Disney Announces More Layoffs Despite Strong Earnings.
Disney has confirmed another round of job cuts, laying off several hundred employees across its global operations as it continues a sweeping effort to reduce costs. The layoffs will affect workers in the film, television, and finance departments, deepening the toll on an already shaken workforce.
The entertainment conglomerate says the decision is part of its ongoing response to rapid changes in the industry, particularly the steady decline of traditional cable subscriptions in favor of streaming platforms.
"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," a spokesperson told the BBC.
This latest wave of job cuts follows the mass layoffs announced in 2023, when CEO Bob Iger eliminated around 7,000 roles in a bid to save $5.5 billion. Now, even more employees are being impacted as departments across the board are forced to downsize.
Among those affected are staff in Disney's casting and development teams, as well as corporate finance and marketing departments tied to its film and television divisions. Despite the scale of the layoffs, Disney says it has been “surgical” in its approach.
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"We have been surgical in our approach to minimise the number of impacted employees," the spokesperson added. The company also stated that no departments would be entirely shuttered.
Disney, which employs roughly 233,000 people globally—including more than 60,000 outside the U.S.—has long been considered a cornerstone of the entertainment industry. It owns a range of high-profile brands such as Marvel, ESPN, and Hulu.
Ironically, the layoffs come on the heels of positive financial news. In May, Disney reported a better-than-expected $23.6 billion in revenue for the first quarter of the year—a 7% rise compared to the same period in 2024. The boost was largely attributed to growth in its Disney+ subscriber base.
This year’s film releases have had mixed results. While Captain America: Brave New World and Snow White struggled to meet expectations—Snow White in particular was hit hard by poor reviews—Disney did see a win with Lilo & Stitch. The remake broke Memorial Day box office records and has earned over $610 million globally.
Still, that success wasn’t enough to shield employees from the harsh reality of corporate cost-cutting.
Despite growing revenue and box office hits, Disney’s renewed round of layoffs underscores a troubling truth: even the biggest names in entertainment are not immune to the brutal economics of a shifting media landscape. For the workers affected, the company’s success has provided little consolation.
In the end, it seems even record-breaking films and rising subscriber numbers aren't enough to protect livelihoods in an industry more focused on quarterly targets than the people behind the magic.
