Disney Chairman Dick Cook Resigns
What’s in the water over at Disney? So much change has been happening with the studio in the past few weeks. It makes me wonder if the Disney-Marvel merger was just a hint of darker things to come. Something out of the ordinary did follow that transition, and it came completely out of left field. In dramatic Hollywood fashion Dick Cook the longstanding Chairman of the company has resigned, and it takes effect immediately.
According to Variety, Dick Cook has been a part of the Magic Kingdom for the last 38 years, so imagine the shock that spread around the entertainment world when he “decided” to leave his position.
“I have loved every minute of my 38 years that I have worked at Disney from the beginning as a ride operator on Disneyland’s steam train and monorail to my position as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios,” Cook said in a statement released by the studio late Friday afternoon.
Cook’s resignation came as a surprise to me considering the studio’s upcoming slate that will include, Alice in Wonderland, Tron Legacy, and A Christmas Carol just to name a few. He played a major role in getting all of those tentpole projects for the studio off the ground. He was also a major part of some of the most successful acquisitions the studio’s made over the past year, including the addition of DreamWorks.
At the end of the official statement he released to the press, he had nothing but kind words to say about his former co-workers at the company.
“Our talent roster is simply the best in the business. I believe our slate of upcoming motion pictures is the best in our history. But most of all, I love the people, my colleagues, my teammates, who are the most talented, dedicated and loyal folks in the world. I know that I leave the studio in their exceptional hands.”
No further info has been released as to why Cook left, which leads me to believe there’s more to the story. If the studio has been achieving so much success at his helm, why step down now? Next year Disney is going to make a killing at the box office, and it’s mostly because of his business decisions. What gives?
What do you think about Dick Cook stepping down from his position as the Chairman of Disney?
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