New Disney Boss Makes Significant Layoffs Before Hosting a Job Fair

Disney's new boss has taken the reins with a significant restructuring effort, laying off a substantial 1,000 jobs across the company. While this has been widely reported, the move is particularly striking given that a job fair was held shortly after the announcement at Disney's theme park. The full scope of the impact is not yet clear; however, Marvel Studios is among the units reportedly worst affected, with estimates of up to 8% of staff cut. A separate report suggests that Marvel layoffs might have reached around 7% of employees, affecting movies, TV shows, and comic book divisions.

Disney's leadership will face close scrutiny as the media conglomerate adjusts to this new era. The company has yet to release official statements on the layoffs beyond the initial announcement of 1,000 job cuts. This reorganization effort is set against the backdrop of a competitive entertainment landscape, where the media and theme park sectors continue to evolve.

CEO Josh D'Amaro, who took the helm on March 18, 2026 succeeding Bob Iger, framed the cuts in an internal memo as a streamlining of marketing and brand functions, with resources redirected toward DIS streaming and direct-to-consumer platforms. With approximately 231,000 total employees, the 1,000-person reduction represents less than 0.5% of headcount — but the concentration of cuts in high-profile creative and PR units at Marvel signals a strategic pivot away from traditional franchise marketing. Entire publicity teams were among those eliminated, underscoring that D'Amaro's restructuring targets organizational overhead rather than creative talent per se.