Pixar Lays Off 14 Percent of Workforce

The animation studio has let approximately 145 employees go

Photo courtesy of Disney

BY Megan LaPierrePublished May 21, 2024

As of today, Pixar has laid off 14 percent of its workforce, Variety reports.

Approximately 175 staffers were let go from the animation studio. They've been bracing for layoffs from the Disney subsidiary since January. It was reported at the time that the staff would be reduced by 20 percent and that the layoffs would happen in the second half of 2024.

Pixar was once considered the gold standard of family films, but has faced pandemic-era struggles that have sent most of its latest features straight to streaming to bolster Disney+. Even after shifting to focus on theatrical releases again, recent titles like Elemental earned far less at the box office than the studio's movies could expect in its glory days.

It goes without saying that layoffs have been running rampant across creative industries, with recent headline-making cuts to the likes of YouTube Music, Warner Music Group and Bell Media. Meanwhile, Pixar is hoping that its upcoming Inside Out sequel (in theatres June 14) will mark the beginning of a redemption arc.

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