Pixar is saying goodbye to more than 100 employees, but it’s not just the layoffs that have people talking. It’s how the news was delivered.
The Emeryville-based animation studio plans to eliminate 108 positions, with most affected employees expected to leave the company by Sept. 26, according to SF Gate.
In another round of layoffs, Disney’s Pixar is laying off more than 100 employees that are expected to leave the company by Sept. 26. AFP/Getty Images
The filing lists a wide range of creative roles on the chopping block, including 23 technical directors and nine story artists.
But what has sparked the biggest reaction online isn’t the number of jobs being cut, it’s the letterhead.
The official paperwork, shared by SF Gate reporter Matt Brown, features Pixar branding with Mrs. Incredible, also known as Elastigirl, replacing the “i” in the studio’s logo. While it’s likely just standard company stationery, many found the choice painfully ironic given the circumstances.
Adding another layer of awkwardness? “The Incredibles” movie begins with Bob Parr, better known as Mr. Incredible, getting fired from his office job before eventually returning to superhero life. That’s certainly one way to set the mood for a layoff notice.
Social media users quickly seized on the bizarre detail, with many calling it an unintentional example of corporate tone-deafness.
“Well, at least the letterhead is honoring their commitment to women in the workplace,” said one user.
Another added, “They’re laying off people while Disney and Pixar are raking in billions.”
The job cuts come as part of a broader wave of layoffs across The Walt Disney Company.
The official letterhead for the layoffs features Pixar branding with Mrs. Incredible, also known as Elastigirl, replacing the “i” in the studio’s logo. X/@maattttbrown
In a statement provided to The Wrap, a Disney spokesperson said the reductions are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to reshape its business.
“These changes are part of our continual evaluation of how we manage resources and reinvest across the company as our industry continues to evolve,” the spokesperson said.
The timing has also raised eyebrows.
Pixar’s latest blockbuster, “Toy Story 5,” is closing in on the $1 billion mark at the global box office after earning roughly $957 million worldwide.
Still, industry reports suggest not every recent Pixar release has matched that level of success. According to The Wrap, some of the latest layoffs are being linked to the financial performance of “Hoppers.” Although the animated film earned positive reviews and brought in nearly $390 million worldwide on a reported $150 million budget, sources told the outlet it fell short of turning the kind of profit the studio had hoped for.
The film followed “Elio,” which struggled commercially after a reportedly difficult production, earning about $154 million worldwide despite a production budget estimated at around $200 million.
The latest cuts mark Disney’s third round of layoffs this year as the company continues restructuring under its “One Disney” strategy.
Earlier this year, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro said the company had been reviewing ways to streamline operations while adapting to changes across the entertainment industry.
“Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs,” D’Amaro wrote in a memo shared in April, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
For many observers, however, the business reasons behind the layoffs have taken a back seat to one lingering question. Of all the letterhead designs sitting in Pixar’s archives, did the one featuring a superhero famous for bouncing back from a firing really have to be the one announcing hundreds of real-life job losses? Sometimes reality delivers plot twists even Pixar couldn’t storyboard.
