BOB CHAPEK

Disney may show slowing growth of its Disney+ streaming service when it reports fiscal fourth-quarter earnings after the bell Wednesday.

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.

Disney has executed the transition to streaming effectively, but its popular ESPN channels are still reliant on traditional pay TV.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek warned Covid production delays due to the delta variant has created a smaller slate of new content than Disney had hoped.

President Joe Biden will discuss corporate vaccine mandates with top executives from Disney, Microsoft and Walgreens Boots Alliance.

The film’s massive success is a reminder that viewers still want fresh storytelling, not just recognizable faces—even from Hollywood’s biggest franchise.

All films set to come out 2021 will be released in cinemas, handing a boost to struggling venues.

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.

The Walt Disney Company has "figured out ways to fairly compensate" talent regardless of its film release method, CEO Bob Chapek said Thursday.

Longtime PR chief Zenia Mucha, who came from the world of politics, was a key advisor to three Disney CEOs and led the company through numerous PR crises.

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.

Over the past few weeks, Florida’s theme parks, from Disney to Universal and Busch Gardens, have quietly eased their limits on crowd capacity. Face masks and social distancing aren’t required if you are vaccinated, though that is on the honor system. Theme parks were among the most strict businesses when it came to COVID-19 safety and reopening. They banned neck gaiters, open-chin triangle ...

CDC's latest mask guidance leaves businesses scrambling to revise their own COVID-19 policies.

Walmart ends mask mandate for vaxxed shoppers and workers. Home Depot, Kroger and Target say they still want masks up — for now.

Walmart ends mask mandate for vaxxed shoppers and workers. Home Depot, Kroger and Target say they still want masks up — for now.

Retailers including Home Depot, Kroger and Target say they still want customers and workers to mask up.

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.”.

After the CDC issued guidance that says fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks indoors and outdoors, Disney CEO said it was "very big news."

After the CDC issued guidance that says fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks indoors and outdoors, Disney CEO said it was "very big news."

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

Disney's "Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings" and "Free Guy" will play exclusively in theaters for 45 days, the company's CEO said during an earnings call Thursday.

For now the theme park is allowing only state residents to visit and will operate at limited capacity.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park will reopen with limited capacity starting April 30 after being closed for more than a year because of the coronavirus, the entertainment giant said Wednesday. Attractions that draw large crowds, such as parades and nighttime fireworks, will remain on hiatus when the parks reopen. Some Disneyland hotels will also reopen at limited capacity on April 29. Disney plans to reopen the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on May 2 and the Paradise Pier Hotel later this year. California officials released guidelines earlier this month on how theme parks like Disneyland and outdoor sports stadiums may reopen.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park will reopen with limited capacity starting April 30 after being closed for more than a year because of the coronavirus, the entertainment giant said Wednesday. Attractions that draw large crowds, such as parades and nighttime fireworks, will remain on hiatus when the parks reopen. Some Disneyland hotels will also reopen at limited capacity on April 29. Disney plans to reopen the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on May 2 and the Paradise Pier Hotel later this year. California officials released guidelines earlier this month on how theme parks like Disneyland and outdoor sports stadiums may reopen.

About a year ago, Disney announces Bob Chapek will be the new CEO, and Bob Iger is going to step down. Did you think you were going to be the next Disney CEO? Who wouldn't want to be CEO of the Walt Disney Company? Who wouldn't want to be CEO of the Walt Disney Company? I think TikTok is an incredible product, and ByteDance is an incredible company.

California's two Disney theme parks will reopen on April 30, CEO Bob Chapek said Wednesday on CNBC's "Squawk Alley." "We've seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world," Chapek told CNBC's Julia Boorstin. "We've been operating at Walt Disney World for about nine months, and there certainly is no shortage of demand." The Vacation Club Villa at the Grand Californian will reopen on May 2, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will reopen at a later date. All theme parks in California have been closed due to Covid-related restrictions for the past year.

Disney+ has topped 100 million global subscribers. On Tuesday Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed the streaming service surpassed the benchmark in just 16 months since its launch. The company expects Disney+ will have 230 million to 260 million subscribers by 2024. The streaming service has seen rapid growth in subscribers since its launch in November 2019. On day one, the company had 10 million sign-ups and, by the end of the first quarter, the service had secured 26.5 million subscribers.

