Latest news with #Lightyear
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney's new Abu Dhabi theme park contradicts stance on Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill
Disney, which infamously sparred with Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., over what the company claimed was a "Don't Say Gay" bill, now plans to build a new theme park in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Middle Eastern country that criminalizes homosexuality. The entertainment company announced on Wednesday that it will open its seventh park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE. "This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity," Disney CEO Bob Iger said, adding that Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati." The UAE, however, has a history of human rights violations, including the criminalization of "consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults." Comedian Nate Bargatze Says Disney Has Abandoned Its Audience As He Talks About Building Rival Media Empire According to a 2023 report from the U.S. State Department, penalties for individuals guilty of "consensual sodomy with a man" included a minimum of six months in prison. Penalties for men dressed up as women or entering women's spaces were up to one year in prison and an approximately $2,700 fine. Read On The Fox News App The UAE even banned the Disney-Pixar animated feature "Lightyear" from showing in movie theaters in 2022 after reports emerged that the film included a kiss between two female characters. The decision to partner with the nation marks a stark contrast with Disney's past stance on LGBTQ issues. In 2022, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against DeSantis' Parental Rights in Education bill, which aimed to ban classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade, during the company's annual shareholder meeting. He also pledged $5 million in donations to LGBTQ organizations. "I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary, and transgender kids and families," Chapek said at the meeting. The Walt Disney Company also released a statement condemning the legislation and incorrectly labeling the bill as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. "Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the statement read. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that." Disney Reportedly Backing Away From Culture Wars: 'Politics Is Bad For Business' This opposition kicked off a multi-year litigation battle between Disney and DeSantis after the latter dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the self-governing tax district for Walt Disney World, in response. In its annual SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) report in 2023, the company seemed to acknowledge that weighing in too much in the culture wars damaged their brand after a string of movie flops. Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for article source: Disney's new Abu Dhabi theme park contradicts stance on Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Disney's new Abu Dhabi theme park contradicts stance on Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill
Disney, which infamously sparred with Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., over what the company claimed was a "Don't Say Gay" bill, now plans to build a new theme park in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Middle Eastern country that criminalizes homosexuality. The entertainment company announced on Wednesday that it will open its seventh park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE. "This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity," Disney CEO Bob Iger said, adding that Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be "authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati." The UAE, however, has a history of human rights violations, including the criminalization of "consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults." According to a 2023 report from the U.S. State Department, penalties for individuals guilty of "consensual sodomy with a man" included a minimum of six months in prison. Penalties for men dressed up as women or entering women's spaces were up to one year in prison and an approximately $2,700 fine. The UAE even banned the Disney-Pixar animated feature "Lightyear" from showing in movie theaters in 2022 after reports emerged that the film included a kiss between two female characters. The decision to partner with the nation marks a stark contrast with Disney's past stance on LGBTQ issues. In 2022, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against DeSantis' Parental Rights in Education bill, which aimed to ban classroom instruction on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade, during the company's annual shareholder meeting. He also pledged $5 million in donations to LGBTQ organizations. "I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary, and transgender kids and families," Chapek said at the meeting. The Walt Disney Company also released a statement condemning the legislation and incorrectly labeling the bill as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. "Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the statement read. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that." This opposition kicked off a multi-year litigation battle between Disney and DeSantis after the latter dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the self-governing tax district for Walt Disney World, in response. In its annual SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) report in 2023, the company seemed to acknowledge that weighing in too much in the culture wars damaged their brand after a string of movie flops. Fox News Digital reached out to Disney for comment.
