March 24, 2026
From Sora to Sore Feelings
Disney Exits OpenAI Deal After AI Giant Shutters Sora
Disney walks as OpenAI closes Sora — commenters cry “slop,” “too pricey,” and meme “Roxas”
TLDR: OpenAI is shutting its Sora video app and Disney is exiting its $1B plan to put Disney characters in it, though OpenAI will keep video inside ChatGPT. Commenters split between “this was endless slop,” hard‑nosed cost math, and Kingdom Hearts memes, while Google looks poised to dominate
OpenAI just pulled the plug on its Sora video app, and the internet’s reaction is a roller coaster. While OpenAI says it’s not abandoning AI video entirely (it’ll live inside ChatGPT), many commenters say the standalone app was doomed by costs, legal headaches, and a messy Hollywood rollout. One top take calls it a “huge (and wildly depressing) market for endlessly scrolling video slop,” arguing that slick branding can’t save junk content. Others say the math never worked: video is expensive to make, and as one user bluntly put it, “OpenAI has to make money.”
The plot twist? Disney is reportedly walking away from its billion‑dollar tie‑up that would’ve put Mickey & friends inside Sora. That sparks a fresh wave of drama: some cheer this as a win for creators’ rights after Sora’s early use of famous faces and characters, while others say OpenAI simply misread the timeline — prompt‑to‑movie is still far away, and pros don’t want a toy. There’s even a meme moment: Kingdom Hearts fans chime in with “Roxas” jokes (yes, “Sora” scrambled), because of course they did. Meanwhile, people eye Google as the new heavyweight in AI video, and wonder if Disney will shop its characters to another AI giant. Popcorn, anyone?
Key Points
- •OpenAI is shutting down its Sora AI video app and will share timelines for the app and API and how to preserve user work.
- •A source told The Hollywood Reporter that Disney is exiting its deal with OpenAI, which included a planned $1B investment and character licensing for Sora.
- •OpenAI is not abandoning AI video entirely, suggesting such tools could live within the ChatGPT app rather than a standalone Sora app.
- •Sora’s launch last fall prompted IP and likeness concerns, leading OpenAI to quickly grant studios and talent more control.
- •The article says Google now holds a scale advantage in AI video generation but has no IP licensing deals and faces related lawsuits.