StreamingDisney said it now has almost 95 million paid subscribers to its Disney+ streaming service as of the quarter ended Jan. 2. Average monthly revenue per paid Disney+ subscriber, however, dipped 28% compared with the same quarter last year, from $5.56 to $4.03. The service has lower average monthly revenue per paid subscriber than traditional Disney+ in other markets, pulling down the overall average for the quarter. On Disney's earnings call, McCarthy said that excluding Hotstar, average revenue per paid Disney+ subscriber would have been $5.37 in the quarter. The company said it now has more than 146 million total paid subscribers across its streaming services as of the end of the first 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.

NEW YORK – The Walt Disney Co.’s streaming plans shifted into hyper speed Thursday, as the studio unveiled a galaxy’s worth of new streaming offerings including plans for 10 “Star Wars” series spinoffs and 10 Marvel series that will debut on Disney+. 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.

Bob Chapek, CEO of the Walt Disney Company and former head of Walt Disney Parks and Experiences, speaks during a media preview of the D23 Expo 2019 in Anaheim, California, Aug. 22, 2019. On Thursday, the company revealed a slew of impressive Disney+ announcements, with over 100 movies and shows connected to franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, FX and National Geographic. New shows in the Star Wars universe, including one featuring fan favorite characters Ahsoka Tano, were applauded by fans on social media during the announcement. Notably, Lucasfilm has brought on Patty Jenkins to direct "Rogue Squadron," a new Star Wars film due out in 2023. From Pixar, there will be series based on "Up" and "Cars" and new original series called "Win or Lose."

Views of the Disneyland theme park, still closed due to COVID-19 on July 11, 2020 in Anaheim, California. While the majority of Disney's theme parks were open during the company's fiscal fourth quarter, the continued closure of Disneyland in the U.S. resulted in a big financial hit. The state has said it will not permit theme parks to reopen until coronavirus cases have fallen substantially in the surrounding community. On Thursday, Disney said the Covid-19 outbreak cost its parks, experiences and products segment around $2.4 billion in lost operating income during its most recent period. In the second quarter, the company had reported it lost $1 billion in operating income due to the pandemic, and in the third quarter, the pandemic cut its operating income by $3.5 billion.

CNBC obtained a memo in which ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro announced to staffers that roughly 300 people will be laid off as parent company Disney shifts to more direct-to-consumer streaming. The memo follows internal discussions about layoffs related to Covid-19. "As you know, we value transparency in our internal dialogue, and that means in both good and challenging times," Pitaro wrote in the memo. Reports surfaced last week that the network could suffer more layoffs, as its parent company is focuses more on its streaming service. Other legacy media companies have had similar rounds of layoffs related to the pandemic and the shift to streaming this year.

Kareem Daniel's rise from intern to head of the company's newest distribution division is no exception. After all, the current CEO of Disney hired Daniel as an intern when Daniel was working on getting his MBA at Stanford. Notably, he was the vice president of distribution strategy at Walt Disney Studios when Disney closed its deal to purchase Marvel Studios for around $4 billion in 2009. Marvel and Star Wars have become a massive piece of Disney's strategy in recent years. Alan Horn and Alan Bergman will remain in charge of the company's studios, Peter Rice will continue to head the company's general entertainment group, and James Pitaro will stay as head of the company's sports content.

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.

Disney is restructuring its media and entertainment divisions, as streaming becomes the most important facet of the company's media business. As of August, Disney has 100 million paid subscribers across its streaming offerings, more than half of whom are subscribers to Disney+. Daniel will hold the reins to all of the company's streaming services and domestic television networks, including all content distribution, sales and advertising. Analysts are still awaiting word from Disney about how "Mulan" fared after Disney removed it from theatrical release and sold it through Disney+ for $30. Daniel will be responsible, in part, for making big decisions about Disney's theatrical and streaming release schedules going forward.

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.

Disney's "Soul" will no longer debut in theaters. The new Pixar animated feature will instead arrive on the company's streaming service Disney+ on December 25. "We are thrilled to share Pixar's spectacular and moving 'Soul' with audiences direct to Disney+ in December," said Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Unlike Disney's "Mulan," which skipped theaters to go to Disney+ in September, it appears that "Soul" will be free as part of the traditional streaming on-demand service. The movement of "Soul" from the calendar is yet another blow to movie theaters.

Activist investor Dan Loeb is asking Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek to end the company's annual $3 billion dividend to divert more capital to new Disney+ content. Loeb sent his proposal to Chapek on Wednesday in a letter, which CNBC has seen. "By reallocating a dividend of a few dollars per share, Disney could more than double its Disney+ original content budget," Loeb wrote. Disney shares were up about 1.8 percent in mid-day trading on Wednesday. Netflix shares are up almost 95 percent over the same period.

