Eisner On The Edge?

Thog

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Eisner On The Edge?

"Right now, Michael Eisner seems to need better job security," states Jim Hill at the Orlando Weekly. "For months, there have been whispers around Hollywood that he has lost touch with what audiences want to watch.

Critics point to ABC's loss of 25 percent of its viewers last season. Not to mention Disney Studio's dismal performance at the box office during the past 12 months, including its latest big-budget bomb, Bad Company. As Disney's stock tumbled, investment firms like Merrill Lynch last week cut back on their earnings projections for the Walt Disney Co. Some Wall Street insiders suggested that it could be months -- years, even -- before Mickey is able to pull himself out of his hole.

No one on Disney's board has been willing to go on record about what all the bad news might mean for Eisner. Even so, the company reportedly has begun searching for a strong creative executive to serve as Eisner's new second-in command, to replace the current president and chief operating officer, Robert Iger. The idea is that the new exec might eventually fill Eisner's shoes.

Members of Disney's board were said to be mortified earlier this month when news leaked via the Internet that they were supposedly talking with Bob Pittman. Currently co-chief operating officer at AOL Time Warner, Pittman certainly seems to have the right credentials for the top spot at Disney.

A co-founder of MTV, Pittman also rode herd on Time Warner's Six Flags division. Given his extensive experience in broadcast and theme-park management, he could be an excellent candidate to replace Eisner. Not that Eisner, whose current contract doesn't run out until 2006, has any desire to go. If anything, over the past few months he has dug himself in even deeper at Disney, determined to do whatever he has to do to restore his reputation as one of Hollywood's most influential movers and shakers.

Everyone at Disney will be watching closely to see how the company's next three summer film releases--Reign of Fire, The Country Bears and Signs--perform at the box office. Should any of them hit big, Eisner may buy himself a little time. But, if ABC doesn't have at least one enormously successful TV series in its fall lineup, it's Michael Eisner who just might find himself getting canceled."
 

Drtooth

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.... I hear Lilo & Stitch did pretty good this weekend. Came in as the #1 family movie. I liked it, anyway!
 

Thog

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I can't wait to see it. I'm surprised that it's not playing at the new theater on the common. It's only at Fenway and Copley.

Dan
 

scarecroe

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I love that new Loews theatre. I'd go there everytime if I were closer. That's very odd that L&S isn't playing there.
 

Thog

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It's nice there. Sometimes I'll take a day off and go see the first movie of the day. If the movie is upstairs then you can sneek into movies all day long. I saw 4 in one day there.
It's good to go see the movies that you really don't want to pay to see.

Dan
 

radionate

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Lilo and Stitch actually tied for first place with Minority Report. Last I heard they were waiting for the final tallies to come in, but its a neck and neck race between the two. So by Disney saying that Lilo and Stitch was the number 1 family movie, they aren't really streaching the truth.
 

frogboy4

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Minority Report - $35,677,125
Lilo & Stitch - $35,260,212

It's pretty much a tie IMHO. Though $400, 000 is nothing to sneeze at, it's not that big of a difference here.

It seems like Mike may have more pressure to buy the frog now and save face on the fallen deal in the 90s. Maybe not. Will somebody buy them please? LOL!
 

Janice & Mokey's Man

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*sigh*

I just wish Disney would still rerelease the classics in theaters..."Sleeping Beauty" was supposed to have its turn in 92, but it never happened!! ARRRRRRRGH!!

Mary Costa was wronged, *maaan!*

:mad:
 

radionate

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Originally posted by frogboy4
Minority Report - $35,677,125
Lilo & Stitch - $35,260,212

It's pretty much a tie IMHO. Though $400, 000 is nothing to sneeze at, it's not that big of a difference here.

It seems like Mike may have more pressure to buy the frog now and save face on the fallen deal in the 90s. Maybe not. Will somebody buy them please? LOL!
Thanks for the figures Jamie. I actually did a quick search for them yesterday, but couldn't find final totals anywhere. Maybe I should have gone to see Lilo this past weekend. Oh well.
 

Drtooth

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Lilo an' Stitch must still be doing good. I went to toys R Us yesterday (I bought Dr.Teeth) and they were sold out of everything but the Hula Lilo doll and a couple computer games.
 
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