In the near future, you will be able to open the Disney+ app and scroll through a feed of short vertical videos, similar to social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
The announcement came at CES 2026 during a Disney presentation, according to Hollywood outlet Deadline.
The company presented its plans to advertisers as part of a plan to bring more ads into Disney+. No launch date was given.
Short, vertical videos
The initiative is led by Erin Teague, EVP of Product Management at Disney. She has a long history at Google and cited YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels as inspiration.
- "Vertical videos are really great as daily habits. snackable, short, bite sized experiences," said Erin Teague.
Vertical videos on your TV? You'll want a larger screen then. Illustration: FlatpanelsHD
Getting younger viewers hooked
The goal is to get especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha to open the Disney+ app more often, ideally daily if you ask Disney, to watch short videos that may include short Disney+ originals, social media content, news, movie and series clips, or a mix of these.
The goal is not just to promote full-length movies or series but also to create new content – in vertical format, that is.
- "We're obviously thinking about integrating vertical video in ways that are native to core user behaviors," said Erin Teague. "So, it won't be a kind of a disjointed, random experience."
- Source: Deadline