Business Wire
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Lightyear Capital Partners with BHMS and Management to Support the Exceptional Growth of King Risk Partners
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lightyear Capital LLC ('Lightyear'), a New York-based private equity firm, completed a growth investment in King Risk Partners ('King' or the 'Company') alongside existing shareholder BHMS Investments, LP ('BHMS'), which will roll a majority of its existing equity and invest additional capital, and the Company's management team. King is one of the fastest-growing insurance brokerages in the US and aligns with Lightyear's focus on growing companies at the nexus of financial services and technology, healthcare, and business services. King Risk Partners is a retail insurance brokerage with deep expertise in personal and commercial insurance, offering a full line of coverage solutions to over 55,000 clients. Since its founding in 1974, King has achieved strong organic and acquisitive growth, driven by the Company's ability to acquire and integrate retail agencies at scale. King has completed over 60 acquisitions to date. The new investment will support King's continued expansion into new and existing geographies and end markets. With over 50 offices and a dedicated team of over 440 employees, King is committed to delivering and servicing insurance solutions tailored to clients across the Eastern US. 'We are thrilled to be partnering with Lightyear and BHMS as we continue to build our business and achieve our mission of delivering comprehensive insurance solutions,' said Malcolm "Chad" King, Chief Executive Officer of King. 'Lightyear offers extensive industry knowledge and hands-on operating capabilities for fueling expansion. Working with BHMS has been very rewarding, and I look forward to collaborating with both teams as we explore new avenues for growth together.' 'We look forward to supporting King as part of the portfolio,' said Mark Vassallo, Managing Partner at Lightyear. 'Chad and the King management team have built a dynamic insurance brokerage platform with incredible potential for scale. We look forward to leveraging our deep sector expertise and partnering with BHMS to grow the business.' Trevor Pieri, Principal at Lightyear said, 'Our investment in King is consistent with our long-term thematic focus on insurance distribution, and we are delighted to join King and BHMS as the Company enters this next chapter of growth.' Anthony Recine, Managing Director at BHMS said, 'King is a unique company in the insurance brokerage sector, which continues to be an attractive industry for us. We are proud to continue our partnership with the King team and are excited to welcome Lightyear as an investment partner.' TAG Financial Institutions Group, LLC served as financial advisor to King. Sidley Austin LLP served as legal counsel to BHMS and King, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal counsel to Lightyear. About King King Risk Partners is a leader in the insurance industry, offering a wide range of insurance products and services designed to meet the diverse needs of its clientele. Known for its integrity, professionalism, and commitment to customer satisfaction, King Risk Partners continues to be a top choice for clients seeking reliable and comprehensive insurance solutions. King has been recognized as a top 100 US Insurance Broker by three of the insurance industry's well-known publications: The Hales Report, The Insurance Journal and Business Insurance Magazine. Learn more at About Lightyear Capital Lightyear Capital is a New York-based private equity firm that partners with growing companies at the nexus of financial services and technology, health care and business services. For over 20 years, Lightyear has worked closely with management and leveraged its industry expertise, network of advisors and operating resources to accelerate growth and build market-leading businesses. As of December 31, 2024, the firm had assets under management of $7.2 billion. For more information, please visit About BHMS BHMS Investments, LP is a private investment firm focused on the North American middle market. The firm was founded in 2010 and is based in Westport, Connecticut. BHMS invests in a wide variety of control and structured equity opportunities ranging from consolidation strategies to conventional leveraged buyouts. The firm focuses on industries in which it has deep experience and relationships including business & insurance services. BHMS is currently deploying capital from its most recent fund, which it closed in July 2024. Additional information can be found at
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps': Why Marvel is facing same ‘woke' allegations that doomed ‘Snow White' and other high-profile Disney projects
The Walt Disney Company has been around for more than 100 years, and during that century-plus the studio has developed a reputation for wholesome, all-ages entertainment. Because of that reputation, Disney is often an easy target when it dares to stray from a very narrow definition of "family-friendly." It's not uncommon for Hollywood studios to be attacked by conservative for anything resembling diversity in race, gender, or sexuality. But many right-wing outlets have pushed Disney into the middle of the culture war even when its executives — including CEO Bob Iger — clearly want nothing to do with that. More from GoldDerby Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Bernthal and every 'Daredevil: Born Again' Emmy acting submission 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer: Meet Julia Garner's Silver Surfer 'Daredevil: Born Again' finale directors discuss 'the beautiful, multilayered poetry' of Daredevil, Kingpin, and Bullseye Within the past week, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has drawn ire among social media commentators for revealing a female Silver Surfer (played by Emmy winner Julia Garner) in the latest trailer, which is being presented among some quarters as evidence of Mouse House's alleged 'woke agenda.' If this all sounds familiar, that's because it's happened to several Disney-produced projects during the last few years. Rarely has so much anger been made out of such a small moment. Pixar really struggled after the pandemic, but it didn't help when conservative outlets accused the studio of dropping Tim Allen — a conservative-leaning actor who has portrayed Buzz Lightyear since 1995's Toy Story — in favor of a more liberal actor, Chris Evans, to topline the animated feature Lightyear. Lightyear was meant to be the movie that inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy from the Toy Story films. But it drew right-wing anger when it was revealed that the film had a very brief scene in which Buzz's partner and friend, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba), kisses her wife. It's a moment