film studio — it was acquiring one of the most influential franchises in cinematic history. Lucas had built Star Wars into a global empire spanning movies, TV, games, comics, and merchandise, and Disney saw it as the perfect addition to its growing portfolio alongside Pixar and Marvel. The deal included Lucasfilm Ltd., Industrial Light…