Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit
People Magazine is reporting that actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her lawsuit against him, according to court documents released Thursday, Nov. 21. Grace Jabbari, a British dancer, first filed the civil suit in March 2024, accusing Majors of assault and defamation.
The allegations stemmed from incidents during the couple’s nearly two-year relationship. Jabbari and Majors met in 2021 on the set of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” where Majors was gaining recognition as a rising star.
Legal troubles and court trial
Majors faced a legal trial in New York after an altercation with Jabbari in March 2023. According to court records, the dispute allegedly began when Majors received a suggestive text message from another woman. The text read, “Wish I was kissing you right now.”
Jabbari claimed Majors attacked her in the back of an SUV and later found her unconscious in the apartment they previously shared. Police bodycam footage shows her partially unclothed with a blanket across her waist.
During the trial, evidence included text messages and audio recordings. One incident Jabbari recorded during an altercation revealed Majors suggesting she emulate figures like Michelle Obama and Coretta Scott King.
Despite maintaining his innocence, Majors was convicted in December 2023 on two misdemeanor assault counts. The court ordered him to complete a year-long counseling program in April 2024.
Court documents filed Thursday revealed both Majors and Jabbari agreed to dismiss all claims against him “with prejudice.” This means Jabbari cannot refile the lawsuit in the future, bringing a close to the legal battle between the two.
Meagan Good’s public support
Majors’ relationship with actress Meagan Good became a focal point of public discussion. The two started dating a few months after Majors’ March 2023 arrest. Good appeared by his side during nearly every court appearance, sparking widespread discussion about her support during the legal proceedings.
‘Avengers,’ LeBron James endorse Harris; Jake Paul backs Trump
Some famous faces put their names behind their pick for president on Thursday, Oct. 31. Members of the cast of Marvel’s “Avengers” film franchise assembled to show their support for Vice President Harris while YouTube star Jake Paul backed former president Trump.
Actors Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and others gathered together in a social media video supporting Harris.
NBA superstar LeBron James also backed Harris in a post on X saying, “When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. Vote Kamala Harris.”
What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!! pic.twitter.com/tYYlTmQS6e
Social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul put his endorsement behind the Republican nominee. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Paul laid out his reasons and asked his followers to do their own research.
“Regardless of your emotion, I’m just presenting you with facts,” he said. “Do I think Donald Trump is a perfect human being? No. I don’t think anybody on this planet is a perfect human being, myself included. To be frank, I’m not concerned with Donald Trump’s ‘character flaws’ or what he’s done in the past. What I’m concerned with is how good a president is he, because that is his job and that’s what’s going to affect the people of this nation.”
Harris, Trump look to win the West with 4 days until Election Day
As the presidential campaign heads into the final weekend, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris swing through the western U.S. to sway undecided voters. And crews in Spain search for survivors after a year’s worth of rain fell in just hours. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.
Harris, Trump look to win the West with days until Election Day
With just four days to go until Election Day and more than 65 million ballots already cast, the candidates are making their final stops on the campaign trail. On Thursday, Oct. 31, both nominees visited the western United States to make their case.
Republican nominee former President Donald Trump spoke at campaign events in New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona, while Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris held rallies in Arizona and Nevada.
At an event in Glendale, Arizona with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump repeated his stance of there being “an enemy within” the United States — a comment Harris has criticized in her speeches.
“If you have a smart president, somebody that knows what’s happening, you’re going to be fine,” Trump said, “But we do have an enemy from within. We have some very bad people, and those people are also very dangerous. They would like to take down our country. They’d like to have our country be a nice communist country or a fascist in any way they can, and we have to be careful of that.”
In Henderson, Nevada, Trump said Harris would not be able to handle the presidency, calling her “a child” when it comes to understanding the economy. He also announced former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be working on “health and women’s health” if he’s reelected.
While in Reno, Nevada, Harris continued her warnings to supporters about another Trump presidency, calling trump “increasingly unstable” and “obsessed with revenge.”
