What Happened to Disney Layoffs (Recent)?
The Walt Disney Company has undergone significant workforce reductions since early 2023, initially under CEO Bob Iger, impacting over 8,000 employees as part of a multi-year cost-cutting and restructuring initiative. These efforts aimed to save billions and streamline operations amid shifts in the entertainment industry. The latest round, announced in April 2026 under new CEO Josh D'Amaro, targets up to 1,000 jobs, primarily within the consolidated marketing division, continuing the company's strategic realignment.
Quick Answer
Recent Disney layoffs began in early 2023 under then-CEO Bob Iger, with an initial target of 7,000 jobs, which ultimately exceeded 8,000 by 2025, saving the company $7.5 billion. These cuts were part of a broader restructuring to adapt to the evolving media landscape, including the growth of streaming and declining traditional TV. As of April 2026, newly appointed CEO Josh D'Amaro has initiated another round of layoffs, planning to cut up to 1,000 positions, mainly in the recently consolidated marketing department, as Disney continues to streamline operations and focus on digital growth.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
Bob Iger Returns as CEO
Bob Iger returns as CEO, replacing Bob Chapek, and immediately begins to assess the company's structure and financial performance.
Initial 7,000 Layoff Announcement
Bob Iger announces plans to cut 7,000 jobs and reorganize the company into three divisions (Entertainment, ESPN, Parks & Experiences) as part of a $5.5 billion cost-cutting initiative.
First Wave of Layoffs Begins
Disney begins the first of three waves of layoffs, impacting thousands of employees across various departments.
shopDisney Layoffs
Approximately 115 cast members are terminated from shopDisney (now Disney Store) as part of ongoing restructuring.
Pixar Layoffs
175 employees are laid off from Pixar Animation Studios.
National Geographic and Freeform Layoffs
140 jobs are cut across National Geographic, Freeform, and local TV stations.
Corporate Department Layoffs
Around 300 employees are eliminated from various US corporate departments, including human resources, finance, and legal.
ABC News and Entertainment Networks Layoffs
Nearly 200 employees, approximately 6% of staff, are laid off across ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks.
Several Hundred Disney Entertainment Layoffs
Several hundred employees are laid off across Disney Entertainment divisions, including marketing, publicity, casting, development, and corporate finance, primarily in Los Angeles.
Disneyland Resort Layoffs
Disneyland Resort announces plans to lay off approximately 100 salaried cast members as part of a reorganization process.
Marketing Department Consolidation (Project Imagine)
Disney consolidates its marketing functions across film, television, and streaming under a new enterprise-wide marketing and brand organization, led by Asad Ayaz, code-named 'Project Imagine'. This move sets the stage for future workforce reductions.
Josh D'Amaro Becomes CEO
Josh D'Amaro formally takes over as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, succeeding Bob Iger.
New Round of 1,000 Layoffs Announced
Reports emerge that Disney plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, primarily affecting the newly consolidated marketing department. These cuts, though planned before D'Amaro's official CEO tenure, mark his first significant workforce action.
Layoffs Begin Across Multiple Divisions
The Walt Disney Company begins implementing the announced 1,000 job cuts across various divisions, including television and movie studios, ESPN, product and technology, corporate functions, and marketing, as confirmed by CEO Josh D'Amaro in an internal email.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The Walt Disney Company has been engaged in a multi-year effort to restructure its operations and reduce costs, leading to several rounds of significant layoffs since early 2023. This initiative was largely spearheaded by Bob Iger, who returned as CEO in November 2022. In February 2023, Iger announced plans to eliminate 7,000 jobs, aiming for $5.5 billion in cost savings, a figure later increased to $7.5 billion.
The initial waves of layoffs in 2023 affected various divisions, including Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and corporate functions, as the company sought to adapt to declining traditional television viewership and the increasing importance of streaming services. The rationale behind these cuts was to create a more streamlined, efficient, and profitable organization. By the end of 2025, reports indicated that Disney had eliminated over 8,000 roles since Iger's return.
Layoffs continued throughout 2024 and 2025, impacting diverse areas. In January 2024, 115 positions were cut from shopDisney. May 2024 saw 175 Pixar employees laid off, followed by 140 from National Geographic and Freeform in July 2024. Corporate departments experienced approximately 300 job eliminations in September 2024, and another 75 were cut in October 2024 as ABC Signature was folded into 20th Television. March 2025 brought nearly 200 layoffs across ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks, with 'several hundred' more impacting Disney Entertainment divisions in June 2025, primarily in marketing, publicity, casting, development, and corporate finance. Even the Parks division saw reductions, with Disneyland Resort announcing approximately 100 salaried cast member layoffs in October 2025.
The most recent developments occurred in April 2026, shortly after Josh D'Amaro officially succeeded Bob Iger as CEO on March 18, 2026. Disney announced plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks. These layoffs are largely concentrated in the company's newly consolidated marketing department, which underwent a reorganization in January 2026 under Chief Marketing and Brand Officer Asad Ayaz, an initiative internally code-named 'Project Imagine.' While these cuts are D'Amaro's first significant workforce action as CEO, reports suggest the plans for these reductions were in motion prior to his official appointment.
The ongoing layoffs reflect Disney's continued efforts to streamline operations, reduce redundancies, and reallocate resources towards digital growth areas like streaming, where the company is also merging its Disney+ and Hulu services into a single app by the end of 2026. The company's global workforce stood at approximately 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal year 2025. These strategic adjustments are part of a broader industry trend as entertainment companies navigate evolving consumer habits and economic pressures.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Disney Layoffs (Recent) made different choices?