Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Disney, announced Monday layoffs impacting 15 employees across its Burbank and New York divisions. The affected employees include junior-level workers in production and development roles.
Marvel Downsizes Production
The decision to downsize comes amidst a broader restructuring at Marvel following challenges faced during the 2023 releases.
These challenges prompted a reassessment of the company's production strategy, particularly in light of the integration of Marvel Entertainment into other Disney divisions.
Disney's CEO Bob Iger discussed this strategic shift during an earnings call in February, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"We've reduced output, particularly at Marvel. When you fix or when you address these issues within movies, you do three things,"You get aggressive at making sure the films you're making can be even better. Sometimes, you kill projects you don't believe in. And, of course, you put new things in the pipeline that you do believe in that you have much more confidence in, and we're doing all of that."
The layoffs are a direct result of Marvel's reduced slate of film and TV titles, a pivot from its previous high-volume approach aimed at supporting the launch of Disney+.
Marvel Studios is only releasing one film this year, 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which is set to premiere on July 26.
Marvel's Integration into Disney Sparks Job Redundancies, Layoffs
The integration of Marvel Entertainment into broader Disney operations, initiated in March 2023, has also led to redundancies in positions, contributing to the layoffs.
This integration followed the departure of former Marvel chairman Ike Perlmutter and other top executives.
According to reports, Marvel is not anticipating further layoffs in the near future.
These layoffs are part of a larger industry trend as studios reevaluate their production strategies in response to market dynamics and evolving consumer preferences.
Despite these changes, Marvel remains a key player in the entertainment industry, with a highly anticipated film release scheduled later this year.
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