“In less than 90 days, either he or I will be sitting in the Oval Office, and listen, here’s what we can imagine, right, we’ve all seen on TV — you’ve seen the Oval Office — just visually imagine what that day will be,” Harris said. “Because, if elected, Donald Trump on day one would walk into that office with an enemies list. When I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list on behalf of you.”
The vice president told the crowd that people are “exhausted with Trump’s rhetoric.” She also appealed to female voters, criticizing Trump’s comments that he would “protect women” saying, “Trump does not respect the freedom of women.”
Harris’ Nevada rally was interrupted by protesters at times, but the vice president said it was “OK” and “we’re fighting for the right to be heard.”
Friday, Nov. 1, both candidates will hold rallies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the final weekend of the 2024 election cycle begins.
‘Avengers,’ LeBron endorse Harris; Jake Paul backs Trump
Some famous faces put their names behind their pick for president on Thursday. Members of the cast of Marvel’s “Avengers” film franchise assembled to show their support for Vice President Harris while YouTube star Jake Paul backed former president Trump.
Actors Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and others gathered together in a social media video supporting Harris. NBA superstar LeBron James also backed Harris in a post on X saying, “When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. Vote Kamala Harris.”
Social media influencer turned boxer Jake Paul put his endorsement behind the Republican nominee. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Paul laid out his reasons and asked his followers to do their own research.
“Regardless of your emotion, I’m just presenting you with facts,” he said. “Do I think Donald Trump is a perfect human being? No. I don’t think anybody on this planet is a perfect human being, myself included. To be frank, I’m not concerned with Donald Trump’s ‘character flaws’ or what he’s done in the past. What I’m concerned with is how good a president is he, because that is his job and that’s what’s going to affect the people of this nation.”
Why I Am Not Suspending My Campaign Let me be clear: Despite the immense pressures and intense assaults on my campaign and character, I intend to hold the torch and finish this race – to and after November 5th! The escalating corruption of the US political system and the… pic.twitter.com/CQrcOTX9vi
West accused the Pennsylvania secretary of state of improperly keeping him off the ballot for not filing all the required paperwork. The state’s top court agreed with the secretary of state, but a federal judge said while it does seem like Pennsylvania’s rules make it harder for third-party candidates to get on the ballot, it’s too close to Election Day to re-print ballots and re-test election machines without increasing the risk of error.
Flash floods claimed the lives of at least 158 people, with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone. Spain’s minister for territorial policy said Thursday dozens of people are still missing but they don’t have an exact number of how many.
Army specialist charged in female soldier’s murder at Missouri base
Her body was found in a dumpster at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri last week. Rancy, who’s with the 5th Engineer Battalion, is also charged with obstruction.
The Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, which is the primary federal law enforcement agency of the United States Army, is overseeing the probe.
The department has not specified a motive for the killing. It is also unclear if Rancy and Roque knew each other.
OpenAI adds search and summary function to ChatGPT
Google has some new competition. OpenAI has added a search function to its artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT.
Paying subscribers are now able to activate a mode on ChatGPT that makes it respond to queries by searching the internet for the latest information and summarizing what it finds. The search capabilities are powered by Microsoft’s Bing search engine and will draw information from articles by publishers OpenAI has deals with, including The Wall Street Journal owner News Corp. and the Associated Press.
While this function is only for paying subscribers for now, OpenAI said it plans to bring search to all users eventually.
Robert Downey Jr. will sue executives if they recreate him with AI
Robert Downey Jr. is the latest star to make it clear he doesn’t want his likeness recreated by artificial intelligence. On a recent episode of the “On With Kara Swisher” podcast, the actor said he would sue all executives who allow an AI created version of him.
When he talked about his role as Iron Man, Downey Jr. said that while he doesn’t think Marvel executives would ever recreate his portrayal of Tony Stark, he would sue if they tried – even after he dies.
“I am not worried about them hijacking my character’s soul because there’s like three or four guys and gals who make all the decisions there anyway and they would never do that to me, with or without me,” Downey Jr. said.
Swisher added that new executives would likely do it.
“Well, you’re right,” Downey Jr. said. “I would like to here state that I intend to sue all future executives just on spec.”
