Disney Strikes TikTok Deal to Let Fans Use Star Wars and Marvel Clips

Disney has agreed a deal with TikTok that will allow the platform's creators to use licensed clips from some of the world's best-known entertainment franchises, including Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Toy Story. The videos will also be shareable on Disney's own short-form platform, Verts, which launched in the US in March.

What the deal means for fans and creators

Under the agreement, fan-made videos incorporating Disney clips will be allowed rather than taken down via copyright claims. A jointly run programme will boost selected creators' videos and grant them access to exclusive Disney events. Financial terms were not disclosed.

• Star Wars, Marvel, and Toy Story clips will be available for TikTok creators
• Programme launches in the US first, then rolls out internationally
• Disney and TikTok will run a joint programme to boost top creator videos
• Creators gain access to exclusive Disney events

Disney recovering after OpenAI deal collapse

The TikTok deal follows the collapse in March of a $1 billion agreement between Disney and OpenAI, which would have let fans use Disney characters in AI-generated videos. OpenAI cancelled that deal when it shut down its video generation tool, Sora, citing a strategic pivot.

"Disney owns some of the world's biggest franchises but ownership of attention is shifting towards creators." — Matt Navarra, social media expert

Analysts at Enders Analysis described the TikTok pact as a deal that "repositions and recovers Disney in the UGC [user-generated content] space." However, they warned Disney will need "significant guardrails" to curate creator content, given ongoing safety debates around TikTok under European online regulations.

TikTok's growing influence over pop culture

The platform recorded an average of 6.5 million posts relating to film and TV per day in 2025. Analysts note that TikTok's recommendation algorithm has the power to "influence which character or scene or forgotten franchise suddenly becomes very valuable again" — a compelling reason for Hollywood to formalise the relationship.