Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios has cut 75 positions, including two executives from “Lightyear,” in the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) reached a tentative labor agreement with Hollywood’s major studios, which will be voted on by its 19,000 members. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” had a successful domestic box office debut, earning $120.5 million, the second-biggest opening weekend of the year.
As reported in Devdiscourse, Walt Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions, including those of two executives behind box office disappointment “Lightyear.” This marks the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade.
The cuts included “Lightyear” director Angus MacLane, a 26-year animator who was part of the senior creative team on such acclaimed films as “Toy Story 4” and “Coco.” Galyn Susman, producer of “Lightyear,” also departed. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original “Toy Story” movie in 1995.
Meanwhile, Hollywood’s major studios have reached a tentative labor agreement with the union representing film and television directors, as per . This is likely to avert a work stoppage that would have piled pressure on media companies to settle with striking writers. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) will ask its 19,000 members to approve the three-year contract, which was announced after three weeks of talks.
In other news, audiences swung into theaters for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” giving the animated film a hefty $120.5 million in its domestic box office debut, as reported by . This marks the second-biggest opening weekend of the year, behind only “The Super Mario Bros” film that garnered $146 million. The movie’s box office performance surpassed Sony Pictures Animation’s and the BoxOffice Pro’s estimates of $75 million to $115.5 million over its first three days of release in the U.S. and Canada from Pro.
To wind up, the entertainment industry is experiencing a mix of developments, from significant job cuts at Pixar to a labor agreement between Hollywood’s major studios and the union representing film and television directors. Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” has swung into theaters with a strong box office debut. These events are sure to have a significant impact on the entertainment industry moving forward.
