The 2% workforce cut comes as part of parent company NBCUniversal’s overall cost-reduction plan across all studios.
The animation industry cuts continue. Following Disney’s and Electronic Arts’ recent aggressive restructuring efforts, resulting in thousands of layoffs, DreamWorks Animation has laid off 33 staff members, or roughly 2% of its workforce, a DWA spokesperson confirmed to AWN. Most of the roles affected were in support functions, such as lighting and visual special effects, moves made as part of parent company NBCUniversal’s overall cost-reduction efforts.
The layoffs come at an odd time for the studio, which has realized recent theatrical successes with The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The studio also has multiple promising upcoming projects, including Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken, which will debut at the 2023 Annecy Film Festival in June, as well as high-earning franchise offerings Trolls: Band Together and Kung Fu Panda 4.
“We are excited to showcase our newest projects to the global animation community at Annecy,” DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn recently noted about the upcoming studio reveals and presentations planned next month at the festival. “As a studio that celebrates creativity and innovation, it’s an honor for us to participate in this annual event and share our passion for animation with fans from around the world. We look forward to connecting with other industry leaders and for the opportunity to engage with audiences through the power of storytelling.”
Hopefully these layoffs don’t signal a trend. With such a successful lineup, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much fat to trim at the studio.
Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.