“You’ll be dead,” Swisher responded.
Downey replied, “But my law firm will still be very active.”
Last year, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists led a strike over the same issue. Those strikes lasted four months.
SAG-AFTRA ultimately signed a deal requiring productions to get the informed consent of actors whose digital replicas are used.
A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA said Downey Jr. can deny use of any digital replica in movies. This is because of California’s new law prohibiting the unauthorized replication of a dead performer’s likeness without prior consent.
Downey Jr.’s latest project is a broadway production titled “McNeal,” which is about the way AI is disrupting the world of literature and addresses questions about how AI is impacting creativity.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ Comic Con reveal bring marvelous box office outlook
After a weak first quarter at the box office, did the world just find the pair of brave heroes who will save the movie industry this year? A combination of “Deadpool & Wolverine” and a dramatic villain reveal at Comic Con might just make up for the previous quarter.
Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” was released on July 26 and brought in $211 million in its domestic debut. The movie set the record for the best opening weekend for an R-rated movie. The film surpassed the $132 million garnered by “Deadpool” (2016) and the $125 million by “Deadpool 2” (2018).
The superhero collaboration starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman climbed to sixth on the list of biggest movie debuts of all time, above “Jurassic World” (2015) with its $208 million and below “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” (2017), which earned $220 million.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the first to feature characters previously licensed under 20th Century Fox. Disney announced its MCU is now worth more than $30 billion, making it the highest-grossing franchise in movie history.
As Disney shows pride over Marvel, it’s also reveling in the accomplishments of another brand under the “House of Mouse” — Pixar.
The animation studio’s latest film “Inside Out 2” is now the highest-grossing animated film. The movie has raked in $1.46 billion globally so far. It took the title from another Disney hit, 2019’s “Frozen II.”
So all of this is good news for Disney, but what about the overall box office itself? According to Comscore’s Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, with the performances of “Deadpool and Wolverine” and “Inside Out 2,” the outlook is brighter for the industry’s prospects in 2024.
While there likely won’t be a phenomenon like 2023’s “Barbeheimer” that brought the domestic box office revenue over the $9 billion mark, Dergarabedian suggested 2024 might end up in the $8 billion plus range. He said that would still be quite impressive given how 2024 started with lackluster sales and overall buzz.
So far this is only talking about 2024, but excitement is already building for what’s coming to theaters in the future — especially when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
At San Diego’s Comic Con, Marvel gave fanboys and fangirls plenty of news to look forward to include the reveal that actor Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU. He is returning not as the heroic Iron Man, but as the villainous Doctor Doom.
The studio is bringing Downey in as it ties up its multi-verse arc with the next two Avengers films in 2026 and 2027. Marvel is hoping the movies will be more successful than their recent crop of films.
As for the industry as a whole, there is a slate of highly anticipated films in the upcoming years with a good number of them being sequels. However, as the past shows, that’s not a bad thing — especially when it comes to Marvel films. To circle back to the best opening weekends, the biggest one of all time was 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” making $357 million at the domestic box office.
Now, with the slew of anticipated movies ahead, Marvel and the film business as a whole are making plans. That means “Deadpool & Wolverine” will have some help in saving the industry in the years ahead.
The ‘little guy’ may have the biggest say in Disney’s $70 million proxy fight
The fierce boardroom battle over Disney’s direction heads to a vote during the week of March 31. It is expected to be the most expensive proxy fight in history, with all sides dropping a collective $70 million to influence shareholder votes.
Disney is doing the bulk of the spending to push for its chosen board of directors at an estimated $40 million, while Peltz’s Trian Partners expects to drop $25 million to Blackwells Capital’s $6 million. The latter two are separately challenging the company line.
Peltz is no stranger to forcing expensive fights over board seats. He holds the current record for the most expensive proxy fight with Procter & Gamble in 2017. That fight cost $60 million and is one of the closest proxy battles in corporate history. After a near-tie and multiple recounts, Peltz reportedly lost the vote but P&G conceded in giving him a seat on the board anyway.
