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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Sang Jin] BURBANK, Calif., April 8, 2026 — The Walt Disney Company is preparing to implement another round of layoffs, potentially cutting up to 1,000 jobs within the coming weeks, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing sources familiar with the matter.
The planned workforce reduction was reportedly initiated prior to the appointment of Josh D’Amaro as the company’s next chief executive. Disney’s board named D’Amaro as CEO-designate in February.
The move follows an extensive restructuring effort under current CEO Bob Iger, who returned to lead the company in 2022 and has since overseen layoffs affecting more than 8,000 employees.
As of the end of fiscal year 2025, Disney employed approximately 231,000 people globally, with around 80% working in its experiences segment, including theme parks and related operations.
The upcoming layoffs are expected to focus primarily on the company’s recently consolidated marketing division.
The report also noted that job cuts have become widespread across the entertainment industry in recent years. Companies such as Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount Global (including Skydance-related restructuring), and Warner Bros. Discovery have all undertaken workforce reductions, with further cuts possible amid ongoing consolidation.
Disney is facing mounting pressure from structural shifts in the streaming market, declining theatrical revenues, and intensifying competition from technology companies such as Amazon and Google, particularly through its YouTube platform.
According to the Journal, Disney’s stock has also underperformed, falling nearly 50% from its 2021 peak and currently trading at levels comparable to a decade ago.
알파경제 Kim SangJin Reporter(ceo@alphabiz.co.kr)
