Disney CEO Bob Iger UNDER FIRE From Board of Directors Over Snow White DISASTER?!

Disney’s live-action Snow White, released on March 21, 2025, was supposed to be a triumphant reimagining of the studio’s first animated classic. Instead, it’s become a $270 million catastrophe that’s plunged the company into chaos—and now, CEO Bob Iger is reportedly feeling the heat from his own board of directors. With a global box office haul of just $225 million as of April 8, 2025, against a budget swollen by delays and reshoots, the film’s failure has triggered theater bans, public backlash, and a projected loss exceeding $115 million. Insiders claim the board is furious, questioning Iger’s leadership as the once-invincible Disney brand takes a bruising hit. What’s driving this corporate showdown, and why is it the talk of Hollywood? Let’s unpack the drama rocking the Magic Kingdom.

The Snow White Fiasco: A Financial and PR Nightmare

Disney had high hopes for Snow White, banking on star Rachel Zegler’s breakout appeal and a modern feminist twist to replicate the billion-dollar success of past remakes like Beauty and the Beast. But the film stumbled from the start. Production costs ballooned to $270 million due to a set fire, dual Hollywood strikes, and extensive reshoots—some prompted by early test screenings that panned the CGI “magical creatures” replacing the seven dwarfs. Marketing added another $100 million to $200 million, meaning Snow White needed to gross at least $500 million worldwide to break even. Instead, it opened to a paltry $87 million globally, dropping 66% in its second weekend to $14.2 million domestically. Critics trashed it—Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent gave it one star, calling it “lazy” and “visually repellent”—and audiences largely skipped it, leaving its total at $225 million.

The flop was compounded by external blows. Zegler’s polarizing comments—dismissing the 1937 original’s prince as a “stalker” and pushing a leadership-focused Snow White—sparked fan outrage, while her political posts (“free Palestine” in 2024 and “Fuck Donald Trump” after the election) fueled boycotts. Theater bans in parts of the Middle East, Poland, and even some U.S. locales further gutted its reach, with Saudi Arabia citing “cultural sensitivities” tied to Zegler’s activism and Gal Gadot’s Israeli nationality. Deadline estimates a $115 million loss after ancillaries, but whispers on X and in boardrooms suggest the true damage—factoring in brand erosion—could top $500 million. For a company built on fairy-tale endings, this was a grim reality check.

Bob Iger’s Golden Tenure Tarnished

Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO since 2005 (with a brief retirement from 2020-2022), has long been hailed as a corporate titan. Under his watch, Disney acquired Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, turning it into a $173 billion behemoth. His return in 2022 after Bob Chapek’s rocky stint was met with fanfare, with promises to steer the studio back to glory. But Snow White has cast a shadow over that legacy. According to Variety, the board of directors—chaired by Mark Parker and including heavyweights like Mary Barra of GM and Safra Catz of Oracle—is “livid” over the debacle, holding Iger accountable for a misstep that’s dented Disney’s stock and reputation.

Sources say the board’s frustration stems from multiple failures. First, there’s the greenlighting of a risky remake that alienated fans with its “woke” overhaul—replacing dwarfs with CGI critters after Peter Dinklage’s criticism and leaning hard into feminism. Second, there’s the handling of Zegler, whose unchecked controversies turned Snow White into a culture-war punching bag. “Bob didn’t see this coming,” an insider told The Hollywood Reporter. “He thought she’d be a star, not a liability.” Third, the muted rollout—no red-carpet premiere, just a press-free screening—signaled a lack of faith that backfired spectacularly. “They let it die quietly instead of fighting for it,” the source added.

Boardroom Showdown: Iger in the Hot Seat

The board’s ire reportedly boiled over during a tense April 5, 2025, meeting in Burbank. Per Variety, directors grilled Iger on why he didn’t intervene sooner with Zegler, whose political outbursts—like her post-election Trump rant—alienated conservative audiences at a time when Disney needed every ticket sale. “The first time she went off-script, they should’ve sat her down,” one board member allegedly snapped, echoing a sentiment shared by producer Marc Platt’s son, Jonah, who publicly called Zegler “immature” for hurting the film. Iger, known for his cool-headed optimism, defended his strategy, arguing that Zegler’s casting aligned with Disney’s inclusivity push and that the backlash was unpredictable. But the room wasn’t buying it.

