Disney+ Hit With Surprising Layoff

A major name at Disney+ has been laid off amid Disney’s restructuring. According to a new report released on Wednesday, Jerrell Jimerson, the chief product officer for Disney Streaming, will be departing the company. After joining the company in 2018 via Bamtech, Jimerson played a key role in determining the user experience and design of Disney+, Star+ and Hulu. Prior to this, Jimerson had worked at PayPal, Yahoo and iHeartMedia. 

This comes amid the second round of layoffs for Disney, with approximately 4,000 jobs being by the end of the week. The cuts are impacting Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, with Disney+ and other streaming being a key part of that consolidation.

“These are hard decisions and not ones we take lightly – but every decision has been made with considerable thought, and we are doing everything we can to make sure this process is conducted with respect and compassion,” co-chairman of Disney Entertainment Alan Bergman and Dana Walden said in a memo to staff on Monday. “The senior leadership teams have been working diligently to define our future organization, and our biggest priority has been getting this right, rather than getting it done fast. We recognize that it has been a period of uncertainty and thank you all for your understanding and patience.”

Will Marvel Studios delay its Disney+ shows?

This update to the Disney+ comes after Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige had indicated that the “pace” of the MCU’s shows would change. When asked to clarify if that meant fewer shows a year, or more time in between releases, Feige indicated “Both, I think.”

“I do think one of the powerful aspects of being at Marvel Studios is having these films and shows hit the zeitgeist,” Feige explained. “It is harder to hit the zeitgeist when there’s so much product out there – and so much ‘content,’ as they say, which is a word that I hate. [Laughs] But we want Marvel Studios and the MCU projects to really stand out and stand above. So, people will see that as we get further into Phase 5 and 6. The pace at which we’re putting out the Disney+ shows will change so they can each get a chance to shine.”

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h/t: Deadline