Star Wars mania is sweeping the nation (world?), as Star Wars: The Force Awakens is about to hit theatres. With massive box office projections and near universal praise from critics, the film is about to completely take over. And now, mere days before its release, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger has issued a heartfelt letter to celebrate the incredible success of J.J. Abrams’ blockbuster.
Among other things, Iger calls the film one of the “proudest and most exciting moments” in Disney’s history, and rightfully so. As anyone who’s already seen The Force Awakens can attest to, it truly is an incredible achievement and one of the very best movies of 2015. In fact, it may even be the best Star Wars film to date, though that will ultimately be determined once we see how it holds up over time.
[zergpaid]For now, however, there’s no denying that Abrams and Disney have created something truly special, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of what they’ve accomplished.
You can read Iger’s full letter below. Once you’ve done so, leave a comment letting us know when you plan on catching Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Dear Fellow Employee,
It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since we welcomed Lucasfilm into our Company… and that we’re now on the eve of releasing Star Wars: The Force Awakens, one of the proudest and most exciting moments in our Company’s history.
Unless you’ve been in a galaxy far, far away for the last few months, you’re probably aware that the global interest in this movie is absolutely stunning. Given the unprecedented excitement, we’re certainly expecting a very successful opening this weekend. (Okay, that may be the understatement of the century, but I’m trying to contain my enthusiasm!)
As we get ready to share Star Wars: The Force Awakens with the world, I want to personally thank Alan Horn and everyone at The Walt Disney Studios and Lucasfilm for their phenomenal production and marketing efforts, particularly Kathy Kennedy and J.J. Abrams. Kathy’s leadership has been key in successfully integrating Lucasfilm into Disney and in getting this historic movie made; and J.J. has directed and delivered an epic film that we are extremely proud of, one we know that millions of Star Wars fans—past, present, and future—will embrace.
It’s been thrilling to see the remarkable level of teamwork behind this effort—every single business unit across the Company has been part of launching this movie and building the future of this franchise, ensuring it will generate value for our Company for generations to come.
We often talk about our people as the Company’s greatest strength and most valuable resource, because it’s true. In a business like ours, driven by creativity and innovation, nothing is more important than the men and women who dream of new possibilities, set new standards of excellence, and create new opportunities, then work together to achieve them. And we’re so fortunate to have thousands of cast members and employees around the world who accept the challenge and embody that spirit.
On the eve of yet another historic milestone, I offer my heartfelt thanks for everything you do to make The Walt Disney Company what it is today.
In the 10 years I’ve had the privilege of leading this phenomenal company, you have never ceased to amaze me through your talent, your dedication, and your hard work. This has been another tremendous year, marked by creative triumphs, innovative leaps, strategic wins, and financial successes. We’ve risen to challenges, embraced change, and delivered our fifth straight year of record performance in the process.
We’ll carry this momentum into a new year that promises to be our best yet, with the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort and an unprecedented pipeline of great new content on the way from the strongest brands in the business—Disney, ESPN, ABC, Pixar, Marvel and, of course, Star Wars.
Thank you for continuing to raise the bar and making it possible for us to achieve big, bold, ambitious goals. I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year. (In other words—May the Force Be With You!)
Best,
Bob