Disney began another round of layoffs affecting a few hundred people, chiefly in technology and human resources. Its film studio and entertainment television operation were largely spared, according to TheWrap. The cuts follow earlier rounds in April and July and an August warning that reductions would continue. The exact number in this round is not public, so the current cuts should not be added mechanically to earlier estimates.
Economics & Markets··Morning
Cuts concentrate in technology and HR
Disney began a new round of layoffs on September 29 affecting a few hundred workers, mainly in technology and human resources, according to TheWrap. Bloomberg News separately reported hundreds of cuts that week across the same functions, citing a person familiar with the matter. Neither account supplies a precise headcount for the latest round. TheWrap said Disney Entertainment Television and the motion-picture studio were largely spared this time. Earlier 2026 cuts reached creative and television businesses as well as corporate teams, whereas this round concentrates on technology and human resources.[1], [2]
The new round follows April and July cuts
TheWrap reported that Disney had cut about 1,000 jobs in April, including publicity roles and Marvel-related teams, and hundreds more in July across several corporate, sports, television and studio units. The September reductions are a separate round, and TheWrap described them as smaller than either of those earlier waves. Bloomberg noted the ongoing cost programme but did not assign the new layoffs to a particular business result. These earlier counts provide chronology; they do not produce a reliable cumulative total when the latest figure is only approximate. Nor do they establish that a named division has been eliminated.[1]
Management had warned reductions would continue
Disney offered early retirement packages to some veteran employees in August. TheWrap reported that Chief People Officer Sonia Coleman then warned involuntary reductions would continue into the following year. Bloomberg News recalled Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston’s statement to investors that Disney remained partway through cutting jobs and administrative spending. TheWrap also distinguished the current round from separate reductions foreshadowed in a September 18 legal-affairs memo. Disney reported about 231,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025; that historical workforce figure is a scale reference, not an updated tally after the 2026 layoffs.[1], [2]
