Overview
- The company announced the vertical video plan at its CES Tech & Data Showcase, targeting a U.S. launch later in 2026 ahead of a combined Disney+–Hulu app experience.
- Executives said “everything’s on the table” for the feed, including original short-form programming, repurposed social clips, and refashioned scenes, personalized across sports, news, and entertainment.
- The initiative builds on ESPN’s “Verts” short-form feature introduced in August 2025, with Disney positioning the format to foster daily, mobile-first habits among Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers.
- Disney Advertising unveiled an AI video generation tool moving to beta with select clients in the coming months, an AI planning tool already in early internal use, a new Brand Impact Metric, and an expanded Compass portal connected to vendors such as Affinity Solutions, CINT, EDO, Innovid, and VideoAmp.
- Disney’s licensing and investment deal with OpenAI’s Sora is active, and curated Sora-generated shorts may eventually appear on Disney+, with guardrails and integration details still developing.