The Walt Disney Company is implementing a significant round of layoffs, impacting “several hundred” employees across its global operations. The bulk of these layoffs will occur within Disney Entertainment and corporate financial sectors, specifically affecting teams involved in marketing, publicity, casting, and development for both film and television.
As reported by Deadline, while no full teams are being disbanded, the restructuring reflects a move to streamline operations and increase efficiency, aligning with the company’s overarching goal of cutting $7.5 billion in costs as outlined by CEO Bob Iger at the beginning of 2023. This marks the fourth round of layoffs within the past 10 months across Disney’s television segments, indicating a broader trend of workforce reductions in response to financial objectives.
Notably, earlier layoffs this year included cuts to the ABC News Group and Disney’s entertainment networks, where less than 200 employees were let go. Prior to that, approximately 75 staff members from ABC News were laid off in October 2024, following a cut of 300 corporate positions in September 2024. During the same pattern of cuts, Pixar Animation Studios also reduced its workforce by 14% in May 2024.
Despite these workforce reductions, Disney reported a robust revenue of $23.6 billion in its Q2FY2025 earnings, showing a 7% increase from Q2FY2024. This indicates that while the company is optimizing costs through workforce adjustments, its overall financial performance remains strong, suggesting resilience in its core business operations.
With a focus on enhancing operational efficiency, Disney aims to navigate these challenging times while maintaining its commitment to delivering quality content to audiences worldwide.