Disney is planning to cut several thousand jobs as the company looks to reduce spending across its business. The job cuts are expected to affect employees in different parts of the company, people familiar with the matter told CNBC.
Some Disney managers have been asked to cut costs by up to 20%. The company wants its managers to find ways to spend less money and control expenses, the people told CNBC.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to share details of the plans publicly. Bloomberg was the first to report the latest planned job cuts.
Disney layoffs 2026: More job cuts under new CEO
This is another round of job cuts since Josh D’Amaro became Disney’s CEO in early 2026. The company has announced job cuts in different departments this year as part of its plan to reduce costs.
In April 2026, Disney announced plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs. Most of these job cuts were expected to affect the marketing department, CNBC reported.
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{{/usCountry}}In September 2026, Disney planned to cut around 300 more jobs. Many of these cuts were expected to affect the human resources and technology departments. Disney's top executives had already indicated that more job cuts could happen. In its August earnings report, the company said it was looking at different ways to reduce spending across its business.
Disney cost cuts: Company looks to reduce spending
In a letter to shareholders dated August 5, CEO Josh D’Amaro and CFO Hugh Johnston said Disney was focused on reducing costs across the company. They said the savings would help the entertainment giant create more room to invest in business growth.
The executives also said Disney was still working on its cost-cutting plans and would share updates on its progress in the future. Their comments suggested that the company's efforts to control spending were still underway.
Disney also introduced an early retirement programme in August for certain employees as part of its wider plans to reshape the organisation and reduce costs.
In a letter to employees dated August 24, Disney Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman said the company was making several changes to its organisational structure. She also confirmed that job cuts had already started in some parts of the business and would continue into 2027.
Disney workforce: 231,000 employees in 2025
Disney had around 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal year 2025, which ended in September 2025, according to the company's annual financial report. This shows the size of Disney's global workforce as the company prepares for another major round of job cuts.
Disney is not the only entertainment company planning workforce reductions. Other major companies in the industry are also looking to lower costs and restructure their businesses.
Netflix and Skydance also plan job cuts
Netflix said in an employee memo last month that it plans to cut around 6% of its total employees. The company is taking this step to reduce costs and manage its business better.
Skydance, the new company formed after Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery came together, is also expected to cut jobs. The company plans to save $6 billion over the next three years by reducing costs and combining parts of its businesses.
Disney is set to announce its fourth-quarter financial results on November 17, 2026. The results may provide more information about the company's financial position and plans to reduce costs.
However, Disney has not yet shared full details of the planned job cuts. It has not confirmed how many employees could lose their jobs or which departments may be affected.