Spirits are bright around the House of Mouse as the holiday season rapidly approaches. The good news comes via Disney’s latest earnings call. With an upswing in Disney+ subscribers and a reported $321 million in profit, the company appears to be entering 2025 on a high note. Matt Belloni and Kim Masters discuss Disney’s upcoming year, including the ongoing search for a CEO successor.
Moving on up(stream)? The company reported an increase in core subscribers on Disney+ and has positioned itself for continued success in streaming. While other television competitors are riding the wave downstream, Disney’s streaming platform is on the up and up. “They also did something that they don’t normally do, which is forecast,” says Masters. The company is hoping to generate one billion dollars through streaming alone in 2025.
Battleground state? While streaming appears to be a sure bet for the company, Disney’s parks division is set to duke it out with NBC Universal as competition in Florida ramps up. Universal Studios is set to open a new park, Epic Universe, in 2025. “I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney start discounting and doing other things to kind of shore up that Florida business as the competition has beefed up,” says Masters.
Outside appeal? Disney board member James Gorman is handling the company’s search for its next CEO, and he means business. The first outsider name announced is Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson. This comes as a surprise, as previous names in contention were exclusively Disney employees. “One thing is clear is that Gorman is looking to do this job,” says Masters. “It's not going to be [a] situation where there's any appearance that Bob Iger has undue influence.”