Disney plans up to 1,000 job cuts

Disney is preparing to cut as many as 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, with many of the reductions expected in marketing. (cnbc.com) The planned cuts were reported on April 8 and would be the first major layoffs since Josh D’Amaro became Disney chief executive in March. Disney declined to comment to trade outlets that confirmed the plan. (deadline.com) Reuters, citing The Wall Street Journal, reported the layoffs were in motion before D’Amaro took over and would affect less than 1% of Disney’s workforce. Disney employed about 231,000 people at the end of fiscal 2025. (reuters.com) (thewaltdisneycompany.com) The focus on marketing follows an internal reorganization that combined film, television and streaming promotion under chief brand officer Asad Ayaz. Trade reports said that consolidation created overlapping roles now being targeted for elimination. (thewrap.com) Disney has been cutting costs for more than two years as traditional television shrinks and entertainment companies spend more carefully on streaming and film releases. In 2023, Disney said it would eliminate about 7,000 jobs after Bob Iger returned as chief executive. (variety.com) (reuters.com) The company is making these cuts after reporting $94.4 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue, up 3% from the prior year, and $17.6 billion in total segment operating income, up 12%. Those gains show Disney is trimming staff while its larger business remains profitable. (thewaltdisneycompany.com) Disney is not alone. Sony Pictures Entertainment confirmed its own layoffs on April 11, with cuts expected across television, film and corporate divisions as studios reset budgets and staffing. (nationaltoday.com) What comes next is narrower teams inside one of Hollywood’s biggest companies, starting with marketing, as D’Amaro begins reshaping Disney in his first month on the job. (cnbc.com)