Skip to main content

The Walt Disney Co. begins laying off 1,000 employees

NEW YORK (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday began layoffs expected to lead to 1,000 job cuts across the company.

Josh D’Amaro, who in February succeeded Bob Iger as chief executive, announced broader layoffs following a move in January to consolidate Disney’s marketing division. The cuts are expected to fall across the Burbank, California-based company’s traditional television businesses, including ESPN, as well as its movie studio. Employees in product and technology, and in certain corporate functions will also be affected.

“Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” D’Amaro said in a memo to employees obtained by The Associated Press. “Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs.”

Disney last went through a round of layoffs soon after Iger returned for a second spell as chief executive office in 2022. The company cut around 8,000 jobs then. As of late 2025, Disney had about 230,000 employees.

D’Amaro, who previously oversaw Disney’s lucrative parks division, has been at the company since 1998.

Contraction has recently been a widespread concern in Hollywood. Paramount Skydance has shed 2,000 jobs since the studio was taken over by David Ellison’s company, and Ellison has acknowledged layoffs would follow Paramount’s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, if the deal wins approval from shareholders and government regulators. Last week, Sony Pictures Entertainment said it would eliminate hundreds of jobs.

Asian shares retreat as US stocks halt their record-breaking rally, while oil prices fall back

Asian shares retreated on Thursday following declines on Wall Street that snapped a nine-day winning streak for the S&P 500. Oil prices fell back after surging Wednesday as renewed fighting threatened the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Early Thursday in Asia, Brent crude was $1.17 lower at $96.64 per barrel, while benchmark U.S. crude oil shed $1.08 to $94.94 per barrel. Oil prices had climbed a day earlier after both the United States and Iran said they launched retaliations for earlier attacks or attempted ones. In share trading, Japan's Nikkei 225 shed 1.9% to 67,101.83 as traders sold technology stocks to lock in gains. Energy and technology giant SoftBank Group slumped 10.4%, while Shin-Etsu Chemical dropped 3.8%.
Read Next Story