Major Job Cuts Hit Marvel, Disney Divisions

In a move that has raised eyebrows in the industry, Disney has reportedly just laid off over 1,000 employees across studios, TV networks, sports, and experiences according to Forbes (via Deadline).

One division very heavily impacted is the studio’s home entertainment team with The Wrap indicating the entire team has been laid off – raising obvious questions about the future of its physical media divisions. Also said to be fully laid off is the EPK team, while 20 people from the company’s publicity departments are also out.

Other layoffs have directly impacted Marvel Studios, which is said to be cutting around 8% of its workforce across many divisions (though Disney reportedly disputes that % number).

Hardest hit at Marvel is the visual development team – the group of concept artists who visually design the MCU. It is said they have been almost entirely gutted. What remains is a skeleton crew who will coordinate hiring on a per-project basis.

One of those let go this week is Wesley Burt, who posted on social media a photo showing the ‘irony’ that he was laid off by HR in a conference room in which his own artwork – a massive mural for the “Loki” series – was shown.

The reductions at Marvel are said to be due to the overall reduction in Marvel’s film and television production slate, which has been “artificially inflated in years past by the desire for fresh product for Disney+”.

The studio’s streamlined marketing and brand organisation will reportedly bear the brunt of the cuts as its new consolidated enterprise marketing division will now handle marketing functions across all of Disney’s endeavours.