Bob Iger's recent exit interview revealed that Disney came remarkably close to acquiring Twitter before Elon Musk's takeover, viewing the social network as a potential global distribution platform. The former CEO also confirmed early, ultimately fruitless discussions regarding a massive merger with Apple. This insight into Disney's boardroom strategies offers tech and media analysts a rare glimpse into the alternate timelines of the streaming wars, showing how close the entertainment giant came to owning a major social network.
Iger noted that Disney had negotiated a "very attractive price" with Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey. However, Iger pulled out on the morning the deal was supposed to be finalized. He feared the social media platform would become a "horrible distraction" for the entertainment company, ultimately abandoning the acquisition long before Elon Musk purchased and rebranded the platform to X in 2022.
Beyond Twitter, Iger disclosed that Disney engaged in early conversations about merging with Apple - a move he believed would have been "truly transformational." Apple, however, "didn't show that much interest," and the talks never progressed. The two companies share deep historical ties; Iger served on Apple's board from 2011 to 2019 and worked closely with Steve Jobs during Disney's 2006 acquisition of Pixar. According to Iger, his first call with Jobs resulted in an almost immediate deal to put Disney content on the original video iPod.
We felt unstoppable. We put together a list of acquisition targets. Marvel was one, Star Wars was another, James Bond was one. We had a list and I figured let's just tick them off and buy them all.
- Bob Iger, Former CEO, Disney
While Disney successfully acquired Marvel and Star Wars, the attempt to buy the James Bond franchise failed. Amazon eventually secured the 007 distribution rights through its MGM acquisition in 2022, later paying over $1 billion for full creative control in February 2025. Iger officially stepped down from his second tenure as CEO on March 18, 2026, passing the reins to former Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro.
The Bullet Disney Dodged with Twitter
Iger’s last-minute decision to abandon the Twitter acquisition likely saved Disney from a catastrophic brand misalignment. While the idea of a global distribution network was strategically sound for a media empire pivoting to streaming, managing a volatile social media platform would have forced Disney into the center of relentless content moderation and political controversies. These areas are fundamentally at odds with its family-friendly core business and would have alienated its primary consumer base.
Furthermore, Apple's disinterest in a merger highlights a stark reality of the modern tech landscape. Hardware and ecosystem giants prefer to license content or build their own services - like Apple TV Plus - rather than absorb legacy media conglomerates and their massive operational overhead. Disney's aggressive acquisition era worked perfectly for distinct IP like Marvel, but attempting to swallow a tech platform or merge with a hardware titan proved to be a bridge too far.