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.

Mulan is no longer headed for a major theatrical release. The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday that it will debut its live-action blockbuster on its subscription streaming service, Disney+, on Sept. 4. But this is no Hamilton: Customers will have to pay an additional $29.99 on top of the cost of the monthly subscription to rent Mulan." The company plans to release it in theaters in areas where Disney+ is not available. Originally set for a March 27 release, Mulan moved to late July, then late August and was then pulled from the calendar all together as COVID-19 cases spiked through the U.S.

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.

So do any additional Disney parks have firmly scheduled, announced opening dates? "We're moving slowly, but we're very encouraged by what we see in Shanghai," Chapek said Monday. Taking reservationsBut adding to the intrigue and desire: Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is now taking reservations for travel July 1 and afterward. At the Shanghai reopening, roaming Disney characters gave waves instead of hugs. Disney SpringsFor Americans who simply need a taste of anything Disney, the Florida resort is reopening Disney Springs, a collection of retail shops, entertainment spots and restaurants, on May 20.

Disney plans to increase capacity at its Shanghai park by 5,000 people each week until it reaches the limited capacity figure set by Chinese government, CEO Bob Chapek said Monday. Disney reopened its Shanghai theme park Monday, making it the first major park to reopen amid the Covid-19 pandemic. By the time Disney reaches 30% capacity, the government could increase its limit and Disney could continue slowly increasing attendance, Chapek added. Disney declined to provide specific attendance figures at Shanghai Disney. "If guests continue to behave in the way we have I think we can approach [full capacity]," Chapek said.

Tickets for Monday's reopening of Shanghai Disney sold out within minutes. Shanghai Disney, which closed since Jan. 25, will be the first major theme park to reopen since the Covid-19 shutdowns. Guests are required to purchase their admission tickets before arriving at the park, and annual pass holders will need to make reservations. Chinese third-party ticket vendors Fliggy and MeiTuan also have said their allotted tickets for reopening day have sold out. It's unclear how other dates on the calendar are selling, as there appears to be a glitch on the resort's website.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted Disney's theme parks and cruise businesses but boosted engagement on its newly-launched streaming service, Disney+. However, it's difficult to compare reported earnings to analyst estimates for Disney's second quarter, as the pandemic continues to hit global economies and makes earnings impact difficult to assess. Total operating income was $2.42 billion in the quarter, down from $3.82 billion, a 37% drop. Disney estimated the impact on its operating income for that segment was about $1 billion mostly due to revenue lost because of closures. The company reported a 58% drop in operating income for the segment this quarter compared to the same period last year.

Disney will reopen its Shanghai theme park on May 11, the company said during an earnings conference call on Tuesday. Disney reopened Disneytown, Wishing Star Park and the Disneyland Hotel in Shanghai in March. This will be the first Disney theme park to reopen after being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy said it remains unclear when the rest of Disney's parks, resorts, cruise ships and Disney-branded stores will be able to reopen. The segment had been the company's fastest-growing profit driver, however closures crippled revenue by 10% during the second quarter.

Disney isn't giving up on movie theaters in the wake of the coronvirus pandemic, but it's going to carefully evaluate its options going forward. For the most part, studios have shifted their calendars to push back major blockbuster films to later in the year or to 2021. "We very much believe in the value of the theatrical experience overall to launch blockbuster movies," Disney CEO Bob Chapek, said during an earnings call Tuesday. Disney has pushed all of its theatrical releases to new dates on the movie calendar, save for "Artemis Fowl," which will arrive exclusively on Disney+ later this month. The first movie Disney will release in theaters once they reopen is "Mulan" on July 24.

Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger will forgo his salary and new CEO Bob Chapek will take a 50% pay cut because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an internal email obtained by CNBC. In 2019, the former Disney CEO earned $47.5 million, down from $65.6 million in fiscal 2018. Chapek's base salary is $2.5 million, according to his employment agreement for his new role as Iger's successor as CEO. It's unclear how the closure of the two California Disney parks will impact the opening of the Avengers Campus expansion at California Adventure. One bright spot could be its new streaming service Disney+, which launched in the U.S. and a few other countries in November.

