Spider-Man, Darth Vader head to TikTok under Disney deal

Darth Vader, Spider-Man and Moana are set to become official TikTok stars for the first time after Walt Disney struck what it calls a "first of its kind" agreement with the short-video platform.

A select group of creators will now be permitted to use characters and scenes from Disney's back catalogue in their videos.

The deal reflects how much influence fan-made content now wields in entertainment. Disney said the US pilot would give creators access to a curated selection of material spanning Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.

Some of that content will also appear on Disney+ Verts, the company's own vertical-video platform, currently limited to the US market.

TikTok's global head of entertainment, Dawn Yang, said creator expression sits at the centre of the platform's approach and that fandom extends the life of films long after release.

The platform has surpassed 200 million US users, including roughly six in ten adults under 30, according to Pew Research Centre data, less than a decade after its international launch.

This is not the first time that Disney has tried to allow the third-party usage of its characters. In an earlier deal, it allowed OpenAI's Sora video software to create videos featuring Disney characters, but it did not last long.

OpenAI closed Sora a few months later due to criticisms regarding violence, racism, deepfake issues, and disinformation concerns, as well as the company's decision to prioritise its operations before going public.

The TikTok announcement came at the same time as the latest financial report of Disney, which was boosted by the successful movie "Toy Story 5", with the company beating estimates and its shares gaining 4.6% in pre-market trading. Revenue from parks and experiences grew 10% compared to last year and reached $10 billion thanks to more visitors to the theme parks, whereas the second season of Rivals turned out to be the largest premiere of an original Disney+ show in the UK and Ireland.