Former Disney chief executive Bob Chapek has claimed in his forthcoming memoir that predecessor Bob Iger conducted a "relentless three-year campaign" to remove him from the top job. Chapek was appointed as CEO in February 2020 with Iger's backing, but was ousted by the Disney board in November 2022 after a series of missteps; Iger subsequently returned to the role before stepping down in March 2026. Chapek's allegations are significant because they contest the public narrative surrounding a major corporate leadership transition at one of the world's largest entertainment companies, and they reveal potentially serious tensions during a period when Disney faced substantial challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and the acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets.

In excerpts from "Behind the Castle Walls," published by Vanity Fair and the Wall Street Journal, Chapek alleges that Iger regretted his appointment immediately and worked to undermine him whilst Chapek managed the company through the pandemic and restructuring. He recounts a particularly pointed incident at Iger's retirement party, where Iger ended his speech abruptly without formally endorsing his successor, and claims Iger publicly intervened in Disney's response to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" legislation in a way designed to damage Chapek's reputation. Neither Disney nor Iger have commented on the allegations, though insiders have dismissed Chapek's account as "revisionist"; Chapek's memoir is set for release on 29 September, competing with a separate unauthorised biography due in December 2026.