The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have reached a deal for Disney to become “the first major content licensing partner on Sora,” OpenAI’s generative AI short-form video platform.
Mickey’s got some competition
As part of the three-year licensing agreement, Sora will “generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans.”
More than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars characters will be featured on the platform, including a selection of fan-inspired Sora short-form videos available to stream on Disney+.
©Disney x OpenAI
Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI, using its Application Programming Interface (API) to build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+ and ChatGPT for Disney employees.
As part of the agreement, Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and receive warrants to purchase additional equity.
Pluto
Additionally, ChatGPT Images will be able to turn prompts into fully generated images in seconds using the same intellectual property. The agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices, however.
Disney shared that as part of the agreement, Disney and OpenAI are “affirming a shared commitment to the responsible use of AI that protects user safety and the rights of creators.” The deal is subject to negotiation of definitive agreements, required corporate and board approvals, and customary closing conditions.
©Disney x OpenAI
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” said Bob Iger, Disney CEO. “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.”
©Disney
“Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner to allow Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience great content,” Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, stated. “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences.”
©Disney x OpenAI
Fans will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, while Disney will use OpenAI’s models to power new experiences for subscribers. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos in early 2026.
Characters included in the new deal include: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba, Mufasa, as well as characters from the worlds of Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, Zootopia, and many more; plus iconic animated or illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers, Yoda, and more.
Hollywood Studios
We’ll be on the lookout for additional updates about this partnership. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more.
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