Disney has struck a deal with TikTok that allows creators to use clips from its films and TV shows in their videos. This means beloved franchises like Star Wars and Marvel will soon be featured in millions of user-generated posts on Verts, Disney’s short-form video platform.

The agreement follows the collapse of a $1bn deal between Disney and OpenAI, which aimed to integrate AI-generated content featuring Disney characters into videos. That partnership was scrapped when OpenAI shut down its Sora tool earlier this year.

TikTok's platform saw an average of 6.5 million film and TV posts daily last year, according to the company. This new deal will allow fans to create content more freely without fear of copyright claims, making it easier for a wide audience to engage with fan-created material around big releases.

For TikTok, becoming a formal distribution partner to one of Hollywood's biggest studios brings credibility and the potential to influence which characters or scenes suddenly become valuable again through its recommendation algorithm. The deal is expected to boost the visibility of some creators' videos and give them access to exclusive events with Disney.

The move positions Disney as it seeks to regain ground in user-generated content, following the Sora collapse. However, there are ongoing safety debates around TikTok under European online rules, meaning Disney will need to implement significant guardrails to curate the creator content that is selected.