Disney is cutting a few hundred jobs across its human resources and technology departments, marking another round of workforce reductions as the entertainment company continues a broad effort to reduce costs and reshape its operations.
The latest cuts come during the first year of Josh D’Amaro’s tenure as CEO and as Disney navigates major changes across traditional entertainment, streaming, technology and corporate operations. The company employed about 231,000 people at the end of fiscal 2025, including roughly 172,000 in the United States and 59,000 internationally.
Human Resources and Technology Teams Affected
The latest reductions are concentrated primarily in Disney’s human resources and technology operations, affecting employees across corporate functions and different parts of the company.
The cuts add to a broader restructuring effort that has already affected several areas of Disney’s business this year.
The company has been reviewing its workforce and operating expenses as management looks for ways to lower costs while creating room for investment in areas expected to support future growth.
Another Round of Job Cuts in 2026
The latest reductions follow earlier workforce changes announced during the year.
In April, Disney eliminated about 1,000 positions, including roles across marketing and other parts of the company such as its studio and television operations, ESPN, products and technology, and corporate functions.
Further cuts followed in July, affecting several hundred employees across areas including Pixar, ESPN, Disney Studios and Disney Entertainment Television.
The repeated reductions indicate that Disney’s cost-reduction program is continuing across multiple stages rather than being limited to one division.
New Leadership During a Major Industry Shift
The restructuring is taking place under CEO Josh D’Amaro, who became Disney’s chief executive in March.
D’Amaro took over at a time when the entertainment industry was undergoing significant changes. Artificial intelligence is changing how companies approach technology and content production, while traditional theatrical revenues face pressure and streaming competition continues to intensify.
Disney has also made several changes to its senior leadership structure since D’Amaro took charge, adding another layer of organizational change as the company adjusts its strategy.
Disney Is Focused on Reducing Costs
Its management has indicated that reducing expenses remains an important part of its current strategy.
In its latest financial update, executives said the company was working to reduce costs across the organization and was considering several measures, including reductions in labor and selling, general and administrative expenses.
The objective is to create additional financial capacity for investment in growth while making the company’s operations more efficient.
Marketing Has Already Been Restructured
Marketing has been one of the areas significantly affected by Disney’s organizational changes.
The company reorganized its marketing operations earlier this year and eliminated about 1,000 positions as part of that restructuring.
The changes reflect Disney’s broader effort to consolidate functions and adjust how its different businesses operate across the wider organization.
Early Retirement Offers Add to the Restructuring
It also introduced voluntary early-retirement packages for some longtime executives in August.
The program targeted experienced employees across Disney Entertainment, ESPN and corporate divisions.
The combination of early-retirement offers and direct layoffs shows that Disney is using several workforce strategies as it works to reduce expenses and adjust its organizational structure.
Cost Pressure Meets an Evolving Entertainment Market
its restructuring comes as the entertainment business continues to change rapidly.
Streaming has transformed how audiences consume movies and television, while traditional theatrical releases face changing consumer habits. At the same time, artificial intelligence is creating new possibilities and challenges across content creation, technology and corporate operations.
These developments are forcing large entertainment companies to reconsider how they allocate employees and resources across different parts of their businesses.
Disney Has Cut Jobs Before
The current restructuring follows significant workforce reductions under former CEO Bob Iger.
In 2023, it eliminated about 7,000 jobs as part of a cost-cutting program designed to save approximately $5.5 billion.
The company subsequently carried out additional targeted reductions across different divisions, including film and television marketing, publicity, casting and development.
The Focus Now Shifts to Efficiency and Growth
Disney’s latest layoffs highlight the difficult balance facing the company.
Management is attempting to reduce operating costs while continuing to invest in businesses that can support future growth. That means reshaping teams, consolidating functions and reassessing where the company needs employees as its business model evolves.
For employees, the latest cuts represent another period of uncertainty after several rounds of restructuring. For Disney, they form part of a broader effort to build a leaner organization while adapting to an entertainment industry increasingly shaped by streaming, technology and artificial intelligence.
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