Now setting his sights on Disney for a second time – he first angled for a board seat one year ago before dropping the fight – Peltz and Trian Partners argue, “Disney has lost its way over the past decade. Shareholders have suffered greatly, losing tens of billions of dollars in value.”
“We’re here to make that stock go up for the right reasons,” Peltz said in a video aimed at Disney shareholders. “We’re here to get this company back to earning money, generating cash flow, fixing the streaming business. Here’s a company that has disappointed and underperformed the S&P for one year, three years, five years, 10 years, forever. That’s how long they’ve been disappointing shareholders.”
Over the past five years, the S&P 500 index is up more than 81% while Disney is up 5.65% as of Monday morning, April 1.
One of Peltz’s biggest gripes is continued losses in Disney’s streaming business. In a 133-page white paper, he suggests, among other things, combining Hulu with Disney+.
Despite the underperforming stock track record over the past several years, Disney argues that under returning CEO Bob Iger, the company is in the middle of righting the ship.
In 2024, Disney’s stock has far outpaced the S&P 500 benchmark, rising 34% compared to S&P’s 10%. The company is also going after Peltz’s track record in a series of attacks meant to sway shareholders.
“Nelson Peltz has a long history of attacking companies to the ultimate detriment of shareholder value. His quest also seems more about vanity than a belief in Disney,” Disney said in a video to shareholders.
Part of what is making this fight over board seats so expensive, possibly record-setting, is that around 40% of Disney’s shareholders are regular people, not big funds. The New York Times said for the average public company, individuals usually own around 15%.
It’s costly to reach a large number of small investors. In this proxy fight, it could be Average Jane and Joe who tip the scales at Wednesday’s annual shareholders meeting. At stake are the futures of Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, ABC, movie studios like Marvel, and of course, the happiest places on Earth.
Biden to address nation on Israel-Hamas war: The Morning Rundown, Oct. 19, 2023
President Biden is set to address the nation following his visit to Israel. And, after 18 years, the main suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway confesses – these stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Biden to address nation on Israel-Hamas war; aid headed to Gaza
President Joe Biden will address the nation during a speech from the Oval Office Thursday night, Oct. 19, where he will update Americans on the U.S.’ response to the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Biden returned home after visiting Israel, where he reaffirmed the United States’ support of Israel in its war with Hamas following the terrorist attack that killed 1,400 people, including 31 Americans.
Biden also announced he secured a deal with Egypt to allow humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. According to Gaza authorities, more than 3,400 people have been killed since Israel began its airstrikes.
The president spoke to reporters about the need for aid while aboard Air Force One.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the press in front of the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, onboard of Air Force One. (Reuters)
“I was very blunt with the Israelis. Israel has been badly victimized, but the truth is, if they have the opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go — it’s what they should do — and if they don’t, they’ll be held accountable in ways that may be unfair,” Biden said. “My point to everyone is if you have the opportunity to alleviate the pain, you should do it. Period.”
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Israel agreed to give aid to Gaza as long as it doesn’t benefit Hamas and said it would open its own checkpoints for aid only after Hamas releases the roughly 200 hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attack.
Biden said aid would likely begin to arrive in Gaza on Friday, Oct. 20.
The president’s visit to Israel came just a day after a blast at a hospital in Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 471 people were killed in the explosion.
While Gaza authorities said it was caused by an Israeli airstrike, the United States government has sided with Israel, saying evidence points to a failed rocket launch by a Palestinian militant group being behind the blast.
Back in the U.S., anti-war protesters descended on the Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Straight Arrow News was there as approximately 300 people were arrested after protesting inside a congressional building. Hundreds of protesters blocked Independence Avenue directly outside the capitol building.
This all occurred as senators received a classified briefing regarding Israel.
U.S. resumes deportation flights to Venezuela
The United States resumed deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The first plane, with about 130 passengers, took off from Texas and made a stop in Miami before landing in Venezuela.
This is the first time in years that U.S. immigration authorities are deporting migrants to Venezuela as the Biden administration searches for solutions to the growing number of people seeking asylum in the United States.
