Global streamer Disney+ has premiered its first original shortform vertical microdrama, Locker Diaries, marking a significant first step in parent company The Walt Disney Company’s push into the fast-growing format.
The 11-part series unfolds from the perspective of a high school locker, bringing together characters from the Zombies, Descendants and Phineas & Ferb franchises. Designed for vertical viewing, the episodes blend comedy, drama and teen adventure in bite-sized installments set in school corridors and framed through open locker doors.
The first two episodes, each running approximately three minutes, launched over the weekend on Disney+ and across the Disney Channel’s YouTube, Instagram and TikTok accounts. New episodes will roll out weekly on Saturdays through until mid-April, with the full series also scheduled to air on Disney Channel in the US next month and be made available via Disney Channel On Demand.
Initial episodes (pictured) focus on characters from the Zombies franchise and feature Malachi Barton, Freya Skye, Swayam Bhatia, Julian Lerner and Mekonnen Knife reprising their roles from Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. Episodes centred on Descendants and Phineas & Ferb characters are set to debut later this year.
The launch follows comments from Disney executives at January’s CES in Las Vegas, where the company confirmed that vertical video would become a key component of its streaming strategy. At the time, leadership outlined plans for a broader vertical video experience within Disney+, spanning sports, news and entertainment content.
Microdramas have emerged as a growing focus for established studios seeking to tap into short-form viewing trends. In the US, Fox Entertainment last year took a stake in Holywater, the Ukraine-based owner of microdrama app My Drama. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are also assessing opportunities in the space.
