Disney to lay off hundreds across entertainment divisions amid shift to streaming
The Walt Disney Company is cutting several hundred jobs across its film and television divisions, a Disney spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY. The layoffs, which formally took effect on Monday, June 2, impact departments involved in marketing, publicity, casting, development, and parts of corporate finance. No entire teams are being dissolved, the company said.A Disney representative attributed the decision to the “rapid pace” of industry transformation and the company’s push to “operate more efficiently.”This move is the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures implemented since CEO Bob Iger returned to helm the company in 2022. In early 2023, Iger announced that Disney would lay off 7,000 employees to reduce spending by billions of dollars. That plan has since unfolded through multiple rounds of layoffs.In September 2024, Disney cut around 300 positions in corporate functions such as legal, HR, and communications. Earlier layoffs affected Disney-owned brands including National Geographic, Pixar, and Freeform. In March 2025, the company trimmed another 200 jobs—nearly 6% of its workforce in ABC News and Disney Entertainment Networks.Despite the cuts, Disney reported strong financial results. According to its Q2 2025 earnings report, revenue rose to $23.6 billion, a 7% year-on-year increase. Subscriber numbers for Disney+ also climbed by 126 million in the first quarter, reflecting the accelerating shift in consumer preferences toward streaming platforms.As of its latest fiscal year ending September 2024, Disney employed approximately 233,000 people worldwide.Meanwhile, Disney’s theme parks are also facing challenges. At Walt Disney World in Florida, employees under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) were recently informed they must provide updated work authorization documents or risk being placed on leave. The notification followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the Trump-era decision to end TPS protections for about 350,000 Venezuelans.
