{
  "id": 18859005,
  "title": "Nightmare before Christmas in Hollywood",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/nightmare-before-christmas-in-hollywood",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-08T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "El Pais English",
    "slug": "el-pais-english",
    "url": "https://english.elpais.com/usa/2026-11-08/nightmare-before-christmas-in-hollywood.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent email from Disney sent shockwaves through its divisions, cancelling the annual Halloween celebration, a rare occurrence. Rumors soon surfaced of impending layoffs, as the entertainment industry, buoyed by strong box office performance, prepares for another wave of job cuts. Since January 2023, Disney has already shed 7,000 employees, with another major round in mid-2025, followed by 1,000 more in spring and 300 in October. Netflix recently axed 1,000 staff, about 6% of its workforce. On October 16, the company also lost Bela Bajaria, its chief content officer, and by Monday, Dan Lin, head of film, was let go. Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $100 billion has further heightened industry anxiety, with workers fearing layoffs starting as early as 2027. Meanwhile, Los Angeles, once the epicenter of the audiovisual industry, is losing its competitive edge. Post-pandemic and post-strike, companies are hesitant to absorb the increased labor costs, prompting productions to relocate. Studies show a shift away from Hollywood and the U.S., with overseas production budgets increasing from 26% to 58% of total spending. If these productions had stayed in the U.S., they would have generated an extra $2 billion in domestic spending, impacting employment and the economy. Simultaneously, the population of Los Angeles is declining, with over 54,000 residents leaving between July 2024 and July 2025, leading to a shrinking city and skyrocketing home values. Despite a strong U.S. box office year in 2026, Hollywood remains shrouded in uncertainty, with industry professionals fearing more turbulence ahead.",
  "summary": "California’s entertainment industry is bracing for more layoffs and cost-cutting. The box office is booming, but soaring production costs are fueling uncertainty",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}