Dawn Yang, Tiktok's Global Head of Entertainment, Said the Partnership Brings Authentic Creator Expression to Disney+.

Walt Disney has struck a first-of-its-kind deal with TikTok, allowing a select group of creators to use iconic characters and scenes from its back catalogue, including Darth Vader, Spider-Man and Moana, in short videos. The US pilot gives creators access to curated content across Disney brands such as Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, with some material featured on Disney's vertical-video platform Disney+ Verts, currently available only in the US. The move acknowledges the influence of fan-made content and TikTok's reach, which has surpassed 200 million US users, including about six in 10 adults under 30, per the Pew Research Center.

Dawn Yang, TikTok's global head of entertainment, said the partnership brings authentic creator expression to Disney+. The deal follows a short-lived arrangement with OpenAI's Sora video tool, which was shut down after backlash over violent and racist content. Disney announced the deal as Toy Story 5's success helped it beat earnings forecasts, with shares jumping 4.6% in premarket trading and parks revenues up 10% year over year to nearly $10bn. Rivals season 2 became the biggest original premiere in the UK and Ireland on Disney+.