The way audiences discover entertainment continues to evolve, and Disney is making sure its stories evolve alongside them.
In a major move aimed at expanding how fans engage with its iconic franchises, The Walt Disney Company has announced a new content partnership with TikTok that will bring creator-driven short-form videos inspired by Disney’s biggest brands directly to Disney+.
The collaboration introduces a new bridge between social media and streaming, allowing participating TikTok creators to develop original vertical videos inspired by worlds including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney Animation and FX. Those creator-made videos will live not only on TikTok, but also on Disney+ through the platform’s growing collection of vertical content known as Verts.
The initiative reflects Disney’s continued push to diversify the types of content available on Disney+, recognizing that younger audiences increasingly engage with entertainment through short-form video alongside traditional films and series.
“This collaboration creates a new bridge between the stories we tell and the creativity they inspire, giving creators a bigger stage to share what they’ve made, and audiences more to discover on Disney+ every day,” said Asad Ayaz, Disney’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer.
The rollout, which begins in the United States in the coming months before expanding internationally, builds upon Disney’s broader strategy of embracing shorter, creator-focused content. Earlier this year, Disney introduced Verts to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, while CEO Josh D’Amaro confirmed the company was actively experimenting with short-form programming designed to reach younger audiences.
“Short-form and creative content… have exploded in the past few years,” D’Amaro previously shared with investors. “We have deeply committed fans who love our brands, franchises and characters, and they want to engage with them in this new way.”
Beyond the videos themselves, Disney and TikTok will also launch a new Disney Creator Ambassador Program, giving select creators access to special events, career development opportunities and creative assets tied to hundreds of Disney films and television series. Fans can also expect dedicated Disney experiences within TikTok that will refresh regularly with new content and interactive opportunities.
The partnership follows Disney’s previously announced plans to explore AI-powered fan content creation through OpenAI’s Sora platform, a project that was ultimately discontinued after Sora was shut down. The new TikTok collaboration signals Disney’s continued commitment to exploring fresh ways for fans to interact with its stories while embracing the creator economy that increasingly shapes how entertainment is discovered.
As streaming continues to evolve beyond traditional television formats, Disney’s latest move underscores a broader shift across the industry: meeting audiences wherever they consume content, whether that’s a feature film, a television series or a vertical video lasting less than a minute.