Disney+ pushes into short-form vertical video space

Announcing the move at its Tech + Data Showcase event at CES 2026, Disney stated that the vertical video offer will roll out across news and entertainment content to deliver audiences “a more personalised, dynamic experience that reinforces Disney+ as a must-visit daily destination.”

It follows the successful launch of vertical videos on the Disney-owned sports streaming ESPN app.

Disney told Deadline that the videos could include original short-form content, repurposed social clips, scenes from TV shows or movies, or a combination of all of these elements.

Vertical videos are particularly aimed at younger viewers who are used to watching clips on their phones rather than long-form content such as TV shows and movies. For context, Netflix launched a vertical feed in 2025 that enables users to scroll through clips from its original titles, building on the success of vertical videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Elsewhere during its Tech + Data Showcase, Disney unveiled a new video generation tool designed for advertising that allows brands to create high-quality, CTV-ready commercials using existing brand assets and guidelines.

It also flagged Disney Compass, launched in 2025, which brings together planning, data collaboration, and measurement into a single, connected experience – and is now supporting campaigns across the US and LATAM, with EMEA coming up next. Soon, Disney Compass will include AI-powered summaries that will highlight key learnings and identify new opportunities for advertisers.

“Advertisers are raising the bar for both accountability and innovation, seeking impactful ways to align with quality storytelling and data-led solutions that drive meaningful business results,” said Rita Ferro, President of Global Advertising at The Walt Disney Company. “Disney brings together world-class storytelling and the technology that connects brands with fans at scale across the world’s most premium live sports and entertainment experiences.”

An estimated 10 million YouTube TV subscribers recently lost access to Disney-owned channels after contract-renewal talks collapsed. Discover more here.