Evangeline Lilly slams Disney's Marvel layoffs and AI replacement fears

A Marvel star's fiery rebuke exposes Disney's cost-cutting crisis. Over 1,000 creatives axed—while AI looms over the industry's future.

, and Administrator

2026 May 2 . 11:02 AM

1 min read

The image shows an archway in the middle of a park with people walking through it, surrounded by... — The image shows an archway in the middle of a park with people walking through it, surrounded by trees, plants, and light poles. In the background, there are buildings and a sky with clouds, creating a picturesque view of Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Evangeline Lilly slams Disney's Marvel layoffs and AI replacement fears

Evangeline Lilly, best known for her role as The Wasp in the Ant-Man films and Avengers: Endgame, has spoken out against Disney’s recent layoffs in the Marvel division. Over 1,000 employees lost their jobs, including artists in visual development, finance, legal, and comics teams. Lilly accused the company of prioritising profits over the creatives who helped build the Marvel Universe. Lilly took to social media to criticise Disney for cutting jobs while reportedly replacing artists with AI tools. She questioned why executives continue to profit while the teams behind Marvel’s success face unemployment. The actress also raised concerns about intellectual property, asking how AI could ethically train on artists’ work without fair compensation.

To verify the layoffs, Lilly reached out to Marvel concept artist Andy Park. She praised the dedication of the creative teams who spent years bringing beloved characters to life. In her statement, she emphasised that Disney’s decisions undermine the very people responsible for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s global appeal. Lilly’s comments follow a wave of job cuts across Disney’s entertainment divisions. The company has not publicly addressed her claims about AI replacing human roles in character design and iteration.

The layoffs have left more than 1,000 employees without jobs, sparking wider discussions about AI’s role in creative industries. Lilly’s criticism highlights tensions between corporate cost-cutting and the protection of artistic talent. Disney has yet to respond to her specific concerns about AI and intellectual property rights.