An official with ICE said the passengers prioritized for the first flight included migrants who recently arrived in the country and those who have committed crimes in the U.S.
Border Patrol said all the passengers had entered the U.S. illegally.
The U.S. plans to have “multiple” deportation flights per week to Venezuela.
Joran van der Sloot confesses to killing Natalee Holloway
Joran van der Sloot, the chief suspect in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway, has admitted to her mother he was responsible for Natalee’s death.
Van der Sloot made the confession in an Alabama courtroom Wednesday, Oct. 18, where he pleaded guilty to federal extortion and wire fraud charges.
The confession was part of a plea deal in which van der Sloot agreed to provide additional information to Natalee’s mother Beth Holloway about her daughter’s disappearance.
“Today, I can tell you with certainty that after 18 years, Natalee’s case is solved. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. It’s over. Joran van der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughter’s murder. He is the killer,” Beth Holloway said.
Van der Sloot was charged with extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Natalee Holloway’s family in exchange for information following her disappearance.
In June 2023, van der Sloot was extradited to the U.S. from Peru, where he was serving a 28-year sentence in the 2010 murder of a 21-year-old college student.
Van der Sloot was sentenced Wednesday, Oct. 18, to 20 years in prison, which will run concurrently with the time he’s serving in Peru.
Jim Jordan fails to get enough votes for second time
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is hoping the third time is the charm as he intends to hold another vote on the House floor on Thursday, Oct. 19, to become the next speaker.
The Ohio Republican failed to reach a majority again during Wednesday’s, Oct. 18, vote, losing support the second go-around. Twenty-two House Republicans voted against Jordan, up from 20 on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
Following the second speaker vote, a spokesperson for Jordan said, “We’re going to keep going.”
As the House remains without an official speaker, a group of House Republicans is considering a measure to expand the power of temporary speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., in order to address issues like preventing a government shutdown and funding aid packages for Israel and Ukraine. But others are opposed, saying that would be unconstitutional.
Our political correspondent Ray Bogan has more on these developments in his report.
Woman arrested for trying to approach Trump during trial
An arrest was made during the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump in New York on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
A woman was taken into custody after trying to approach the former president, who was attending the trial for the second time this week. She was quoted as saying, “I want to speak to Mr. Trump.”
A court officer told her to sit back down, and then, moments later, she was escorted out of the courtroom by several officers.
The woman, later identified as a court employee, was arrested on a contempt charge for disrupting a court proceeding. A court spokesperson said the woman has been placed on administrative leave and is barred from entering state courts during the investigation.
When asked about the arrest, Trump said he was not aware of the incident as it happened behind him in the courtroom.
The former president and his company are being accused by the New York attorney general of overvaluing his assets to banks and insurance companies. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Wheaties features video game character on box for first time
History is being made at the breakfast table on Thursday morning, Oct. 19. Wheaties, “the breakfast of champions,” as the cereal’s tagline goes, is doing something it has never done in its 100-plus years — feature a video game character on its box.
The General Mills cereal brand is releasing a special edition box featuring Marvel’s Spider-Man character. The collaboration between Wheaties and Marvel coincides with the release of the “Spider-Man 2” video game on Friday, Oct. 20.
The limited-edition box is exclusively available on the Wheaties website.
But it’s going to take the Marvel superhero a while if he wants to catch up to Michael Jordan, who has been featured on the Wheaties box 19 times — the most of any athlete.
Bank stocks dip globally, cartel apologizes for kidnappings: March 10 rundown
Bank stocks around the world have dipped in the wake of a dramatic sell-off; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is recovering from a concussion; American kidnappers were turned in by their own cartel; and a mass shooting in Germany claimed multiple lives. These stories and more highlight your daily rundown for Friday, March 10, 2023.
Bank stocks slip across globe
Silicon Valley Bank is a major banking partner in the U.S. tech sector. On Thursday, the bank lost 60% of its stock, wiping out over $80 billion in value from bank shares. It was a response from investors to the news of SVB shoring up its finances through a share-sale.
