54
Mars.It’sa hostileenvironment.It’sconstantlytryingto
killthesestreams.”
ChiefTechnologyOfficerJoeInzerillousesa moreearthly
metaphor.“Whenyoustartdoinga coupleofbigeventsat
thesametime,youcanfeeltheinternetcreaking,”hesays.
“There’sallthistrafficandpartsthataretroublesome.”
“Youcanbypass,though,right?”Mayerasks.
“Yeah,”Inzerillosays.“Sometimesyoutakea surreptitious
routebecauseit’slesscongested,sortoflikegettingoffthe
highwayandtakingthelocal.”
“Thisis something,”Mayersays.“It’sartandscience.”
Aroundthecorner,there’sanotherroomwhereemploy-
eesareencodingTheMandalorianandotherDisney+shows.
Butit’soff-limits,becauseDisney,mindfulofhowrabidStar
Warsfanscanbe,doesn’twantanydetailsleakinginadvance.
“That’sunderlockandkey.We’renotallowedin,”saysJessica
Casano-Antonellis,vice presidentfor communications.
“Iasked.I asked.”
“Wecan’tgoin?”Mayerasks.
“Noneofuseven havekeys,”Casano-Antonellissays.
“Imean,youcanprobablygeta key,but...”
“Allright,”Mayersays,a tingeofdisappointmentinhisvoice.D
isney’sannouncementthatit wasacquiringBAMTech
andmovingtochallengeNetflixcausedanimmediate
sensation.Itsstocksoonbegantorise.“Ifevertherewasavalidationofa strategy,it wasthatday,”Igersaysinhisoffice.
“Thenwehadtomovefast.”Serendipitously,RupertMurdoch
approachedhimtwoweekslatertoseeif Disneywouldbe
interestedinthebulkof21stCenturyFox’sentertainment
properties.Todemonstratewhyheboughtin,Igergetsup
fromthecouch,fetcheshisiPad,andlaunchestheunreleased
Disney+app.“Thereare 30 seasonsofTheSimpsonsthere,”he
sayswithevidentpride.Hescrollsthroughthemoviesection
untilhefindsFox’sTheSoundofMusic, anotherinoffensive
gem.EdgierFoxfare,suchasTV’sFamilyGuyandtheexuber-
antlyR-ratedDeadpoolfilms,willremainonHulu.
AsDisneypreparedforthelaunch,Igeralsowenttothe
headsofPixar,Lucasfilm,andMarvel,toldthemaboutthe
company’s plans to spend billions on content, and asked what
they might want to contribute. It was the kind of moment stu-
dio executives fantasize about. Pixar responded with ideas for
more Mike and Sulley and for new shorts, including some fea-
turing Forky, the inquisitive spork from Toy Story 4. Lucasfilm
proposed The Mandalorian, as well as a series featuring Cassian
Andor from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and another about
Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Ewan McGregor returning to the role.
Marvel’s chief creative officer, Kevin Feige, also had a few
thoughts. His corner of the Disney realm was deep into the
golden age of superhero films, with a market that seemed to
grow larger with each release. As far as superfans were con-
cerned, Marvel’s output was still lacking. “Every few years,WhoOwnstheMostPopularMovieCharacters?Iron
ManBlack
Widow
Captain
America
ThorHulkBatman Spider-ManGandalfHarry
PotterHermione
GrangerRon
WeasleyNick
FuryPepper
PottsJames
RhodesLokiJokerAlfredLuke
SkywalkerLeia
OrganaHanSoloKatniss
EverdeenGale
HawthorneObi-Wan
KenobiPadméAnakin
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May Watson
ParkerBumble-
beeMega-
OptimusPrime tronAragornFrodoHagridVolde-
mortDumble-
doreJack
SparrowEliz-
abeth
Swann
Nor-
Will rington
TurnerCharles
XavierWolverineMagnetoStormJean
GreyJacob
BlackBella
SwanCharlie
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CullenJames
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LightyearWoody
Mr.
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HeadShrekDonkeyPrincess
FionaPussin
BootsQueen
LillianHector
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TorettoBrian
O’ConnerLetty
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Luke Toretto
HobbsEthan
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manGruBalin
Dwalin
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doreGwen
StacyKirkSpockAlanDougPhilStu Agent
KAgent
JRavenGreg
FockerJack
ByrnesNeoTrinityAlexGloriaJulien MartyMaterHiccup
Tooth-
lessCaesarPo
ShifuJamesCarter
InspectorLeeLightningMcQueen
NickyParsons
JasonBourneLutherStickellLucyPevensieEdwardPevensieMorpheusLarryDaleyRomanPearceTigressFrankenstein
DraculaMelman◼CurrentlyownedbyDisney
◼CurrentlyownedbyothersBoxofficegross$500m 2bU.S. box office grosses for major characters, 1995 to 2019TOTAL GROSS, DRAWN FROM 50 HIGHEST-GROSSING FILMS IN EACH YEAR. DATA: BOX OFFICE MOJO, IMDBMAJOR CHARACTERS (TOP-FIVE BILLED) WITH AT LEAST THREE APPEARANCES AND $500 MILLION OF