The company's theme parks kept humming with visitors, with growth at its Shanghai Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort helping lift operating income to US$2.2 billion.

The company is expected to cut 'several thousand' jobs in layoffs.

Several major divisions of the company – Disney Entertainment, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and corporate – are expected to be impacted.

The job cuts follow similar moves by US tech giants dialing back from a hiring spurt that began during the height of the pandemic.

Rising numbers from outbreaks across China have prompted a tightening of curbs and lockdowns, including in parts of cities such as the southern metropolis of Guangzhou, as the economic toll of zero-Covid mounts.

The closure marks the latest disruption for the Shanghai Disney Resort, which was shut for over three months during Shanghai's lockdown earlier this year.

Director Angus MacLane says no efforts were made to alter the film to please censors.

Walt Disney Co has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie 'Lightyear' in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world's largest movie market.

He says it was never explicitly stated by Disney that Depp was being dropped from the 'Pirates' franchise because of the domestic abuse accusations but it was 'understood'.

China is fighting its biggest wave of locally transmitted Covid cases since it contained the initial outbreak centred on Wuhan in 2020.

Disney is believed to be the first major Hollywood studio to pause theatrical releases in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

Moviegoing for the year remains well below pre-pandemic levels.