Disney Announces More Layoffs Amid Industry Shifts and Cost-Cutting Drive

The Walt Disney Company has announced another round of job cuts, affecting several hundred employees globally, as the entertainment giant continues its efforts to streamline operations and reduce costs in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

The latest layoffs impact employees across multiple departments, including film and television marketing, casting, content development, and corporate finance, according to a company spokesperson. While no entire teams are being shut down, the cuts reflect Disney's strategy of “surgical” adjustments rather than sweeping reductions.

“As our industry transforms at a rapid pace, we continue to evaluate ways to efficiently manage our businesses while fuelling the state-of-the-art creativity and innovation that consumers value and expect from Disney,” the company said in a statement to the BBC.

The move follows Disney’s major workforce reduction in 2023, when approximately 7,000 jobs were cut under CEO Bob Iger’s initiative to save $5.5 billion. That round was part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at repositioning the company amid declining cable TV revenues and intensifying competition in the streaming market.

Disney currently employs about 233,000 people worldwide, with more than 60,000 based outside the United States.

The job cuts come despite strong earnings in early 2025. Disney reported $23.6 billion in revenue for the first quarter, a 7% increase year-on-year, driven largely by growth in its Disney+ streaming platform, which gained a significant number of new subscribers.

However, the transition from traditional broadcast and cable to streaming has also required the company to rethink its content strategy and cost structures. Legacy media units — including those focused on television production and film promotion — have been under increasing pressure to operate more efficiently.

While Disney continues to invest heavily in content, not all projects have met expectations. The company’s live-action remake of Snow White, released earlier this year, underperformed at the box office, impacted by critical reviews and lukewarm audience reception. In contrast, its latest animated offering, Lilo & Stitch, proved a commercial success, setting records during the Memorial Day holiday weekend and generating more than $610 million in global ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo.

Despite the box office ups and downs, Disney’s portfolio remains robust. The company owns Marvel, ESPN, Hulu, and other major content platforms, giving it broad reach across both traditional and digital entertainment spaces.

Industry analysts view the layoffs as part of a larger trend affecting Hollywood and media companies globally. As audiences shift their viewing habits and as tech giants expand into content creation, traditional studios are forced to balance innovation with financial discipline.

“There’s an ongoing recalibration in the entertainment industry,” said Mia Reynolds, a media analyst based in New York. “Companies like Disney are trying to remain creative powerhouses while adapting to new business realities. That’s not easy — and sometimes, unfortunately, it means cutting staff.”

Disney has not disclosed the exact number of employees affected in this round, but reiterated that it is taking steps to minimize disruption to ongoing projects and teams.