Financials fueled the fire. Disney’s stock, already shaky after Mufasa: The Lion King’s lackluster run, dipped 3% post-Snow White, with analysts like Laura Martin of Needham warning of “brand fatigue.” The board, tasked with protecting shareholder value, saw Snow White as a symptom of broader woes: a live-action remake pipeline that’s lost its magic. “This isn’t just about one film,” a source told Deadline. “It’s about Bob’s vision—or lack thereof—for the future.” Rumors swirled that some directors even floated ousting Iger, though no formal vote has surfaced.

Zegler: The Scapegoat or the Spark?

Zegler’s role in the disaster looms large. Her early comments trashing the original Snow White—“It’s not 1937 anymore”—set off a backlash that never subsided, with viral TikTok rants accusing her of disrespecting a classic. Her political posts, especially the “free Palestine” X tag that led to Middle Eastern bans, turned a family film into a geopolitical hot potato, costing Disney markets and forcing extra security for Gadot. After the flop, her furious Instagram Live rant—“They’re banning it because they can’t handle a woman with a voice”—only deepened the divide, with critics like @AmiriKing on X calling her “selfish” and supporters like Melissa Barrera praising her guts.

Iger’s team has privately pinned much of the blame on Zegler, with Variety reporting he’s “done playing nice” after her unchecked behavior. Yet some board members argue Disney’s at fault for not managing her better. “They picked her, they stuck with her,” @AGHamilton29 tweeted. “This is on Bob as much as Rachel.” The tension highlights a broader debate: Did Iger misjudge the cultural climate, or was Zegler an uncontrollable wildcard?

Disney’s Bigger Problem

Snow White isn’t an isolated failure. Disney’s live-action remakes, once a cash cow, are faltering—Mufasa barely broke even, and Dumbo underperformed years ago. Audiences seem tired of recycled stories, especially ones that deviate sharply from the originals. The Snow White trailer, panned as “A.I.-generated” with 1.4 million YouTube dislikes, didn’t help, nor did the dwarf controversy. “Disney’s out of ideas,” The New Yorker’s Jessica Winter wrote, calling Snow White “emblematic of an industry chasing trends instead of creating.”

The board’s pressure on Iger reflects this crisis. Posts on X, like @dom_lucre’s “Disney’s imploding under Bob Iger,” suggest a public losing faith. The bans—Middle East over politics, U.S. indie theaters over boycotts—underscore how Snow White became a lightning rod, amplifying the financial hit. “They spent $270 million and got a woke lecture nobody wanted,” Joe Rogan quipped on his podcast, capturing the “go woke, go broke” narrative gaining traction.

Iger’s Fight to Survive

Iger’s not down yet. He’s reportedly launched a review of Disney’s live-action slate, with projects like Tangled on hold. Insiders say he’s pushing back against the board, citing successes like Moana 2 ($717 million global) as proof he can still deliver. But the Snow White stain lingers. “Bob’s legacy is on the line,” a source told The Wall Street Journal. “He can’t afford another flop like this.” Some speculate he might step down if pressure mounts, though his contract runs through 2026.

Zegler, meanwhile, is pivoting to Evita in London in June 2025, leaving Disney to clean up the mess. Her career’s bruised—rumors of a “blacklist” swirl—but supporters argue she’s been unfairly vilified. Over 50 journalists signed an open letter decrying the “hit job” on her, pointing to Disney’s mismanagement as the real culprit.

Why It Matters

As of April 8, 2025, this boardroom clash is Hollywood’s hottest topic. It’s not just about Snow White’s $115 million loss or its bans—it’s about whether Iger, a titan of modern media, can weather a storm of his own making. The board’s fury signals a reckoning for Disney’s direction, while Zegler’s role keeps the culture wars alive. “This is bigger than Bob or Rachel,” @amuse tweeted. “It’s Disney’s soul at stake.”

Will Iger rally, or will the board force a shake-up? For now, the Magic Kingdom’s throne room is a battlefield, and the world’s watching every move.