Nicolai Haugsted
Disney leaves collectors worried after eliminating key home entertainment team.
Disney’s latest round of cost-cutting has triggered fresh concern among movie collectors, with one decision standing out as a potential turning point for the future of physical media.
More than 1,000 jobs have been eliminated across the entertainment giant as Josh D’Amaro takes over as the company’s new chief executive. While the layoffs span several departments, including public relations and publishing, one division has disappeared entirely — the team responsible for Disney’s physical home entertainment releases.
Physical media team disappears
According to Screen Rant, Disney has dismantled the department that oversaw the planning and distribution of DVDs, Blu-rays and other physical releases.
Josh D’Amaro defended the restructuring in a message to employees.
“This requires us to continually evaluate how we build a more agile and technologically equipped workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs.”
Although the statement focuses on efficiency, many collectors have interpreted the move as another major step toward a future dominated by streaming services and artificial intelligence.
Collectors fear fewer Blu-ray releases
Much of the online frustration centres on concerns that Disney’s films could become increasingly tied to Disney+, leaving audiences with fewer opportunities to permanently own the company’s catalogue.
Collectors argue that physical editions offer something streaming platforms cannot: lasting ownership that is not dependent on subscriptions or changing licensing agreements.
Social media quickly filled with criticism from fans worried that Disney is abandoning a format many still value.
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Sony still handles production
Disney’s relationship with physical media has already changed significantly in recent years.
Back in 2024, Sony Pictures Entertainment assumed responsibility for manufacturing and distributing Disney’s physical releases across the United States and Canada through a licensing agreement.
That partnership, however, did not replace the Disney employees responsible for deciding which films would actually receive Blu-ray and DVD releases.
With that internal team now gone, uncertainty has emerged over who will make those decisions going forward.
Industry observers fear Disney’s vast film library could receive fewer physical editions as the company continues shifting its attention toward digital distribution, while collectors are left wondering how many future releases will ever make it onto store shelves.
