The Walt Disney Company has cut several hundred jobs across Pixar, National Geographic, ESPN, ABC News and other entertainment and corporate operations, marking its third reported workforce reduction of 2026.
Affected employees began receiving notifications on Tuesday, July 21. Disney has not released an exact companywide total, a full division-by-division breakdown or a complete list of departing employees.
The latest action follows a January marketing consolidation and an April restructuring that affected approximately 1,000 positions. The earlier changes are detailed in this report on Disney’s previous 1,000 job cuts and marketing reorganization.
How many Disney jobs are being cut?
The most consistent figure reported for the July round is several hundred jobs across Disney’s corporate departments, film studios, television operations and sports businesses.
Nearly 100 positions are reportedly being removed across Disney Entertainment Television, with National Geographic facing most of those reductions. About a dozen jobs at ABC News are also affected.
Disney has not disclosed its expected savings, severance arrangements or whether another workforce reduction is planned.
Read More:
- Disney World 2027 runDisney registration dates and race weekends
- Disney Adventure cruise cancellation and passenger compensation
How many Pixar employees were laid off?
Pixar Animation Studios is among the hardest-hit film operations. The cuts primarily affect production and operations at its headquarters in Emeryville, California.
Published estimates differ. One report placed the number at at least 116 employees, while other reporting described the reduction as a high-single-digit percentage of Pixar’s workforce of approximately 1,100. Disney has not provided a figure that resolves the difference.
The layoffs follow the 2026 theatrical releases of Hoppers and Toy Story 5. Disney has not publicly attributed the decision to either film, and no forthcoming Pixar movie has been confirmed as cancelled or delayed because of the cuts.
Pixar previously eliminated approximately 175 positions in May 2024 while reducing original streaming production and returning its focus to theatrical releases.
What is happening at National Geographic?
National Geographic is reportedly the most heavily affected brand within Disney Entertainment Television. The reductions are concentrated in editorial and operational roles, although a detailed departmental breakdown has not been released.
National Geographic is not closing. Disney has not identified any documentary, television series or digital service being discontinued as a direct result of this restructuring.
Who was laid off at ESPN?
Most ESPN job losses involve production and other behind-the-scenes work, but several prominent on-air employees are departing. Confirmed names include longtime baseball broadcaster Karl Ravech, NFL analyst Ryan Clark and former NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.
Ravech joined ESPN in 1993 and worked on SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight and Major League Baseball broadcasts. Clark became an ESPN contributor in 2015 after a 13-season career as an NFL safety.
Other departures have been reported, but ESPN has not published a complete official list. Names should therefore be treated cautiously unless confirmed by the individual, the network or multiple reliable sources.
Why is ESPN cutting jobs?
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro told employees that most of the job impacts were connected to integrating NFL Network and other assets acquired from the National Football League.
The transaction transferred NFL Network and NFL Fantasy Football to ESPN and included distribution rights for NFL RedZone. The NFL received a 10% equity stake in ESPN, while Disney retained controlling ownership.
Combining the businesses produced overlapping production, programming, technical and administrative responsibilities. Pitaro said employees outside the NFL-related integration were affected as well.
The Associated Press reported that NFL Network will continue operating, while the NFL and ESPN fantasy-football platforms are being combined.
How the cuts fit Disney’s wider strategy
Josh D’Amaro became Disney’s chief executive on March 18, 2026, succeeding Bob Iger. His leadership transition followed the earnings and market reaction examined when Disney shares fell after mixed results and the CEO succession announcement.
D’Amaro has promoted a “One Disney” strategy based on closer coordination across films, television, streaming, sports, theme parks and consumer businesses. The layoffs show how Disney is centralizing selected functions and removing overlapping positions during that reorganization.
Current reporting does not establish that frontline workers at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line or international resorts are included. Disney has also not announced layoffs specifically targeting Disney+ or Hulu.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
