Disney has announced another round of layoffs, cutting several hundred jobs across its US operations. This marks the company’s third wave of job reductions in 2026. The divisions most affected are Pixar Animation Studios and National Geographic, with additional cuts at ESPN, Disney Entertainment Television (DET) and other units.
At Pixar, around 100 employees are being let go across production and operations. This follows a larger cut in 2024 when 175 staff, or 14 per cent of the workforce, were laid off as the studio scaled back direct to consumer projects. Pixar currently employs about 1,100 people, and the latest cuts represent a high single digit percentage of staff.
National Geographic has also been hit hard, with nearly 100 jobs lost across its cable network, editorial and operations teams. This comes after a previous round in 2024 when 60 employees, or 13 per cent of staff, were let go. ABC News has seen about a dozen layoffs, while other DET divisions have faced smaller reductions.
ESPN staff have also been affected, linked to changes following a deal with the NFL. Across Disney Entertainment Television, the total number of jobs cut is just under 100.
The layoffs reflect Disney’s effort to streamline operations and adopt leaner production models, particularly at Pixar. While the company’s chip division is thriving, consumer entertainment units are under pressure from rising costs and competition.
Disney employs about 2,31,000 people worldwide, with 1,72,000 in the US. The latest cuts highlight the challenges of balancing creativity, cost control and workforce stability in a fast changing media industry.