Pixar Workers Face Layoffs Despite 'Toy Story 5' Success

WHO:

NY Post - Pixar is an animation studio based in Emeryville.

Fast Company - Reema Batnagar is Pixar’s vice president of people.

WHAT:

NY Post - Pixar plans to eliminate 108 positions.

Fast Company - A WARN notice outlined that Pixar will cut 108 positions from its Emeryville headquarters.

Fast Company - The layoffs mark Pixar’s largest round of cuts since 2024, when around 175 employees were laid off.

Fast Company - "Toy Story 5" approaches $1 billion in box office sales.

Fast Company - "Hoppers" has earned $389.5 million on a budget of $150 million.

Fast Company - "Elio" made $154 million at the worldwide box office, with an estimated cost between $150 to $200 million.

WHERE:

NY Post - Pixar is located at 1200 Park Ave, Emeryville.

WHEN:

NY Post - Most affected employees are expected to leave the company by Sept. 26.

Fast Company - Additional positions will be cut in November, December, and January 2027.

WHY:

Fast Company - The layoffs occurred in part because of the underperformance of "Hoppers."

Fast Company - Pixar has made the decision to permanently reduce the size of the workforce after careful evaluation of many factors.

HOW:

Fast Company - Affected employees do not have bumping rights and are not represented by a union.

Fast Company - Disney is actively rethinking its structure amid industry changes and technological advances.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 19:32 UTC)

Pixar, the renowned animation studio based in Emeryville, is set to eliminate 108 positions as part of a significant workforce reduction, marking its largest round of layoffs since 2024. Most affected employees are expected to leave by September 26, with additional cuts planned for November, December, and January 2027, as the studio reassesses its workforce in light of recent underperforming projects like "Hoppers." This decision comes as Disney is actively rethinking its structure amid industry changes and technological advances, leaving affected employees without bumping rights and unrepresented by a union.