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Disney seems to be enthusiastically shoveling dirt into its own grave with each passing day. As the company struggles to piece together the shattered remnants of its reputation, it finds itself embroiled in yet another controversy.
The House of Mouse has been unceremoniously slapped with a paltry $36,000 fine after a worker tragically plummeted to his untimely demise on the set of Wonder Man in February. The horrific incident occurred when J.C. “Spike” Osorio, a lighting technician, catastrophically fell 41 feet through a rotten, dilapidated catwalk at the Radford Studio Center in Studio City. Cal/OSHA’s investigation exposed the catwalk’s deteriorated section, weakened by the ravages of time and the elements, as being shoddily and haphazardly nailed to a roof support. As the unsuspecting crew navigated the precarious catwalks, Osorio unwittingly stepped onto the weakened section, which suddenly gave way like a trapdoor to oblivion, sending him plunging to his tragic fate.
Now, brace yourself for the most ludicrous plot twist: Disney is “expected to appeal” the fine. Really, Disney? A company with a market cap that rivals the GDP of small nations can’t begrudgingly part with a measly $36,000 to take responsibility for a preventable tragedy?
Is Disney taking cues from its own beloved cartoons and learning all the wrong lessons? Like, I don’t know, maybe Scrooge McDuck gleefully backstroking through his money bin while callously disregarding the suffering and anguish around him?
This isn’t the first time Disney has tried to slither its way out of a lawsuit using underhanded and morally bankrupt tactics. Not long ago, the giant had the audacity to attempt to quash a wrongful death lawsuit by claiming the victim couldn’t sue because they had agreed to the terms of Disney Plus. Last year, Kanokporn Tangsuan, an NYU doctor, tragically lost her life due to a lethal allergic reaction triggered by a meal at a Disney-owned restaurant. Her grief-stricken husband, Jeffrey Piccolo, filed a $50,000 lawsuit against the company.
Disney’s response? They had the gall to argue that since Piccolo had naively signed up for a free trial of Disney Plus back in 2019, he was legally shackled to resolve the dispute through individual binding arbitration. So according to Disney, by agreeing to the streaming service’s labyrinthine terms and conditions, Piccolo had apparently unwittingly surrendered his right to seek justice for his wife’s tragic death. The unmitigated audacity is breathtaking!
These episodes paint a picture of a company scrambling to protect its bottom line with a zeal that borders on the absurd, especially in light of its recent setbacks. After a string of humiliating box office debacles last year, including the underwhelming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Haunted Mansion, and the forgettable The Marvels, the future of Wonder Man, compounded with public relations fiascos, doesn’t look too bright.
The series has already faced a deeply troubled production process, with delays due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and even rumors of Marvel Studios considering dropping the project altogether. As of now, Wonder Man has no premiere date in sight.
The show, much like its comic book namesake, is said to revolve around Simon Williams, a wealthy industrialist whose company falls on hard times due to competition from Stark Industries. Desperate to save his business, Williams embezzles funds and is caught, but he agrees to undergo an experimental procedure conducted by the villainous Baron Zemo, which grants him superhuman abilities. Initially sent to betray the Avengers, Williams ultimately realizes the error of his ways and seeks to redeem himself as a true hero. His struggles with personal identity, redemption, and the challenges of leading a double life have been recurring themes in his character arc.
Williams will be brought to life by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who previously portrayed the menacing Black Manta in Aquaman. However, even with the star power of Abdul-Mateen II, it remains to be seen whether Wonder Man can overcome the curse of its troubled production and the looming specter of Disney’s corporate misdeeds. Perhaps it’s time for the Mouse House to take a long, hard look in the magic mirror and ask itself, “Who’s the fairest of them all?” Because at this rate, the answer certainly isn’t Disney.