Launchpad (TV series)

Launchpad is an anthology series of American independent short films produced by Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for streaming on Disney+. The films are created by various filmmakers from diverse and underrepresented racial, social, and cultural backgrounds.

Submissions for Launchpad began in June 2019 and the final round of filmmakers were selected by Disney in December 2019, from a pool of 1,000 applicants. Disney financed the films and allowed the filmmakers to mentor with creative executives from various Walt Disney Studios film divisions, as well as the opportunity to receive educational classes provided by the American Film Institute. The first season was centered on the theme of "discover", which the participants were instructed to create stories around. Development process began in February 2020, but production on the first season of films was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

American Eid, Dinner Is Served, Growing Fangs, The Last of the Chupacabras, Let’s Be Tigers, and The Little Prince(ss), the six films of the first season of Launchpad, were released on Disney+ on May 28, 2021. The series has received praise for showcasing diversity and themes of inclusivity not typically addressed in mainstream Hollywood productions. A second season, focusing on the theme of "connection", was released on Disney+ on September 29, 2023, containing the films Beautiful, FL, Black Belts, Maxine, Project CC, The Ghost and The Roof. Some of the films from both seasons also screened at film festivals such as the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Asian American International Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and HollyShorts Film Festival prior to being released to the public on the platform.