Updated / Friday, 7 Aug 2026 11:03
Getty
Walt Disney has said that it has signed a deal with TikTok allowing users of the hugely popular video platform to add extracts of Disney films and characters, in what it billed a “first-of-its-kind agreement”.
“The agreement will bring creators to the forefront of Disney+, with a curated feed of fan-created content featuring our characters and stories,” the entertainment giant said.
Details of the content sharing accord were not disclosed in Disney’s quarterly earnings statement, which showed a 7% rise in quarterly revenue to $25.2 billion.
But the move is part of its strategy of “using advanced technologies to power our storytelling and increase monetisation and returns”, the company said.
It has already introduced vertical video feeds for previews of its Pixar, Marvel and “Star Wars” productions on its Disney+ streaming service, similar to TikTok’s scrolling format.
Net profit in its financial quarter to 27 June fell to $2.8bn from $5.9bn a year earlier, reflecting in part a higher tax bill in the period, but the results were above most analyst forecasts.
Disney+ and other streaming services are starting to embrace vertical video, a format that is growing rapidly in the United States.
Peacock, owned by Comcast, and Paramount+ have started to offer vertical series, and Netflix features Clips, or short TikTok-style videos.
In addition to providing new content for Disney+, the deal with TikTok could help the company attract additional viewers to the streaming service.
According to TikTok data, the platform’s users shared an average of 6.5 million film- and TV-related posts each day last year. Nearly half of viewers in a survey said they watched a movie or TV show after discovering related content on TikTok.
“The best storytellers are fans first,” said Asad Ayaz, Disney’s chief marketing and brand officer.
“This collaboration creates a new bridge between the stories we tell and the creativity they inspire.”
