Disney has entered into a new partnership with OpenAI, announcing a three-year licensing agreement that brings Disney’s characters and worlds into Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative AI video platform. The deal allows Sora to generate short, user-prompted social videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. These clips can be viewed, shared, and in some cases streamed on Disney+. A curated selection of these fan-inspired Sora videos will appear on the platform beginning in early 2026.
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” said Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works. Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
Under the agreement, Sora will be able to use animated, masked, and creature characters along with a wide range of costumes, props, vehicles, and environments. The deal does not include any talent likenesses or voices. ChatGPT Images will also gain access to this licensed set of characters, allowing users to type a short prompt and generate character-based images in seconds.
Alongside the licensing component, Disney will become a major OpenAI customer. The company plans to use OpenAI APIs to build new tools, products, and experiences, including features for Disney+. Disney will also roll out ChatGPT internally for employees. As part of the partnership, Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional equity.
Both companies emphasize a shared focus on responsible AI development. The agreement includes commitments to user safety, creator rights, and protections for content ownership. OpenAI will maintain age-appropriate policies and controls to prevent harmful or illegal content and will continue to safeguard individual likeness rights. Disney and OpenAI frame this collaboration as a way to expand creative possibilities while respecting the work of artists and creators.
Fans will be able to create videos and images featuring over 200 characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Stitch, Ariel, Simba, Moana, Mirabel, figures from Inside Out and Zootopia, and animated versions of Marvel and Star Wars characters including Captain America, Black Panther, Loki, Groot, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, and more.
Disney is focusing on short form video creation at launch, and Disney+ will begin hosting what it calls fan-inspired Sora short form videos. In Disney’s examples, users generated clips of themselves wielding a lightsaber in Star Wars attire, surfing alongside Stitch, and lining up at a racetrack next to Lightning McQueen.
The transaction is still subject to final agreements, board approvals, and customary closing conditions. Disney and OpenAI expect Sora and ChatGPT Images to begin generating licensed fan-inspired content in early 2026.
Header Image from OpenAI
