Disney seals $1 billion deal with OpenAI; Frozen, Zootopia & 200+ characters open for recreations—check out fans’ reactions

Disney has stepped into a new chapter of artificial intelligence, and the move is already making waves across the entertainment world. The company has reportedly signed a huge three-year deal with OpenAI, investing $1 billion to bring advanced AI tools into its movies, apps, and fan experiences.

The agreement marks one of the biggest partnerships between Hollywood and a tech giant, and it sets the stage for a future where fans can create their own short videos using Disney characters through OpenAI’s Sora platform. Because the deal affects how stories and characters may be used in the digital world, it has also sparked strong reactions online.



According to an official press release, Disney will invest $1 billion into OpenAI to support the development of new AI tools and technologies. This deal includes a licensing agreement that allows more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters to appear inside Sora, where users can make short AI-generated videos using text prompts. A selection of these “fan-inspired” videos will reportedly stream on Disney+.

This partnership connects directly to Disney’s wider plan to update how its storytelling works in the digital age, and the company has said that OpenAI’s technology will also help build new features for the Disney+ app. Disney employees will be given access to ChatGPT as part of their work tools, continuing the same push toward AI inside the company.



The partnership means Sora will now include a long list of famous animated and illustrated characters. The users will be able to generate videos featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Simba, Mufasa, Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Stitch, Baymax, and beloved characters from films like Toy Story, Frozen, Moana, Inside Out, Monsters, Inc., Up, and Zootopia.

The deal also covers animated or illustrated versions of characters from Marvel and Star Wars, such as Iron Man, Captain America, Black Panther, Loki, Deadpool, Thor, Thanos, Han Solo, Leia, Yoda, and Darth Vader. Because this access includes “costumes, props, vehicles, and iconic environments”, fans can mix and match settings in unusual ways, something that is expected to flood social media with creative and strange videos.

However, both Disney and OpenAI have stated that exact likenesses or voices of real actors will not be used. According to the press release, the companies “respect the rights of individuals to appropriately control the use of their voice and likeness,” which means users may see stylised versions of characters played by actors like Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill, but never realistic digital copies.



The agreement also comes with strict boundaries. Reports note that Sora will block abusive or inappropriate prompts, including NSFW, violent, or hateful content. The deal also states that OpenAI will not train its AI models using Disney’s intellectual property, a point highlighted clearly in the announcement.

These rules are expected to help protect Disney’s brand while still allowing fans to explore creative ideas inside the platform. This balance also reflects the company’s larger approach to controlling the use of its characters, especially in a fast-changing digital environment.



Disney CEO Bob Iger praised the collaboration, calling the rise of AI an important turning point for the industry. In the official press release, he said, “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works.” He added that the partnership “puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before.”



The announcement has sparked a wide range of online responses. One user wrote, “I guess it's limited to ‘animated, masked & creature characters’ as they don't have any deals with the actors to replicate their likenesses.”

Another reacted with frustration, saying, “They were supposed to sue them. Not join.” Others expressed worry, including one who said, “Biggest entertainment company in the world doing this… yeah, it’s over.” Another commented, “Kinda wild seeing a company built on artists decide machines are cheaper than creativity."

Some questioned the bigger impact, asking, “Do you think this will help the film industry?” and another pointed to Disney’s long history of strict copyright control, saying, “A century of copyright lobbying and aggressive brand protection of the mouse... all to end up here.”

There were also supportive voices, with one user writing, “Could be revolutionary; from personalised Disney interactions to smarter virtual assistants, this partnership could reshape fan experiences forever.”

So what do you think about this? With some fan-made videos reportedly set to appear on Disney+, is the company attempting to compete with TikTok and YouTube Shorts, where users frequently watch clips from shows and movies? Would you join in and participate?