that goes by very quickly, but apparently not quickly enough to avoid the faux outrage. Lightyear underperformance was due to a number of factors beyond Pixar's control, including the lingering effects of the pandemic; however, the vocal backlash over the kissing scene undoubtedly contributed. In the end, with only $226.4 million in worldwide ticket sales, Lightyear cost the studio more than $100 million in losses. Disney seemed to downplay Strange World's most controversial aspect during the film's promotional cycle, most likely because the wanted to avoid the inevitable backlash. Ethan Clade (voiced by Jaboukie Young-White), one of the young heroes in the movie, was Disney Animation's first openly gay hero in a leading role. Once that aspect of the character became public, the predictable conservative backlash began. Strange World was also saddled with a visually unappealing art style and bad word of mouth that sank its prospects at the box office. The film only made $73.6 million worldwide, and Disney is estimated to have lost almost $200 million. That gave Strange World the unwelcome distinction of being one of the biggest flops of all time. There's a group of male fans who have had it out for Brie Larson ever since her comments about A Wrinkle in Time in 2018. Somehow, Larson's remarks that the film was 'a love letter to a woman of color' and 'I do not need a 40-year-old white dude to tell me what didn't work for him about A Wrinkle in Time; it wasn't made for him' were perceived by these people as if she said something truly outrageous, like 'I hate all men.' None of that backlash kept Larson's leading role in Captain Marvel or her smaller appearance in Avengers: Endgame from becoming blockbusters. The Marvels, however, was another story. The negative discourse went into overdrive when it was revealed that the film would team up Larson's Captain Marvel with Teyonah Parris's Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani's Kamala Khan as they faced Zawe Ashton's Dar-Benn. The fact that the film was also directed by a Black woman, Nia DaCosta, didn't escape the discourse. But what really doomed The Marvels is it wasn't a particularly good movie. Between the tonal disconnect — is it a drama? a comedy? a musical? — plot holes, and distinct similarity with Mel Brooks' atmosphere-stealing plot from Spaceballs, critics weren't impressed (the film has a 45 percent "rotten" ratings from top critics on Rotten Tomatoes). It's not the only Marvel movie in recent history to have quality-control issues, but it was one of Marvel's biggest bombs, with only $206.1 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $374 million before tax incentives. Given everything else on this list, it should be unsurprising that the most vocal anti-woke Star Wars fans gave The Acolyte an unflattering nickname: 'The Wokelyte.' In addition to an ensemble primarily comprising women and diverse actors, the series was targeted in part because the creator, Leslye Headland, and the star, Amandla Stenberg, are openly queer and non-binary, respectively. The creative team was accused of pushing a LGBTQ+ agenda on the show, and their reaction to The Acolyte being dubbed "the gayest Star Wars" was taken wildly out of context. Review bombs were only the start of the backlash against the show, as Stenberg was the target of vicious and racist remarks online. For all the anger over how supposedly gay The Acolyte was, Stenberg's character, Osha, was openly attracted to Manny Jacinto's unnamed Sith master, especially when he was naked in front of her. The Acolyte also suffered severe drops in viewership on a weekly basis, which, combined with a budget in excess of $200 million, ultimately doomed the show and led to its cancellation. Dedicated fans have petitioned for Disney+ to reconsider, but there's not much hope for The Acolyte to continue. Disney's live-action remake of Snow White was targeted years before it hit theaters, primarily for daring to cast a Latina actress, Rachel Zegler, as Snow White. Zegler herself was outspoken about the dated aspects of Disney's 1937 Snow White. And in her defense, she's not wrong about that. Times have drastically changed in the 88 years between the two films. Most of the online anger was directed against Zegler, who was also vocal about her support for the Palestinian people in the Gaza War. Zegler's costar, Gal Gadot, was on the opposite side with her support for Israel. Snow White was also widely criticized for the bizarre CGI faces of the seven dwarfs. Zegler received some strong reviews for her performance, but Snow White didn't exactly whistle while it worked. The film's $184.9 million worldwide box office wouldn't have been such a disaster if it hadn't cost $240 million to 270 million to make. Disney was reportedly so shaken by this outcome that future live-action adaptations of classic Disney films, notably the Rapunzel retelling Tangled, are on hold. Surprisingly, the casting of Chilean actor Pedro Pascal to play Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps barely raised an eyebrow online. Michael B. Jordan was not as fortunate when he was cast as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Fox's 2015 Fantastic Four reboot. Pascal may have been spared from a similar fate because of his popularity after Game of Thrones, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us. However, Marvel has taken flak by casting Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer, the herald of Galactus (Ralph Ineson). There was a comic over 25 years ago that briefly featured Garner's character, Shalla-Bal, as the Silver Surfer. However, the version that most fans are familiar with is Norrin Radd, Shalla-Bal's male lover who sacrificed his freedom to spare their home world from Galactus' hunger. The outcry was so loud that Mark Brooks, a comic artist who as worked with both Marvel and DC, took to X to explain the difference to those who claimed to be outraged. A certain segment of hardcore comic book movie fans simply hate change, especially gender- or race-swapped characters. This female Silver Surfer isn't the one who has headlined his own comic book several times or even a Saturday morning cartoon three decades ago. It remains to be seen how Garner will play as the Silver Surfer in the final film, but Disney and Marvel could have just as easily sidestepped any controversy by either casting Garner as Nova — a female herald of Galactus — or simply by sticking with the traditional Silver Surfer. Now, however, the marketing department will have its work cut out ahead of First Steps' July 25 release to keep the focus on the film — and not the culture wars. Best of GoldDerby Al Pacino movies: 25 greatest films ranked worst to best Renee Zellweger movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best Shirley MacLaine movies: 20 greatest films ranked worst to best Click here to read the full article.
