Please wait...
Please wait...

Disney dissolves 20th Digital Studio as second round of cuts deepens

Digital content unit 20th Digital Studio is set to cease operations after it was caught up in the second round of Disney lay-offs.

The division, founded in 2008, funds and produces shortform genre content and is known for working with emerging filmmakers and creatives. It also develops certain shortform projects into longer-form content and partners up-and-coming creators and filmmakers with established producers.

David Worthen Brooks, who leads the division as exec VP, is set to transition to a first-look deal with Hulu, C21 understands. The news was first reported by Deadline.

Elsewhere, Reena Singh is exiting her role as senior VP of development and current series for Disney Branded Television.

20th Digital Studio, formerly known as Fox Digital Studio, moved under the Disney umbrella in 2019 with Disney’s US$71bn mega-deal to acquire the majority of Fox’s entertainment assets.

Multiple projects developed and produced through 20th Digital Studio were commissioned and released via Disney-owned US streamer Hulu. Those projects included original horror films Grimcutty, Matriarch and its short film series Bite Size Halloween.

Upcoming features produced by 20th Digital Studio with Hulu include horror features Appendage, Clock and The Mill.

Earlier in the week, it emerged that Marc Buhaj, Disney Branded Television’s VP of unscripted and non-fiction, and Alicia Martino, Walt Disney Television Alternative’s VP of alternative series, were both leaving the company.

Disney’s second round of lay-offs is expected to be complete by the end of Thursday, at which point it will have cut around 4,000 roles. The first round of lay-offs took place last month and a third round is expected to take place in early summer.

In total, Disney is looking to eliminate 7,000 jobs across the entire enterprise as it pursues US$5.5bn in savings, including US$3bn in non-sports-related cuts.

RELATED ARTICLES

Please wait...