Disney Teams Up with New Webtoon Platform Comixit After Sora Partnership Falls Through
Disney has forged a new partnership with the emerging platform Comixit! to deliver webtoons to fans across the EMEA region. This collaboration marks a significant pivot for Disney, especially following the abrupt end of its previous venture with Sora.
Launched last year by Envision Entertainment CEO Michael Nakan, Comixit! claims to be the first UK-based webtoon platform, positioning itself as one of the earliest European contenders in the digital comics sphere. The platform will feature over 100 properties from Disney, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios, including recent releases such as Zootopia 2. Current offerings include the Zootopia miniseries, Olaf’s Comic Collection, and the Agent Stitch graphic novel series, with more titles set to be introduced throughout the year.
Comixit! is designed with a vertical-scroll format aimed at enhancing the reading experience for younger audiences, in line with the rising trend of vertical microdramas in Hollywood and beyond.
“Only one in three children now enjoy reading, the lowest level in decades, yet research by the National Literacy Trust shows that kids who read comics are twice as likely to enjoy all reading,” Nakan remarked. He emphasized the importance of modernizing reading formats by integrating Disney’s beloved characters into a mobile-friendly medium, aiming to transform screen time into something that parents can endorse. "Our ambition is simple: make reading exciting, immersive and habitual again," he added.
Nakan, who is also the founder of Comixit!, oversees operations at his indie studio, Envision, which is currently led by David Barron.
This development follows the recent closure of Disney’s agreement with Sora, envisioned to unleash 250 Disney characters on the OpenAI platform. That deal, which involved a $1 billion investment from Disney, has now been rendered obsolete with Sora’s shutdown.
