3rd November 2026 – (New York) Walt Disney Co is moving towards thousands of job reductions as parts of the company have been asked to target 20 per cent in annual cost savings, according to people familiar with the plans. The measures are expected to combine headcount cuts with broader expense reductions and could affect business units unevenly across the group.
Chief Executive Officer Josh D’Amaro is expected to channel a portion of the savings into film and television programming, technology, and the parks and cruise operations, while maintaining the company’s focus on profitability and growth in the current financial year. Disney ended the last fiscal year with about 231,000 employees worldwide, underscoring the potential scale of any changes.
The prospective cuts follow several rounds of belt‑tightening across Disney’s portfolio in recent years, spanning television networks, the film studio, ESPN and the experiences segment. Senior leaders have already telegraphed further streamlining, with President and Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden recently stressing the need to continually assess organisational size and structure amid industry headwinds and shifting viewer behaviour.
Reports have also pointed to ongoing reshaping within Disney’s television operations and corporate functions as legacy broadcast revenues decline and streaming growth moderates, while competition from social media and tech‑backed platforms continues to fragment audiences. Management has indicated the goal is to protect creative output and strengthen the balance between traditional channels and direct‑to‑consumer services as the cost measures are implemented.
A Disney representative declined to comment on the latest indications of workforce reductions. Investors will watch for signs of how the savings programme is phased in and the extent to which reinvestment offsets the impact in affected divisions, as the company pursues its plan for double‑digit growth in adjusted earnings per share this year.
