Walt Disney is reportedly considering thousands of job cuts as its new chief executive, Josh D'Amaro, pushes ahead with a company-wide cost reduction effort.
According to a Bloomberg report published on 2 November, some managers have been asked to identify ways to achieve annual savings of 20%, raising the possibility of further redundancies across the entertainment giant.
The proposed savings could come from eliminating positions as well as reducing other business expenses, meaning the target does not necessarily translate into a 20% workforce reduction.
The reported plans also suggest that different divisions could face varying levels of pressure, with some operations expected to shoulder a larger share of the changes. The report did not specify how many employees could be affected, and Disney has not publicly confirmed the scale or timing of any additional job cuts.
Disney Layoffs and 20% Cost Reduction Target Under Josh D'Amaro
The reported plans come as Disney deals with several challenges across its entertainment businesses. Reuters reported that the company is facing increased adoption of artificial intelligence, weaker box-office performance, competition from streaming platforms and slower international attendance at its theme parks.
These pressures have also prompted other entertainment companies to review their operating costs and staffing levels, as traditional television businesses face declining revenues and streaming services pursue profitability.
Disney's workforce stood at approximately 231,000 employees at the end of its 2025 financial year. That included around 172,000 workers in the United States and another 59,000 based internationally, according to figures cited by Reuters.
The potential changes are likely to be watched closely by employees working across Disney's film studios, television networks, technology operations and theme park businesses.
Disney Has Already Cut Hundreds of Jobs in 2026
The latest developments follow several rounds of redundancies since D'Amaro took over as chief executive. In April, Disney eliminated approximately 1,000 positions across its marketing operations, studios, television business, ESPN and technology teams.
Another round followed in July, affecting several hundred employees across corporate functions and entertainment divisions. Pixar and National Geographic were among the businesses affected by those changes, according to reporting by Variety.
In September, the company made further reductions involving a few hundred employees, primarily across its human resources and information technology departments. The cuts were reported by Variety and Reuters.
Disney's cost-cutting efforts continued into October. On 28 October, the company's theme parks division eliminated between 100 and 200 positions across Imagineering, according to reporting by TheWrap and the Los Angeles Times.
Imagineering is the creative and technical arm responsible for developing theme parks, attractions, resorts, cruise ships and live entertainment.
Disney has also explored voluntary departures as part of its efforts to manage staffing expenses. In August, it offered early-retirement packages to a defined group of eligible executives, according to a report by TheWrap.
Disney's earlier restructuring under former chief executive Bob Iger was also substantial. In 2023, the company announced plans to eliminate 7,000 positions as part of a cost-saving programme worth $5.5 billion.
Disney Plans To Redirect Savings Into Films, Technology and Theme Parks
An important part of the reported strategy is what Disney intends to do with the money saved through the restructuring. Bloomberg's report said D'Amaro wants to redirect some of the savings towards areas considered important to the company's future growth.
These include film and television programming, technology, theme parks and Disney's cruise business. The approach indicates that the company is looking to reduce expenses in certain areas while retaining the ability to invest in other parts of its entertainment operations.
D'Amaro and chief financial officer Hugh Johnston had already outlined the company's intentions in a 5 August shareholder letter. They said Disney was evaluating ways to reduce labour and selling, general and administrative expenses, commonly referred to as SG&A.
The executives wrote: 'We remain highly focused on reducing costs across the enterprise to create incremental capacity to invest for growth.'
They also identified reductions in labour and SG&A expenses as potential measures, adding that the company was already working through the process and would provide further updates on its progress.
For employees, the uncertainty surrounding the latest proposal is likely to be a concern, particularly as Disney has not identified the divisions that could face the heaviest reductions.
Disney's latest cost-saving effort comes as other major entertainment companies also reassess their staffing and spending priorities. Whether the new targets will ultimately result in thousands of additional redundancies remains uncertain.
