Disney’s TikTok creator deal follows end of $1 billion OpenAI plan

The videos will appear in Verts, the vertical video feed Disney+ added to its mobile app in March 2026. Verts works like a social feed; Subscribers tap an icon in the navigation bar and swipe through short clips, then add a title to their watchlist or jump straight into playing it.

According to Reuters, the agreement will also mark the first time TikTok videos have been distributed on a platform outside TikTok.

What subscribers will see

Until now, Verts pulled only from Disney’s own catalog: scenes and moments from movies and shows already on the service. The new TikTok deal changes that by allowing creators to opt in to be distributed inside Disney+.

Participating creators will have their short-form videos run in two places at once, on TikTok and in Verts. The videos will feature characters and stories from across Disney’s brands, including Pixar, Marvel, “Star Wars” and FX. Disney says the collection will refresh regularly rather than sit static.

Why Disney is doing it

Disney executives were direct about the goal on the company’s third-quarter earnings call, held the same morning as the announcement.

“It creates a more complete experience on Disney+, and it’s a stickier app,” said Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro. “People stay around for longer.”

D’Amaro also said the deal fits a broader Disney+ buildout. By the end of this calendar year, he said, subscribers will also get live TV and add-ons in the app.

It seems that Disney is trying to stem the flow of fans leaving Disney+ to watch content on TikTok. According to internal TikTok data, fans shared an average of 6.5 million film and television posts on TikTok every day last year. Nearly half of surveyed viewers said they went on to watch a movie or show on a streaming service after finding entertainment content on the platform.

Disney previously tried this idea with AI

The TikTok partnership revives an idea Disney first planned to pursue with artificial intelligence.

In December 2025, Disney announced a three-year agreement with OpenAI that would have allowed users to generate short videos featuring more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel and “Star Wars” characters through Sora. Disney intended to place a curated selection of those fan-inspired videos on Disney+, and the proposed agreement included a planned $1 billion investment in OpenAI.

That partnership ended before the videos reached Disney+. OpenAI discontinued Sora in March 2026, and Reuters reported that Disney had not yet completed its planned investment.

Disney and TikTok have not said whether AI-assisted videos will be permitted under the new program.

What this means for park fans

Disney’s parks, films, merchandise and live events have built one of the largest fan-creator communities online, and a great deal of that content already lives on TikTok.

Disney has described the available assets as coming from its films and television series. The company has not announced dedicated theme park content or park-specific assets as part of this program. Whether park footage or park-themed assets join later is an open question.

How creators can take part

Specific details have not been announced, but participation is opt-in, meaning creators choose whether their videos appear on Disney+.

TikTok will give participating creators access to approved assets tied to hundreds of films and series from Disney’s library. The two companies are also launching the Disney Creator Ambassador Program, a tiered program offering rewards, increased visibility, access to exclusive events, and career development pathways.

“The best storytellers are fans first,” said Asad Ayaz, chief marketing and brand officer for The Walt Disney Company. “That has always been true at Disney, and today, fans are celebrating our stories in entirely new ways.”

As of publication, it’s unknown whether all creators will be eligible, what the requirements would be, and how this would impact monetization. The TikTok Creator Rewards Program (formerly the Creativity Program) pays eligible creators for original, high-quality videos longer than one minute. How this would impact creator earnings has not been announced.

Could Disney Parks videos appear on Disney+?

The initial announcement focuses on videos created with approved assets from Disney movies and television shows, including stories and characters from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and FX. Disney did not mention whether original TikToks filmed at its theme parks, resorts or cruise ships could also be selected for Disney+.

Several other details remain unclear. Disney and TikTok have not explained how creators will be chosen, whether there will be a public application process or how the tiered Disney Creator Ambassador Program will connect to the larger content-sharing pilot. The companies also have not identified the exclusive events available to ambassadors or established whether videos created or assisted by artificial intelligence will qualify.

Attractions Magazine reached out to Disney for clarification, including whether Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line creators could participate. We will update this article if additional information is provided.

Disney+ has not announced a specific launch date for the pilot beyond “the coming months.”