- Disney almost bought Twitter to use it as its main global content distribution channel.
- Bob Iger cancelled the deal on the same day it was signed, believing that the social network would be a negative distraction.
- The company's wish list also included James Bond and a possible merger with tech giant Apple.
Over the past few years, the dream factory has been swallowing up companies at a dizzying pace, but not all the big fish ended up in its nets. Although we've become accustomed to seeing Mickey Mouse alongside Marvel superheroes or Star Wars Jedi, the truth is that Twitter almost became part of his empire media coverage in a very serious way, getting to the point where they were just one step away from closing the final agreement.
Bob Iger, the veteran executive who led the company through one of its most expansive periods, has offered some interesting insights on this matter. According to a recent talk, the plan to acquire the social network wasn't simply an executive whim, but rather... A global distribution platform was being sought that would allow Disney to reach users around the world directly without relying on third parties, something that would have changed the story as we know it today.
Bob Iger's regret before signing
The deal was so far along that even the starting price seemed quite reasonable by the standards of these megacorporations, but last-minute nerves got the better of Disney's top management. Iger himself has acknowledged that, on the very morning they were supposed to sign, He decided to back out for fear of distractions that a network as complex and noisy as Twitter could generate within a company traditionally focused on family entertainment.
This move paved the way for Elon Musk to later enter the scene with his own plans, transforming the platform into what we know today as X. Had the acquisition gone through, it is very likely that The approach of the social network would have been very different., focused on quality content and promoting its own film franchises instead of the drastic changes it has recently undergone under the Tesla owner.
James Bond and Apple: the other fish that got away
Twitter wasn't the only name on that famous shopping list Iger kept in his office to expand the mouse empire. The executive has confessed that They had their sights set on the James Bond rightsThe most famous secret agent in film history, but on that occasion, Amazon beat them to the punch. It's curious to imagine Agent 007 sharing a catalog with animated princesses, something that ultimately came to nothing.
Besides British spies, there were also some overtures regarding a possible merger with Apple, an idea that has always been on the minds of Wall Street analysts. Although there were internal discussions and some contacts between the two companies, The tech giant did not show enough interest to forge one of the most powerful unions in history. Iger even went so far as to comment that, if Steve Jobs were still with us, history might have been written very differently due to the great rapport that existed between the two leaders.
In the end, even though Disney didn't manage to cross every name off its acquisition list, its expansion strategy has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. The fact that decided to prioritize their corporate identity over risky acquisitions It demonstrates that, even at the highest levels of finance, sometimes it is better to pass up an opportunity if it does not fit one hundred percent with the values of the house, thus avoiding getting into trouble that could have tarnished the image of the most well-known brand in the world.