Alibaba to offer Disney shows on Youku

Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group, the entertainment arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, said on Monday that it has inked a deal with The Walt Disney Co to offer Disney's animated series and movies on its video streaming service.

Under the agreement with Buena Vista International, a Disney-owned motion picture distributor, subscribers of online streaming service Youku will be able to access over 1,000 episodes of animated television series, according to a company statement.

In addition, some 30 million households using Alibaba's set-top boxes and partnering smart TV platforms will be able to access these shows and hundreds of Disney movies, including blockbuster titles such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Beauty and the Beast and Frozen.