Disney partners with TikTok to bring fan-made shorts to Disney+

Creators will be granted access to a deep library of Disney assets to use in their videos.

Disney and TikTok have penned a deal that will allow TikTok creators to bring Disney-centric vertical videos to Disney+. Disney launched its TikTok-like Verts section in the Disney+ app back in March, when it did hint at eventually broadening it out to include fan-generated content.

Creators who opt in to the initially US-only pilot will gain access to Disney assets for hundreds of films and series, with Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars among the confirmed IP. Approved creators will have their videos hosted on both TikTok and in Verts on Disney+. These will be refreshed regularly to help grow the audience and "engage subscribers more deeply in timely fan conversations," Disney wrote in a press release.

Disney and TikTok are also launching an initiative called the Disney Creator Ambassador Program, which will see them nurture "best-in-class creators" by increasing their visibility, allowing them to attend exclusive events, and incentivize them with rewards. It's easy to see why Disney would want to invest in TikTok talent. Internal company data revealed that an average of 6.5 million film and TV-related posts were shared on TikTok each day last year, while half of respondents in a survey said they were inspired to watch a movie or TV show by videos they encountered on TikTok.

The new partnership comes after recent reports that Disney may be planning to launch a free tier of Disney+, although it isn't clear whether that would incorporate vertical video content if it did materialize. Disney did not comment at the time. The TikTok and Disney+ collaboration will launch as a pilot in the coming months, with no firm date announced today.