News round-up: Disney extends Bob Iger contract; Bonafide & Peter Moffat to adapt ‘The Escape Artist’; Viaplay chair steps down

Disney extends Bob Iger contract

Disney has extended Bob Iger’s contract as CEO for a further two years to provide “continuity of leadership” during the company’s transformation.

The Mouse House said that keeping Iger in the top role would also allow more time to put a transition plan into place. Iger returned as Disney CEO in November 2022 following the surprise sudden departure of Bob Chapek and was originally only to remain in the post for two years.

“Time and again, Bob has shown an unparalleled ability to successfully transform Disney to drive future growth and financial returns, earning him a reputation as one of the world’s best CEOs,” said Disney chairman Mark G. Parker.

“Bob has once again set Disney on the right strategic path for ongoing value creation, and to ensure the successful completion of this transformation while also allowing ample time to position a new CEO for long-term success, the Board determined it is in the best interest of shareholders to extend his tenure, and he has agreed to our request to remain Chief Executive Officer through the end of 2026.”

Bonafide & Peter Moffat to adapt ‘The Escape Artist’

Bonafide Films has secured the rights to Jonathan Freedland’s non-fiction book The Escape Artist and brought Your Honor scribe Peter Moffat on board to adapt.

The Escape Artist tells the true story of Rudolf Vrba, a 19-year-old Slovakian Jew, who, along with fellow inmate Fred Wetzler, escaped from Auschwitz to warn the world about the Holocaust. Their report led to the saving of 200,000 Budapest Jews from immediate deportation to Auschwitz.

Moffat will adapt Freedland’s book, which was published in 2022, as a high-end limited series.

“Jonathan Freedland’s conclusion that Rudolf Vrba deserves to ‘stand alongside Anne Frank, Oskar Schindler and Primo Levi in the first rank of stories that define the Shoah,’ is hard to argue with. It’s a great privilege to be asked to adapt this profoundly moving work,” said Moffat.

Viaplay chair steps down

Pernille Erenbjerg, chair of the board at Viaplay Group in the Nordics, is standing down immediately due to ill health.

Simon Duffy, who currently serves as non-executive board director, has bene appointed as interim chair until a permanent successor can be found.

Erenbjerg has been a board member since May 2020 and has served as chair since May 2021.