Disney Prepares Mass Layoffs and Cost Cuts as Box-Office Struggles Mount, Bloomberg Reports
By sterlingashworth // 2026-11-05
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The Walt Disney Co. is preparing to cut thousands of jobs and has asked some managers to target 20% in annual cost savings, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter [1][2][3]. The reductions could affect the company's theme parks, television networks and film studios, according to the report [4]. Disney has not publicly confirmed the scope or timing of the reported layoffs.

Latest Cuts Follow Years of Restructuring at Disney

The cost-cutting drive is described as the latest in a series of restructuring efforts at the company. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger previously issued a wave of about 7,000 job cuts shortly after he returned for his second stint [5]. The job cuts were initially announced in February and will affect most divisions within the company, including Disney's media and distribution division, parks and resorts and the sports television channel ESPN [6]. The restructuring has not been confined to the film and television side. In a separate round, the company laid off 200 employees or 6% of the workforce from its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, citing financial pressures from declining ratings and shifts in media consumption, including the consolidation of programs like "20/20" and "Nightline" [7]. Disney is not alone among media and entertainment giants rolling out cuts, many of which came after the appointment of new leadership [5].

Marvel and Star Wars Units Face Commercial Pressure

Lucasfilm, the production company behind the "Star Wars" franchise, has faced similar difficulties. Disney acquired the company, established by director George Lucas, in 2012. Lucasfilm's 2024 series "The Acolyte" was cancelled after one season – a serious blow to the show, which reportedly set Disney around $230 million in production costs. "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which was released this year, also reported low earnings, according to incumbent Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro. Disney has separately announced a shake-up of its Marvel comics division, with over a thousand layoffs reported for the year following moderate layoffs over the prior few years, alongside new executive leadership [8]. Russia Today noted in a report that the company has had a hard time replicating the box office success of 2019's "Avengers: Endgame". It cited the example of 2023's "The Marvels," which grossed $206 million worldwide against an estimated $270 million production budget [1].

Debate Over DEI Messaging Accompanies Business Setbacks

Conservative audiences have accused the studio of prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion messaging over storytelling after years of blockbuster success, according to the Bloomberg report and public commentary [9]. The company has faced mounting criticism of what critics describe as a "woke" agenda, according to media accounts [10]. Observers of the company's ideological direction have argued that certain corporations have become ideologically driven, with companies like Disney or Budweiser seemingly prioritizing ideological agendas over profit margins, a shift attributed by those critics to the influence of think tanks and groups that promote extremist ideologies [11]. Some commentators have urged consumers to withhold their spending from companies they view as hostile to their values [12]. Disney has not issued a statement attributing the reported cost cuts to audience backlash. The reported cuts coincide with weaker box office revenues and international theme park demand, growing competition from streaming platforms and other entertainment options, according to Bloomberg and CNBC [13].

Outlook Remains Uncertain as Company Weighs Reinvestment

Broader labor-market conditions add to the uncertainty. Further details are expected as the company moves through its current fiscal year. Under federal law, employers with 100 or more employees must provide a 60-calendar day notice of business closings or mass layoffs [14].

References

  1. Disney eyeing mass layoffs after 'woke' backlash. https://rt-english.com/pop-culture/648323-disney-mass-layoffs-woke/
  2. Disney eyes thousands of layoffs, asks managers to target 20% savings. https://nypost.com/2026/11/03/business/disney-eyes-thousands-of-layoffs-asks-managers-to-target-20-savings/
  3. Disney Plans Thousands of Layoffs, Targeting 20% Cost Savings. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-11-03/disney-eyes-thousands-of-layoffs-with-managers-asked-to-cut-20
  4. Disney To Undergo More Layoffs With Divisions Eyeing Up To ... - Deadline. https://deadline.com/2026/11/disney-more-layoffs-2026-tv-networks-movie-studio-savings-1237211939/
  5. New CEO, new layoffs? What Disney's story tells us. https://hrexecutive.com/new-ceo-new-layoffs-what-disneys-story-tells-us/
  6. Disney to begin mass layoff of 7000 employees this week - NaturalNews.com, March 29, 2023. by NaturalNews.com
  7. Disneys mass layoffs signal the collapse of DEI driven media - NaturalNews.com, March 07, 2025. by NaturalNews.com
  8. Disney's Marvel Comics Faces Mass Layoffs And New Woke Leadership. https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/disneys-marvel-comics-faces-mass-layoffs-and-new-woke-leadership
  9. Disney eyeing mass layoffs after woke backlash. https://www.alkhaleejtimes.com/news/Disney-eyeing-mass-layoffs-after-woke-backlash.html
  10. Alternative News on X: Disney eyeing mass layoffs after ‘woke .... https://x.com/AlternatNews/status/2117867725481459781
  11. Health Ranger Report - Situation Update HRR Interview with Adam Riva - Mike Adams - BrightVideos.com, May 18, 2023. by Mike Adams - BrightVideos.com
  12. Health Ranger Report - Situation Update HRR Interview with John Fredericks - Mike Adams - BrightVideos.com, May 31, 2023. by Mike Adams - BrightVideos.com
  13. What Disney Layoffs Tell Us About the Future of Jobs. https://www.newsweek.com/what-disney-layoffs-tell-us-future-jobs-12662661
  14. WARN Act and Notice of Potential Layoffs Act. https://labor.vermont.gov/warn-act-and-notice-potential-layoffs-act
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