Business

Disney Cuts Jobs at Pixar, ESPN, National Geographic

Business desk
NRI HeraldJuly 22, 2026
3 min read
Disney+ logo, relevant to Disney job cuts news

The cuts, announced internally on Tuesday, affect employees in corporate functions and creative teams. At Pixar, the layoffs eliminate roughly 175 positions, about 14% of the studio's workforce, according to a person familiar with the matter. National Geographic and ESPN also saw reductions, though the company did not specify exact numbers for those divisions.

This round follows two earlier waves of job cuts announced in February and March, part of Disney's broader plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs companywide by summer. The company has cited the need to reduce costs and streamline operations as it restructures under CEO Bob Iger, who returned to lead the company in November.

Pixar, known for hits like 'Toy Story' and 'Finding Nemo,' had been working on several original projects for Disney+ as part of the streaming push. The layoffs come as Disney reassesses its content spending and prioritizes projects with stronger commercial potential.

ESPN's cuts are part of ongoing cost-saving measures at the sports network, which has faced rising programming costs and subscriber declines. National Geographic, which Disney owns through its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, has also been undergoing restructuring.

Disney has said the job reductions are necessary to achieve its cost-saving goals and position the company for future growth. The layoffs are expected to continue through the coming weeks, with the total number of affected employees reaching 7,000 by the end of the fiscal year.

Business desk · July 22, 2026
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