My guess is tomorrow they announce background checks of our IP addresses and it’s the first fanless HHN of the year.
The Howl-o-Scream thread would mysteriously become full of people who have always been massive fans of the event.
I think it's more that he resents being told how to run "his" event by Orlando.
To give Murdy fair credit, I think that some of the things people say about him are unfair. Orlando and Hollywood are two different events that require different approaches, and I've always felt like his issue was budget moreso than lack of imagination because he doesn't really seem excited for repeats, but it's a necessary evil. Many years that didn't land were much more "they ran out of money" or IP constraints than actual lack of creativity, and that was proven by an Orlando equivalent just being a prettier version of a meh IP or concept. Plus, he also has much more difficult space constraints, and I feel like his proximity to Hollywood means that he probably has more pressure to be more IP-friendly. After all, if he didn't really like Orlando, why would he run one of their top-rated houses twice?
While I think the event would benefit from originals, I have always gotten the sense that Hollywood would also much less forgiving of an original heavy lineup as well, and it's not why people come.
To be clear, I can't and won't defend everything he does, and I do think he could benefit from more creative input, but I also don't think the event would suddenly be significantly better if he was replaced, and after a long stint of attending the event, I tend to view him a bit more favorably these days.