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Disney has struck a three-year deal with OpenAI on Thursday to bring more than 200 iconic characters to Sora’s AI video platform, allowing users to generate clips featuring favourites like Mickey and Simba, while keeping strict limits on actor likenesses, voices and copyrighted training content.
Walt Disney Co. has signed a landmark three-year licensing pact with OpenAI on Thursday, allowing its signature animated characters, from Mickey Mouse to Simba, to appear in AI-generated videos on Sora. The agreement, which also includes Disney taking a one-billion-dollar equity stake in the AI firm, marks the entertainment giant’s most significant step yet into the world of generative media.
What Sora users will be allowed to create
Under the partnership, Sora gains access to a catalogue of more than 200 Disney characters, enabling users to prompt the AI model to generate videos featuring some of the studio’s most recognisable figures. From classic icons like Cinderella to modern favourites such as Lilo and Stitch, Sora will be able to bring a wide animated universe to life in short AI-made clips.
Disney says the collaboration will also feed into its own products. Curated Sora videos will appear on Disney’s streaming platforms, and ChatGPT will be deployed internally to assist employees across the company.
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What remains off-limits
While characters are licensed, their associated actors are not. Sora will not be allowed to reproduce talent likenesses or voices, meaning any appearance of characters such as Woody from Toy Story will come without Tom Hanks’s distinctive performance. Disney has also emphasised that strict guardrails are built into the deal to ensure characters are not used in ways that could undermine their integrity or infringe on creators’ rights.
The licence does not grant OpenAI permission to use Disney films or TV content for model training, a major point of tension between Hollywood and AI companies. Disney’s recent cease-and-desist notice to Google over alleged unauthorised training highlights how sensitive the issue remains.
Why Disney says the deal matters
Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger framed the agreement as a controlled but forward-looking move, saying the company aims to explore new types of storytelling powered by AI, but without sacrificing the protection of its intellectual property or the work of its creative teams. He described Sora as a “safe environment” where Disney characters can be used responsibly.
The tie-up echoes Disney’s earlier arrangement with Epic Games, where characters appear in Fortnite and other upcoming entertainment experiences. By taking a major equity position in OpenAI, Disney is signalling that it sees generative AI as a long-term driver of innovation.
Industry reactions and ongoing tensions
Creative guilds remain sceptical. The Writers Guild of America criticised the move, arguing that AI firms have trained on its members’ work without consent and that Disney’s partnership risks validating that behaviour. Studios, meanwhile, remain cautious about collaborating with AI companies without clear assurances around copyright protections.
Even as some record labels and media houses start striking commercial AI deals, legal disputes across the industry show that the balance between innovation and safeguarding content is still being negotiated.
What happens next
Sora and ChatGPT Images are expected to begin generating videos featuring Disney characters in early 2026, opening a new chapter in how fans interact with the company’s storytelling universe.
Key Takeaways
- Disney's partnership with OpenAI signifies a major shift in integrating AI into traditional storytelling.
- Strict guidelines are in place to protect character integrity and intellectual property rights.
- The ongoing tension between AI companies and creative industries reflects a broader struggle over content usage and copyright protections.
English (US) ·