Marvel: New historic layoff at Disney! Are you expecting big changes?

A deflagration worthy of snapping Thanos’ fingers. Marvel has just lost two historic executives in the space of a week: First, Victoria Alonso, executive vice president of visual effects and post-production since 2006, was fired for reasons that are still unclear (sources are talking about a breach of contract while others are talking. Speaking of Disney critics who signed its loss).

Then Isaac ‘Ike’ Perlmutter, now Marvel Entertainment’s former president of consumer products. Separated from the studios, this branch was duplicated by Disney, who decided to integrate it into larger business units. The announcement comes as part of $5.5 billion in business cuts that will cost 7,000 employees.

According to New York Times, which reports that Ike Perlmutter’s departure was only a matter of time for many of the company’s executives. After a failed attempt to put spokes on the wheels of former Disney CEO Bob Iger, who returned to the helm of the firm last February, he is pushing for the integration of activist Nelson Peltz into the decision-making board. And at the same time, he also tried to oust Kevin Feige as head of the studio in 2015.

If Marvel today is the gingerbread we know, it’s thanks in part to Ike Perlmutter. Co-owner of Toy Biz at the time, along with future Spider-Man producer Avi Arad, he was able to prevent Maison des Idées from going bankrupt in 1997. before playing a key role in its 2009 acquisition by Disney. The amount is 4 billion dollars.

Changes in vision?

Known for his desire to maximize profit with little spending, but also for the sexist, homophobic and racist remarks he would make, Ike Perlmutter also led Marvel Television, to which we owe the Netflix series (Daredevil, Jessica Jones …) or Even Agents of SHIELD, and which was integrated into Marvel Studios in 2019.

Coupled with the disappointing number of Marvel Cinematic Universe films at the box office, and most recently the Ant-Man 3 films, this transition confirms that the firm is passing through a zone of creative and financial turbulence. But the dismissal of Ike Perlmutter after Victoria Alonso is sure to bring profound changes.