Key takeaways:
- Disney will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and license its characters for OpenAI’s Sora and ChatGPT Images.
- More than 200 characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars will be allowed; talent likenesses and voices are excluded.
- The deal follows controversy over Sora’s launch and ongoing legal fights over AI use of copyrighted characters.
- The announcement could draw investor attention to Disney stock as the company leans into generative AI.
H2: What Disney and OpenAI announced
The Walt Disney Company said it will make a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI and sign a multi-year licensing agreement that allows users to generate AI content featuring Disney-owned characters on OpenAI’s Sora video generator and ChatGPT Images.
H3: Which characters are included
OpenAI and Disney said users will be able to create content using more than 200 characters across Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars. The companies specifically named icons such as Mickey Mouse, Ariel, Cinderella, Iron Man and Darth Vader. The agreement excludes talent likenesses and voices.
H3: How Sora and ChatGPT Images will change
OpenAI launched Sora in September as a text-to-video tool that quickly rose to the top of app store charts. Under the new deal, Sora users can prompt the service to generate short videos featuring licensed Disney characters, and ChatGPT Images will accept prompts that draw from the same intellectual property.
H2: Context — controversy and IP battles
Sora’s rapid rise prompted concerns about copyright and brand misuse. Industry groups and studios, including the Motion Picture Association, urged OpenAI to curb infringement when Sora allowed unrestricted character generation after launch. Disney has been active legally against other AI image creators — notably suing Midjourney and sending a cease-and-desist to Character.AI — highlighting the company’s broader effort to control how its characters are used in AI.
H3: Statements from leaders
Disney CEO Bob Iger framed the pact as a way to “thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Disney is the “global gold standard for storytelling” and expressed enthusiasm about expanding how people create and experience content.
H2: Market implications for Disney stock
While the companies did not discuss financial returns tied to the licensing program, the $1 billion equity stake and strategic partnership are likely to attract investor interest. Analysts and traders often monitor moves like this for potential influence on Disney stock, especially as the company positions itself at the intersection of media and AI.
H2: Where to watch more
Disney CEO Bob Iger and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were scheduled to discuss the announcement on CNBC; a related video is available here: https://www.cnbc.com/squawk-on-the-street/
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
Image Referance: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/11/disney-openai-sora-characters-video.html
