Netflix layoffs: streamer reportedly plans to cut 5% of staff. Here is what we know
Netflix is preparing a large round of job cuts, according to several reports published on Thursday and Friday. The Netflix layoffs are expected to affect about 5% of the company’s staff, which the Los Angeles Times puts at around 800 people. Netflix has declined to comment, and nothing has been officially announced yet. Here is what has been reported, how reliable it is, and why the streamer is cutting now.
By Editorial Team
What we know
- The report (REPORTED). The news was first reported by the industry outlet Puck. Deadline, Variety and the Los Angeles Times then published their own reports, each citing people familiar with the plans.
- The size (REPORTED). The cuts are expected to affect about 5% of Netflix’s workforce. The Los Angeles Times, citing one source, says that could mean around 800 employees.
- Who is affected (REPORTED). According to the Los Angeles Times, the cuts will reach the creative side of the business, including people working on films.
- Timing (REPORTED). Deadline says the timing is unclear, with some expecting cuts to begin as early as Friday 9 October and others pointing to next week.
- Netflix’s position (FACT). Netflix did not comment to Deadline or the Los Angeles Times. There has been no official announcement.
Until Netflix confirms the plans, treat every detail above as reported. The figures could change.
Why the Netflix layoffs are happening now
The reports point to pressure from investors over how much people watch Netflix, not just how many people subscribe.
- Slow growth in viewing (REPORTED). The Los Angeles Times and Deadline say viewing hours rose only about 2% in the first half of 2026, even as Netflix spent more on content.
- The share price (REPORTED). Netflix stock has fallen more than 40% over the past year, according to both outlets. The Los Angeles Times says it closed at $70.30 on Friday.
- Competition (REPORTED). Citing Nielsen, the Los Angeles Times says YouTube had 14.2% of US TV streaming time in July, against 7.8% for Netflix.
- The boss’s words (FACT). Co-chief executive Ted Sarandos said at a Bloomberg event last week: “Overall, we’re not growing as fast as I want us to, and we’re working on making that move faster.”
Netflix has argued that time spent watching is not the only measure that matters. It says live events, for example, bring in many new subscribers even though they make up a small share of total viewing.
How this compares with past cuts
If the reports are right, this would be Netflix’s biggest round of job cuts since 2022. That year the company reported its first fall in subscribers in more than a decade. According to the Los Angeles Times, it laid off 150 staff in May 2022, along with contractors and part-time workers, and about 300 more people, roughly 3% of staff, in June.
The streamer has made smaller changes more recently. In August it closed its Los Angeles games studio, Night School, and said it was closing Moonloot, a studio in Helsinki, according to the Los Angeles Times. Deadline notes that a small number of product staff were also let go in February.
What it means for the wider industry
Job cuts have become common across film and TV over the past few years. The industry is in the middle of a major reshuffle, with big companies merging to compete. We have followed the biggest of those deals in our reports on the Paramount and Warner Bros. merger and what changes for HBO Max and Paramount Plus subscribers.
Netflix has long been seen as the winner of the streaming wars, so cuts there send a signal. If the company that leads the market is trimming staff, it suggests that the period of fast spending on streaming is over and that every service is now under pressure to make money.
For viewers, staff cuts do not usually change what is on the service straight away. The bigger question is what gets commissioned in future, especially if the creative teams named in the reports are affected. That matters for audiences outside the US too, including fans of Nigerian and other African titles. Netflix has not said whether any teams outside the US are involved, and we will not guess.
For context on how Netflix measures success, our explainer on how the Netflix Top 10 and its views figures work explains the numbers the company publishes. Recent Netflix hits we have covered include East of Eden’s run in the Top 10.
What we do not know yet
Netflix has not confirmed the cuts, how many people will lose their jobs, which departments or countries will be affected, or when it will happen. We do not know whether the figure of around 800 is final. We have not seen any internal memo. We will update this story if Netflix makes a statement.
What happens next
- In the coming days: if the reports are correct, affected staff could be told as soon as this week or next.
- Netflix’s next quarterly earnings report, expected later this month, is a likely moment for the company to explain its plans to investors. Netflix has not confirmed a date in the material we reviewed.
- We will report on any official confirmation and on what it means for the shows and films Netflix makes.
More global stories: International Entertainment.
Photo credits: Featured image: Netflix headquarters at 100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, 2019. Photo: Coolcaesar, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source. In-article image: Part of the Netflix campus at 101 Albright Way, Los Gatos, 2019. Photo: Coolcaesar, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source.
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