The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have entered into a three-year licensing agreement that will make Disney the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form generative Artificial Intelligence video platform. Under the deal, Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, using a set of more than 200 animated, masked and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars, along with costumes, props, vehicles and iconic environments. The agreement does not include any talent likenesses or voices, and it is framed by both companies as a significant step in setting meaningful standards for responsible Artificial Intelligence in entertainment.
The collaboration extends beyond Sora, with ChatGPT Images gaining the ability to turn a few words from users into fully generated images in seconds, drawing from the same library of intellectual property. As part of the broader partnership, Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI by using its APIs to build new products, tools and experiences, including for Disney+, and by deploying ChatGPT for its employees. As part of the agreement, Disney will make a 1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, and receive warrants to purchase additional equity, with the overall transaction remaining subject to definitive agreements, required corporate and board approvals, and customary closing conditions.
Disney and OpenAI say they are affirming a shared commitment to the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence that protects user safety and the rights of creators, and they describe their work together as advancing human-centered Artificial Intelligence that respects creative industries and expands storytelling possibilities. Under the license, fans will be able to watch curated selections of Sora-generated videos on Disney+, and the companies will collaborate to use OpenAI’s models to power new experiences for Disney+ subscribers. Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to start generating fan-inspired videos with Disney’s multi-brand licensed characters in early 2026, featuring figures such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba, Mufasa and characters from Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, Zootopia, along with Marvel and Lucasfilm icons like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers and Yoda. OpenAI has committed to maintaining and expanding responsible measures around trust and safety, including age-appropriate policies, controls to prevent illegal or harmful content, respect for content owners’ rights in relation to model outputs, and protections for individuals’ control over the use of their voice and likeness.
