Disney Launches ‘Locker Diaries’ Vertical Drama With ‘Zombies’ Episodes

Some familiar faces are dropping in as Disney gets into the micro-drama craze with its new short-form series, Locker Diaries.

Designed for vertical viewing, the series features characters from Zombies, Descendants and Phineas & Ferb in bite-size adventures that blend comedy, drama and thrills, all unfolding in school hallways and told through open locker doors.

The first two Zombies-themed episodes of the 11-part series are now available to stream on Disney+ and the Disney Channel YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. They feature Malachi Barton, Freya Skye, Swayam Bhatia, Julian Lerner and Mekonnen Knife, reprising their roles from Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires. 

Rolling out every Saturday through mid-April, episodes will also air next month on the Disney Channel, in addition to being made available on Disney Channel On Demand.

The series comes as Disney+ embraces vertical video to drive daily engagement, part of a larger trend of major studios and execs adapting to a growing demand for micro-dramas. The booming medium was projected to surpass $9.4B in China last year.

Erin Teague, EVP of Product Management for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, previously said “everything’s on the table” in terms of how vertical video is delivered on Disney+. It could be original short-form programming, repurposed social clips, refashioned scenes from longer-form episodic or feature titles or a combination. “We’re obviously thinking about integrating vertical video in ways that are native to core user behaviors,” Teague said. “So, it won’t be a kind of a disjointed, random experience.”