The CEO of SVB has been making phone calls to venture capital clients trying to reassure them their money is safe. But after SVB shares saw their biggest one-day drop on record, the four largest banks in the U.S. lost more than $50 billion in market value. And the ripple continues through Asia and Europe this morning.
Europe’s biggest banks saw their shares tumble in the largest decline in nine months. Some shares fell as much as 7.9%. The chief market analyst at Markets.com described the episode as what could be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for banks after worries about high interest rates and a fragile U.S. economy.
McConnell treated for concussion
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to make a full recovery after suffering a bad fall on Wednesday, according to his Senate colleagues.
“Anytime someone falls and needs to go to the hospital it’s concerning. But I know Mitch pretty well, and he’s tough as a boot and I don’t suspect he’ll be in the hospital that long,” Sen. John Neely Kennedy, R-La., said.
McConnell is being treated for a concussion and will remain in the hospital for the next few days according to his spokesperson
The 81-year-old senator is said to be awake and talking to people. According to other senators, who have spoke with McConnell since his fall, they expect him to be back out on the Senate floor sometime next week.
Cartel leaves note, turns in members
It was one week ago when four Americans made their way to Mexico for a cosmetic procedure when they were caught in the middle of a shootout between drug cartels and kidnapped. Two of the Americans were killed.
Now , the drug cartel responsible for the kidnappings and murders have issued an apology and have handed over five of their members to authorities.
The Gulf Cartel wrote a handwritten note to authorities apologizing to the families of the Americans killed. They also apologized to the city of Matamoros where the shootout occurred.
The letter was reportedly found with five cartel members restrained by their own cartel and left for police. The letter stated those men were responsible and acted on their own accord, against the cartel’s rules.
The letter confirms what authorities believed from the beginning, that the kidnappings were a tragic case of mistaken identity.
8 dead at Jehovah’s Witnesses hall
A shooting at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in Hamburg, Germany, has left eight people dead. Police believe they found someone fatally shot who may have been the shooter. There has been no word on a possible motive for Thursday night’s attack.
The building is used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The congregation was holding an event at the time of the shooting.
Police arrived on scene while the attack was happening and heard a final gunshot fire upon arrival. The head of Germany’s police believed the swift presence of officers may have prevented further victims.
Firearm merchant code on pause
Top payment networks American Express, Visa, and Mastercard have announced they are pausing work on implementing a new sales code for gun purchases.
In September, we reported on the International Organization for Standardization approving a new merchant category code that would separately label and track purchases at gun shops. It was immediately met with Republican backlash and legal challenges.
Now, three major credit card companies have decided to pause the implementation. They cite significant confusion and legal uncertainty in the new payment tracking system.
Disney CEO Bob Iger talks future of Star Wars, Marvel
Bob Iger wants to see fewer Marvel sequels. The Disney CEO discussed the future of the entertainment giant at Morgan Stanley’s annual technology, media, and telecom conference. He said the company should focus on telling the stories of other Marvel characters. It’s part of Iger’s plan to create quality content over quantity.
As for “Star Wars,” he said Disney is cautious about where they take the franchise next.
Iger also discussed pricing. He said the cost of Disney+ was off at the start. He said he expects that to be adjusted as the company learns more about streaming.
Meanwhile, Iger admitted they were too aggressive with price hikes at theme parks. On a personal note, Iger said he still plans to resign in two years.
China censors ‘Simpsons’ episode over reference to forced labor
Shows like “The Simpsons,” “South Park,” and “Family Guy” are known for their colorful humor, but sometimes it can get them in trouble with countries that don’t find their jokes funny. The latest example comes from the latest season of “The Simpsons.” One of the episodes makes a reference to forced labor camps in China, but the Chinese government denies all allegations of forced labor.
Disney Plus is hoping to avoid trouble with China’s censorship laws by cutting the episode from its streaming service in Hong Kong. People in China won’t be able to watch Marge Simpson poke fun at the Chinese government.
People in mainland China can’t even access Disney Plus. Marvel movies have been banned for three years in China, but this year, China is allowing two Marvel films to be released.
For Marge Simpson, she’s going to have to keep her punchlines to herself.
