Disney may have just learned a very expensive lesson about late-night TV.
After suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live, the company’s market value reportedly dropped by a staggering $3.87 billion overnight. That’s not a typo. Billion, with a “B.”
The decision instantly sparked waves of backlash online, where hashtags calling for a Disney boycott gained traction.
And we’re not just talking about skipping a theme park vacation. People were vowing to avoid anything with the Disney stamp on it, including ABC, ESPN, Disney+, and even Marvel.
That’s where things got even messier. Actress Tatiana Maslany threw her support behind the boycott. She headlined her own Disney+/Marvel series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
It’s rare for a studio actor to openly criticize their employer while still technically working for them, which is why Maslany’s stance lit up social media almost as much as the news of Kimmel’s suspension itself.
Whether this backlash will cool off or grow into a full-on cultural standstill is still up in the air. What is clear is that Disney’s financial hit shows how quickly fan frustration can turn into real-world consequences.
But it was just announced that Kimmel will be returning to his show starting tonight… so we’ll see if the boycotts continue, now that he has his job back.