'Frozen 2,' 'Emma' to hit streaming ahead of scheduleThe gang returns in "Frozen 2," now available on Disney+. The gang returns in "Frozen 2," now available on Disney+. Photo: Disney, HO / TNS Photo: Disney, HO / TNS Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close 'Frozen 2,' 'Emma' to hit streaming ahead of schedule 1 / 4 Back to GalleryDisney+ recently made an announcement that it would be releasing "Frozen 2" three months ahead of schedule and adding it to its streaming services as a surprise for families. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film "will be made available on demand at the same time they hit those theaters that remain open during the coronavirus pandemic." STAY INFORMED: Sign up to receive breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.

The S&P 500 fell another 0.3%, after suffering its first back-to-back 3% losses since 2015. The S&P 500 also traded lower while the Nasdaq clung on to small gains. The rate was about 3 basis points higher earlier in the session. Those gains come after the S&P 500 had its worst two-day stretch in more than four years. The S&P 500 posted back-to-back losses of more than 3%, suffering its biggest two-day drop since 2015.

Disney's Bob Iger elaborated a bit Wednesday on his stunning decision to step down as CEO and become executive chairman effective immediately. "I don't want to run the company anymore," Iger said via phone, a day after his announcement. The long-tenured chief cited 20 years and 81 earnings calls and said he wants to concentrate on the creative pipeline of the company. Iger told me his desire to step down coalesced around Thanksgiving when he raised it with the board, which had already been targeting candidates.

Bob Iger's surprise announcement that he's stepping down as CEO of Disney and handing the reins over to parks chairman Bob Chapek comes during a time of massive change at the company. For much of its existence, Disney's media business thrived by selling its channels, movies and TV shows through cable networks and other distributors. Over time, that means Disney will become less reliant on the money it collects based on the dwindling pool of cable subscribers and more reliant on selling directly to consumers. Chapek is considered one of Disney's operations experts with a 27-year tenure at the company, which makes him an attractive CEO for the next chapter of Disney. It also helps that he was running Disney's parks and products businesses, which already have a direct relationship with customers.

Bob Iger will step down as Disney CEO and assume the role of executive chairman, Disney announced Tuesday. Bob Chapek, who most recently served as chairman of Disney parks, experiences and products, will assume the role of CEO, effective immediately, Disney announced. In an interview with CNBC's Julia Boorstin after Disney's announcement, Iger said the CEO reporting structure is a way to ensure a smooth transition. Iger will remain executive chairman of Disney through the end of 2021, according to the company. Iger said he would be able to help transition Chapek into the role while serving as executive chairman.

Bob Iger is stepping down as CEO. Disney announced that Bob Chapek, the company's head of parks, experiences and products, would be his successor. He built up the company through a series of four acquisitions that seeded its parks, consumer products and theaterical releases. In the year that Iger was named CEO, Disney's net income was $2.5 billion. Shares of Disney are up more than 400% from $25 per share in 2005 to nearly $128 at the close on Tuesday.

Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Experiences, stands for a photograph at an unveiling event of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, U.S., on Wednesday, May 29, 2019. That's why Tuesday's announcement that Bob Chapek , chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products , is taking over as CEO for Bob Iger is surprising and confusing. Mayer has been running Disney's streaming services as the company's chairman of direct-to-consumer and international. Disney 's Wall Street narrative the past two or three years has been very straightforward: We're leaning into streaming video. Watch: Disney CEO Bob Iger to step down

Disney's Bob Iger: I want to spend more time on creativeDisney Executive Chairman Bob Iger and Bob Chapek, who will replace him as CEO, discuss Iger's decision to focus on creative and give over the operation of the day-to-day business to Chapek. With CNBC's Julia Boorstin and Brian Sullivan, Chantico Global CEO Gina Sanchez, and the Fast Money traders, Tim Seymour, Dan Nathan and Guy Adami.

The head of Disney's parks, experiences and products is now its new CEO. Bob Chapek was tapped on Tuesday to succeed long-time Disney CEO Bob Iger. Prior to working at the parks, Chapek led Disney's home entertainment business starting in 2009 and led the organization to record-setting performances. He then transitioned to the company's consumer products team in 2011 as president of Disney consumer products. Before joining Disney, Chapek worked in brand management at ketchup maker H.J.

Fireworks explode over the Cinderella Castle at The Magic Kingdom, part of Disney World on January 20, 2017 in Orlando, Florida, US. Powell's position at Disney included overseeing Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris. Walt Disney World Resort will be led by Josh D'Amaro, who previously was president of Disneyland Resorts. In addition, Disney has promoted George Kalogridis, who has led Walt Disney World Resort since 2013, to the role of president of Disney segment development and enrichment. Kalogridis started his career at Disney as an original cast member from Walt Disney World's opening in 1971.