Disney Continues Massive Layoffs Amid Cost-Cutting Effort
Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has accelerated his cost-cutting effort by eliminating another couple hundred jobs, bringing the total workforce reduction this year to over 1,000. The latest cuts primarily affect technology and human resources employees, while Disney Entertainment Television and its motion picture studio are largely exempt.
The move is part of a broader effort to streamline operations and free up capital for growth as traditional entertainment businesses confront mounting competition and technological disruption. According to a memo from Chief Legal and Global Affairs Officer Horacio Gutierrez, the company plans to create a much smaller organization by automating certain workflows with the latest technologies.
Disney employed approximately 231,000 people at the end of fiscal 2025, including 172,000 in the U.S. The reductions follow a voluntary early retirement program targeting employees aged 50 and older who held director-level positions or above and had served at least 10 years.