Disney and TikTok have agreed a deal that will allow creators to use clips from Disney films, including its subsidiaries, in their videos. The agreement means clips from hit franchises such as Star Wars, Toy Story and the Marvel Cinematic Universe will soon appear in user-made content, which will also be shared on Disney's short-form video platform, Verts.
The scheme will first launch in the US before being rolled out to other countries. Neither company disclosed financial details of the agreement, which comes after the collapse of a $1bn (£745m) deal between Disney and OpenAI that would have allowed people to use Disney characters in AI-generated videos.
That OpenAI agreement was cancelled in March when OpenAI shut down its AI video generation tool Sora, saying it wanted to focus on other parts of its business.
“Today, fans are celebrating our stories in entirely new ways,”
Disney's chief marketing and brand officer Asad Ayaz said that following the TikTok deal being announced.
Why do Disney and TikTok say the deal matters?
Disney and TikTok said in a joint statement that audience engagement on social media, including videos created by fans, was playing an “increasingly important role” in the entertainment world. TikTok said its platform saw an average of 6.5 million posts relating to film and TV per day last year.
Fans often like to use clips from films and TV shows in their videos, but without express permission those clips would often be taken down because of copyright claims. Disney and TikTok said this can make it harder for a wide audience to engage with fan-created content around a major release.
The companies also said a jointly run programme would boost some creators' videos and give them access to exclusive events.
How does this fit into brands' marketing strategies?
Online creators and influencers are becoming increasingly important to brands' marketing strategies. Last year, a report from Oxford Economics said YouTube content creators contributed £2.2bn to the UK economy in 2024 and supported 45,000 jobs.
There is also growing recognition that even very small influencers, who focus on niche topics, may have lower follower counts but still bring a hyper-engaged audience.
Disney launched its short-form video platform Verts in the US in March, with plans to expand it further around the world.
What else is happening around TikTok and other platforms?
TikTok faces Ofcom investigation over child age checks
Celebrity influencers paid up to £1m to advertise deodorant on Instagram
Snapchat joins other popular platforms in fight against 'AI slop'
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Key Facts
- Disney and TikTok agreed a deal allowing creators to use clips from Disney films, including subsidiaries.
- Clips from Star Wars, Toy Story and the Marvel Cinematic Universe will appear in videos and on Disney's Verts platform.
- The scheme will launch in the US before expanding to other countries.
- Neither company disclosed financial details.
- The deal follows the collapse of a $1bn (£745m) Disney-OpenAI agreement in March.
