'Why do I need an all-black cast?' Disney investor Nelson Peltz fires shots at Marvel movies for pushing a 'message'

Billionaire Nelson Peltz criticized Disney's film strategy as pursuing woke messaging instead of simply being entertaining.

Owner of Trian Fund Management, Peltz has been rumored since 2023 to be seeking seats on Disney's board of directors for his company. With a reported $3.5 billion stake in the company, the investor has criticized CEO Bob Iger's reinstatement and other company moves.

With Peltz launching criticisms at the company, Disney has claimed that Peltz hasn't "presented a single strategic idea" over the course of two years that he has campaigned for board seats.

Peltz was asked in a recent interview about the mouse brand's comments, to which he countered with a series of retorts about its film divisions.

"They say we know nothing about the movie business — we don’t claim we do — but I don’t think they do, with five big losers in a row," he told the Financial Times. "They’ve lost first place in animation, they’ve lost first place in features. ... Maybe it’s time to change management in those divisions."

The woke messaging was a focal point for Peltz, who plainly stated that "people go to watch a movie or a show to be entertained."

"They don’t go to get a message," he continued. Particular references were made to movies like "Black Panther" and "The Marvels," the latter of which was an absolute disaster at the box office.

"Why do I have to have a Marvel that’s all women? Not that I have anything against women, but why do I have to do that? Why can’t I have Marvels that are both? Why do I need an all-black cast?"

Peltz has consistently been called an "activist investor" but insists he isn't and simply wants to help Iger improve Disney. He has, however, teamed with former Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter, per CNBC, in hopes of convincing Disney to right the ship.

"I wanted to invest in companies [that are] good companies but they’re just sort of missing it a little bit. ... That’s still the attitude."

"I don’t want Iger to go," he reiterated.

"Trump is all we got."

Peltz's position on presidential candidates has swayed back and forth over the last eight years, but when it has settled, it has settled typically with Donald Trump.

He didn't vote for Trump in 2016 but did in 2020, later apologizing for the vote following January 6, 2021. However, when asked who he would back for 2024 he hesitated but then revealed his thoughts to the Financial Times.

"I’m not ready to say that ... I’ll say it," he corrected, with a long pause. "It will probably be Trump and I’m not happy about that."

"I’m not one of these crazies who’s Republican or nothing ... I thought we might get someone less controversial," Peltz noted.

Reasons behind his Trump-backing echoed many issues brought up by voters during the 2024 cycle. Biden's age and mental condition — which Peltz called "really scary" — and the charges brought against Trump, which he called a "miscarriage of justice."

Trump is "not a perfect candidate," Peltz described, but "nor is Biden."

"Trump is all we got."

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