Ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek Says Bob Iger Ran ‘Relentless Three-Year Campaign’ to Fire Him: ‘Made It Seem as If I Had Committed Some Terrible Offense’

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek claims his predecessor-turned-successor Bob Iger underwent a “relentless three-year campaign to push me out” after initially appointing him to the job. But in November 2022, the Disney board ousted Chapek after a series of missteps and called Iger back into service. (Iger stepped down as CEO this March, replaced by former parks head Josh D’Amaro.) “From the moment he announced my appointment, he clearly regretted it and seemed to initiate a relentless three-year campaign to push me out,” Chapek writes of Iger. I’d always made it clear I had big shoes to fill.

But I’d never expected to endure a drawn-out, purposeful undoing of my leadership.” Disney declined to comment Thursday. Iger declined to comment via a representative at Thrive Capital, where Iger is now a partner. Disney insiders are said to view Chapek’s book as a “revisionist” account of the events that transpired.

Published by Simon & Schuster, “Behind the Castle Walls” is set to release Sept. 29. While Chapek is making the rounds promoting the book with today’s Vanity Fair excerpt and an interview published by the Wall Street Journal Wednesday, according to industry sources, the title remains in stiff competition with Wall Street Journal reporter Robbie Whelan’s upcoming unauthorized “The House of Mouse: Bob Iger and The War of Succession at Disney,” which is slated for release on Dec. 1, 2026. In the new book excerpt, Chapek goes on to recall a story from Iger’s retirement party in which Chapek claims he was the butt of a “snide” joke about his upbringing in Indiana and then overlooked when it came time for Iger to mention him.

I was in Terre Haute, Indiana. I was covering dirt track racing.’ The crowd chuckled at the idea of this Hollywood magnate covering something so lowbrow. He had yet to mention my name or even look in my direction.

But in that moment, he turned toward me. I was used to snide comments like that, both from Iger and about my background.” Chapek added: “He continued, going through the next few phases of his career, but still had yet to mention anything about his eventual replacement. It was a retirement party after all.

Eventually, he got to the end, and I braced myself for what was next. He stopped again, turned, and then abruptly declared, ‘You know what? I think I’ve said enough.