For years, streaming services treated creator content as marketing that lived outside their platforms.
Disney and TikTok signed a first-of-its-kind agreement that pulls fan edits inside the paid product itself.
The deal gives selected fan-made videos a place on both TikTok and Disney+'s Verts vertical video feed.
The U.S. pilot will begin in the coming months before expanding to additional markets.
@nbcnews Walt Disney and TikTok announced a deal to let TikTok creators use characters and scenes from Disney movies and TV shows in short-form videos, the first pact of its kind between the popular social media app and a traditional media company.
♬ original sound - nbcnews
The program unites Disney franchises such as Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and FX with TikTok's creator community.
"The best storytellers are fans first," Asad Ayaz, Disney's chief marketing and brand officer, said in an official statement.
"This collaboration creates a new bridge between the stories we tell and the creativity they inspire, giving creators a bigger stage to share what they’ve made, and audiences more to discover on Disney+ every day."
The Disney Creator Ambassador Program gives selected creators more visibility, access to exclusive events, and career development pathways.
Meanwhile, the Mickey Mouse owner gets a steady stream of fan-driven content inside its streaming service.
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The arrangement also shows how much entertainment discovery now runs through creator communities that keep franchises alive between releases.
Disney is now programming creator content inside Disney+, alongside the films and series it references.
Fandom Becomes Streaming Content
Disney launched Verts in March 2026 for viewers who watch entertainment vertically on mobile.
The agreement gives the feed a clear job, filling it with curated creator videos that celebrate Disney's IP.
Creators who opt into the program will gain access to official brand assets that span hundreds of films and TV series.
This approach makes it easier to produce content around major franchises while remaining within approved brand guidelines.
Dawn Yang, TikTok's global head of entertainment, framed the deal as an extension of what fans already do with Disney titles.
"Creators are at the heart of everything we do at TikTok.
Their creativity extends the life of films and shows into conversations that fans discover and share."
The partnership also gives Disney consistent, fresh content between marquee releases.
Fan discussions, theories, reactions, cosplay, and commentary can continue to feed engagement after a series finale or theatrical release.
@janobot I can't get enough of Star Peace, it's too wholesome 🥹 #respect#starwarsmemes#starwarsfan#starwarsedit#funnytiktok♬ original sound - Janobot
Fan work is cheaper than commissioned shorts, which gives creator communities a permanent seat in content strategy.
Genuine enthusiasm is the part that studios can't commission, and creators cutting Star Wars edits at 2 a.m. supply it for free.
6.5 Million Daily Posts Drive Discovery
TikTok's internal data, reported by Reuters, shows users shared an average of 6.5 million film and TV posts every day in 2025.
Fans keep talking about shows through the long stretches when studios have nothing to promote.
Deloitte found that 56% of younger generations surveyed watch TV shows or movies on streaming after hearing about them from creators online.
Nearly half of viewers surveyed by Ipsos for TikTok went on to watch a movie or show on streaming after finding entertainment content on the app.
Disney is now buying a seat inside this conversation before it points somewhere else.
This first-of-its-kind partnership offers several marketing lessons:
- Discovery now starts with creators. Brands should invest where audiences first encounter entertainment to shorten the path from interest to viewing.
- Fan communities create lasting demand. Companies should provide creators with official assets to encourage high-quality content to extend relevance.
- Distribution now reaches outside owned platforms. Studios should treat creator communities as part of long-term content strategy to sustain engagement.
Brands that support creator conversations gain more opportunities to stay visible alongside traditional promotional runs.
Our Take: Did Disney Just Reinvent DVD Bonus Features?
DVDs once gave fans a reason to stay with a movie after the credits through deleted scenes, director commentary, bloopers, and behind-the-scenes footage.
Streaming dropped these extras, and viewers went to social media for theories, easter eggs, and production trivia.
We think the company is rebuilding this post-credits habit inside Disney+, with fans doing the work that the studio used to pay for.
Curation is the whole ballgame, because Verts loses its point the second the videos start looking like ads.
Disney tried a licensed version of this with Sora and lost its $1 billion stake when OpenAI killed the app in March, so TikTok creators are the safer bet.
If Verts becomes where fans go once the credits roll, Disney gets a reason for people to keep the subscription in slow months.
The same pull is showing up outside streaming, with Meta putting Reels on Samsung smart TVs to reach audiences on the biggest screen in the house.
Streaming platforms looking to deepen ties with social media need partners who understand fan communities and content strategy.
Explore these top social media marketing agencies to find partners specializing in creator-led campaigns.
