Disney and TikTok launch content-sharing deal to boost short-form content
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Disney has struck a content-sharing agreement with TikTok that will let creators on the platform produce short-form videos based on characters and stories from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, FX and other Disney-owned franchises. Videos made under the scheme will appear on both TikTok and Disney+, where they will be presented as "Verts", the streamer's vertical-video format, reflecting Disney's broader push to capture younger audiences drawn to bite-sized content such as microdramas and quick-hit vignettes.
The deal launches in the United States within the next few months before expanding internationally, though financial terms have not been disclosed. It follows Disney's earlier introduction of Verts on ESPN's streaming service and comments from chief executive Josh D'Amaro about targeting "Gen Alpha" fans with short-form experimentation. The two companies will also run a "Disney Creator Ambassador Program" offering selected creators incentives, event access and career development, with TikTok creators gaining access to assets from hundreds of Disney films and series. The tie-up effectively fills the gap left by a scrapped three-year partnership with OpenAI, under which Disney had planned a $1 billion equity investment tied to the Sora video-generation platform before OpenAI shut Sora down.
- Disney and TikTok launch scheme letting creators make Disney-branded shorts
- Videos will feature on both TikTok and Disney+ as "Verts"
- Deal replaces Disney's scrapped $1bn OpenAI/Sora partnership
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Disney owns some of the world's most valuable entertainment franchises, including Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, and sells access to them through its Disney+ streaming service. TikTok, meanwhile, is the short-form video app hugely popular with younger viewers, who increasingly favour quick, bite-sized clips over traditional long-form shows and films. The two companies have now agreed to let TikTok creators make short videos using Disney's characters and stories, with that content shared across both platforms.
The move fits into a wider trend of media companies trying to reach younger audiences, often called "Gen Alpha", on their own terms rather than expecting them to come to traditional streaming platforms. Disney has been experimenting with short-form video before, having already rolled out a vertical-video format on ESPN's streaming service. Disney+ subscriber growth and engagement, particularly among younger viewers, has become an important measure of the company's streaming strategy.
This deal also matters because it follows the collapse of a different plan Disney had with the artificial intelligence company OpenAI, which would have let users generate short videos of Disney characters using OpenAI's Sora tool. That partnership fell apart after OpenAI discontinued Sora, leaving Disney to pursue short-form content through a partnership with an established platform instead.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This partnership creates genuine opportunities for creators to develop their craft and reach wider audiences through platforms where younger viewers already congregate. The creator ambassador programme offers tangible support, including career development and event access, making Disney's intellectual property accessible to independent producers. For audiences, this delivers fresh, fan-generated content that extends beloved franchises in formats that resonate with how people actually consume media today. By collaborating with TikTok, Disney demonstrates commercial agility in recognising where cultural conversations happen and meeting audiences where they are.
The case against
This agreement represents a further concentration of cultural power among corporations already commanding vast intellectual property portfolios. Rather than nurturing diverse, independent storytelling, it incentivises creators to produce content within corporate franchises rather than developing original voices. The deal raises legitimate concerns about platform dominance—particularly TikTok's foreign ownership and documented data practices—as these companies expand control over which narratives gain distribution and amplification. This arrangement prioritises shareholder value and algorithmic engagement over the ecosystem diversity that independent creators and audiences genuinely need.
More coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — Disney and TikTok Ink Wide-Ranging Deal, Videos From Tech Platform Will Be Added to Disney+
- Deadline — Walt Disney Company & TikTok Ink Global Short-Form Content-Sharing Deal
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Originally published by Variety as “Disney, TikTok Strike Content-Sharing Deal Aimed at Boosting Short-Form Programming on Disney+”.