Prepare for AI Marvel, Star Wars & More As Disney Signs $1 Billion Deal With OpenAI

Disney has officially opened the floodgates on AI, as reports are now in that The Walt Disney Company has signed a deal with OpenAI. The deal (the details of which are listed below) will basically be a three-year licensing agreement, wherein OpenAI can now allow its Sora AI video generator to use the likenesses of characters from the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars brands, legally. The videos will then be authorized for distribution across Disney-owned platforms like Disney+.

Disney’s New OpenAI Deal Explained

The deal will include much more than social media or promotional advantages for the two companies: it will also open the doors to a full integration of OpenAI’s products and services within Disney’s massive corporate infrastructure. That includes Disney using OpenAI services and tools to “build new products, tools, and experiences, including for Disney+, and deploying ChatGPT for its employees.” It will also see Disney make a show of faith in pushing its new partner ahead in the market, by making “a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, and receive warrants to purchase additional equity.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger issued a statement on the deal, stating, “Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world.

Read Next

10 Disney Movies That Prove It’s All One Big Shared Universe

Iger is clearly not oblivious to the potential backlash he’ll face from this deal, as he went on to give a pitch to worried creatives about why it will benefit them, too. “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.”

Finally, Iger wanted to make it clear that the deal will create a whole lot of fun for Disney fans, as well. “Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”

Disney Characters You’ll Be Able to Use In AI Videos

OpenAI offered a list of characters that fans will be able to use in AI videos. That list includes “Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Lilo, Stitch, Ariel, Belle, Beast, Cinderella, Baymax, Simba, Mufasa, as well as characters from the worlds of Encanto, Frozen, Inside Out, Moana, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, Up, Zootopia, and many more; plus iconic animated or illustrated versions of Marvel and Lucasfilm characters like Black Panther, Captain America, Deadpool, Groot, Iron Man, Loki, Thor, Thanos, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia, the Mandalorian, Stormtroopers” and “Yoda,” with indication that many other characters (upwards of 200+) will be available, as well.

How do you feel about Disney partnering with OpenAI? Let us know on the ComicBook Forum!