Disney has reached a new agreement with TikTok that will allow creators to use clips from the entertainment giant’s films and television shows in their videos, marking a major shift in how fans can engage with some of the world’s biggest franchises online.
The partnership means users will soon be able to include content from Disney-owned titles such as Star Wars, Toy Story and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in TikTok videos without the clips being removed over copyright concerns. The programme will launch first in the United States before expanding to other countries.
Disney said the deal reflects the growing role social media plays in connecting audiences with entertainment.
“Today, fans are celebrating our stories in entirely new ways,” Disney’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, Asad Ayaz, said after the announcement.
In a joint statement, Disney and TikTok said fan-created videos have become an increasingly important part of how audiences discover and interact with films and television content. TikTok added that users created an average of 6.5 million posts related to film and TV every day last year.
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Until now, many fan videos featuring movie or television clips were removed because of copyright claims, limiting creators’ ability to share content around major releases.
Under the new programme, selected creators will also receive promotional support for their videos and invitations to exclusive Disney events.
The announcement comes months after Disney’s planned $1 billion agreement with OpenAI collapsed. That deal would have allowed users to create AI-generated videos featuring Disney characters but was scrapped after OpenAI discontinued its Sora video generation tool.
The agreement also highlights the growing influence of online creators in the entertainment industry, as studios increasingly turn to social media personalities to promote films and TV shows. Disney launched its own short-form video platform, Verts, earlier this year and plans to expand it to more markets in the coming months.
