Musk Supports Call for Shareholder Lawsuit Against ‘Woke’ Disney

Elon Musk has endorsed a new backlash against The Walt Disney Co. over efforts to diversify its workforce and one of its most beloved franchises.

The latest film in the "Star Wars" franchise is set to be a female-led venture, helmed by director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and focused on Daisy Ridley's character Rey Skywalker. The movie, which was first announced in April by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, will be the first in the 47-year-old franchise's history directed by a woman.

Notably, as of 2018, 96% of the franchise's writers and directors were white men, according to Variety.

“I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special," Obaid-Chinoy told CNN last week. "We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away."

That seemingly innocuous comment stirred conservatives' ire, fueling a new wave of outrage against the company.

"Disney has handed the reins of its most valuable franchise to a feminist activist and filmmaker who directed two episodes of Ms Marvel and a host of woke climate and 'gender justice' documentaries," Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing blogger who has frequently criticized Disney, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Very on brand for the company."

Several other conservative commentators chimed in on X, ridiculing Disney and implying that Obaid-Chinoy was hired because of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and "woke" politics.

One social media user recommended that Disney investors file a class-action lawsuit against the company for breaching its fiduciary duty; similar lawsuits have been filed against companies such as Target Corp., which was sued by a conservative foundation over its Pride Month merchandise.

Musk — the world's richest man and owner of X — joined in, writing, "Yes, this is getting ridiculous," in response to the call for a lawsuit.

Musk, who also serves as CEO of electric carmaker Tesla, has been furiously condemning Disney — and CEO Bob Iger — since the company stopped advertising after several ads were found next to pro-Nazi and hateful content. Last month he wrote that Iger should be "fired immediately" and alleged Disney founder Walt Disney is "turning in his grave" over Iger's leadership.

The Mouse House has suffered a series of box-office bombs in recent months, even as it faces renewed pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz in an escalating proxy battle and tries to transition ESPN into a subscription-based streaming service.

This isn't the first time that "Star Wars" has been criticized by angry commenters online for hiring women and people of color in major roles.

After British actor John Boyega was cast in the seventh edition of the franchise, social media users tried to boycott the film for casting a Black actor. Kelly Marie Tran, the first woman of color cast in a major "Star Wars" role, was the victim of an extreme wave of racist and sexist comments from angry fans.