Jimmy Kimmel reportedly working on negotiating return with Disney following cancellation

Talks have been taking place between Jimmy Kimmel and Disney over the fate of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the long-running late-night series was pulled from ABC’s schedule. Variety reported that both sides were

“working toward reaching a compromise,” citing multiple insiders familiar with the discussions.

Kimmel’s team has been exploring possibilities with network executives to revive the program, which had been preempted earlier in the month.

The host and Disney have not released statements about whether the series would return. On September 17, Us Weekly confirmed that the show had been removed from the lineup. An ABC spokesperson told the outlet,

“Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be preempted indefinitely.”

FCC chair said Jimmy Kimmel misled public ahead of show’s suspension

On September 18, 2025, CNBC reported that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said ABC host Jimmy Kimmel appeared to have “misled” the American public about details connected to conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing in the days before Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended.

Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Brendan Carr added:

“We’re not done yet” when discussing the broader changes to the media ecosystem following President Donald Trump’s election last fall.

ABC announced Wednesday that it was pulling Kimmel’s show “indefinitely” after the late-night host linked Tyler Robinson, Kirk’s alleged killer, to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

“The issue that arose here, where lots and lots of people were upset, was not a joke, It was not making fun,” Carr explained.

Hours earlier, Carr had suggested that the FCC might consider action against ABC and its parent company, Disney.

“It was appearing to directly mislead the American public about a significant fact … probably one of the most significant political events we’ve had in a long time, for the most significant political assassination we’ve seen in a long time,” Carr continued.

Utah court documents filed Tuesday stated that Tyler Robinson's mother told investigators her son had “become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro gay and trans-rights oriented.”

The filings also noted that Robinson told authorities he killed Kirk because “there is too much evil, and [Kirk] spreads too much hate.”

In his opening monologue, Jimmy Kimmel had said:

“The MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Charlie Kirk, head of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during his speech in Utah

Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator and founder of Turning Point USA, died on Wednesday, September 10, after being shot while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was 31. In a statement released later that evening, Turning Point USA said,

“It’s with a heavy heart that we, the Turning Point USA leadership team, write to notify you that early this afternoon, Charlie went to his eternal reward with Jesus Christ in Heaven.”

President Donald Trump mourned Charlie Kirk in a Truth Social post, writing:

“The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”

The shooting occurred around 1:20 p.m. local time during Charlie Kirk’s American Comeback Tour. Social media footage showed him being struck in the neck while speaking beneath a tent in the university courtyard.

Marvel star Mark Ruffalo criticized Disney over Jimmy Kimmel's suspension

Marvel veteran Mark Ruffalo publicly backed Jimmy Kimmel after ABC suspended the late-night host’s show. In a Threads post highlighted by Variety, Ruffalo re-shared a report alleging Disney’s stock had fallen 7 percent in response to the decision. He added,

“It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show. Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.”

Market data later showed the company’s stock had dipped 1 percent on Sept. 18 and 0.95 percent the following day.

Ruffalo’s ties to Disney run deep: since 2012’s The Avengers, he has played Bruce Banner across eight Marvel films and several series. His public support came as Disney continued talks with Kimmel about the show’s future. Pedro Pascal, who stars in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and is set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, also spoke out on Instagram.

“Standing with you @jimmykimmellive,” he wrote. “Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY.”

As discussions between Disney and Jimmy Kimmel continue, the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains uncertain. While stars like Ruffalo and Pascal voiced support, neither the network nor the host confirmed next steps. The situation highlights the complex intersection of entertainment, corporate decision-making, and public reaction within the late-night television industry.