Disney cuts hundreds of jobs across Pixar, ESPN, Nat Geo

The Walt Disney Company eliminated hundreds of positions across several divisions on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, marking the third major round of layoffs at the media giant this year. The cuts impacted corporate functions, ESPN, Disney Entertainment Television, and the company's film studios, with employees receiving notifications throughout the morning.

A Disney spokesperson described the layoffs as part of a continual evaluation of how the company manages resources and reinvests as the industry evolves. While the exact number of affected positions was not officially confirmed, the reductions are reportedly smaller in scale than a round in April that impacted approximately 1,000 employees. The latest actions are framed as part of CEO Josh D'Amaro's ongoing "One Disney" restructuring strategy, aimed at creating a more streamlined and agile organization.

Within Disney's studios, Pixar Animation Studios absorbed the largest number of cuts, primarily in production and operations. This comes despite the studio's recent box office success with "Toy Story 5," which is approaching $1 billion in global revenue. Sources indicated the layoffs reflect Pixar's evolving production needs and a...