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Disney Expected to Lay Off Thousands of Staffers in Biggest Round of Cuts This Year
Disney is preparing another large round of redundancies, expected to be its biggest this year and its fourth since Josh D’Amaro became chief executive. The cuts are part of a broader effort to reduce costs while redirecting some savings towards film and television, technology, theme parks and cruise businesses.
Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, reported that some managers had been asked to cut annualised expenses by 20%, with certain operations expected to be hit harder than others; it did not identify which. Disney has already cut about 1,000 roles in April and several hundred more in July and September, and recently offered buyouts to some long-serving US executives. Executives said in August that further reductions, including in labour costs, were under consideration; Disney is due to report its September-quarter results on 17 November.
In short
- Disney is preparing its largest staff cuts of 2026.
- Some managers were told to reduce annualised expenses by 20%.
- The company says savings will help fund growth areas.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the cuts could argue that reducing costs gives Disney more room to invest in the films, technology, parks and cruises that underpin its future growth. If demand and business priorities have shifted, restructuring may help the company stay competitive and protect its long-term ability to employ people.
The case against
Critics could argue that repeated redundancies impose serious costs on workers and their families, while broad expense targets risk removing experience and capacity the company may later need. They may also question whether savings will reliably strengthen Disney’s core businesses, particularly when the reported targets leave unclear which teams would bear the burden.
Explained simply
Disney is a US entertainment company with businesses spanning film and television, streaming, theme parks and cruises. It employs staff across these operations, as well as in corporate and support roles.
Josh D’Amaro became Disney’s chief executive after previously leading its theme parks division. The company has said it is seeking to reduce costs while directing some savings towards areas including film and television, technology and parks.
Disney has made several rounds of job cuts in recent months and offered buyouts to some long-serving US executives. Redundancies can affect both the company’s costs and the people and teams responsible for its different businesses.