On August 9-11, 2024, Disney hosted D23: The Ultimate Fan Event in Anaheim, CA. The biennial three-day event is always a spectacular display of Disney fandom, including celebrations of all aspects of the company and major announcements of upcoming entertainment and experience projects.
On the first night of the event, Disney presented the Disney Entertainment Showcase – offering details from all of Disney’s major studio divisions, including Walt Disney Studios, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios, among others. Here are the biggest pieces from Disney’s major studios.
Walt Disney Studios
The flagship Disney Studio showcased the following:
Moana 2
Moana 2 – coming to theaters November 27, 2024, has a brand new trailer, bringing back our favorite heroes from the original:
Mufasa: The Lion King
Hot on the heels of Moana 2, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, will be arriving in theaters in time for Christmas with a December 20, 2024 release date. D23 attendees were treated to a glimpse of a new song, “I Always Wanted a Brother.”
Mufasa: The Lion King is directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins and will explore the story of how Mufasa became one of the greatest kings of the Pride Lands.
Disney’s Snow White
The fairest one of all will make her live-action debut for Walt Disney Studios when Disney’s Snow White hits theaters March 21, 2025. To celebrate, Disney released a new trailer at D23:
Lilo & Stitch
Experiment 626 is looking a whole lot more lifelike. A Lilo & Stitch live-action remake has a new logo and is coming to theaters Summer 2025. In a world where computer-generated reimaginings of traditionally animated characters come off looking a little creepy, this first image of the live-action Stitch looks quite perfect.
TRON: Ares
The computer world of TRON will be getting another installment when TRON: Ares comes to theaters October 10, 2025. According to Disney, the film will highlight “a highly sophisticated program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.” The film’s music will be created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails, who previously contributed to Pixar’s Soul in 2020.
Zootopia 2
Zootopia 2 will be released November 25, 2025. The film will reunite Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. The dynamic duo will “find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down.” In addition to Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, the franchise will introduce Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan as Gary, a snake.
Freakier Friday
Lindsey Lohan and newly-minted Disney Legend Jamie Lee Curtis will reprise their roles from Disney’s 2003 film Freaky Friday in the upcoming film Freakier Friday, coming to theaters sometime in 2025. According to Disney, the film “picks up years after Curtis and Lohan’s characters, Tess and Anna, first endured an identity crisis: Anna has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate challenges that come when two families merge, they discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.”
Avatar 3
The third installment in the Avatar franchise will be called Avatar: Fire and Ash. The film – produced by 20th Century Studios – is scheduled to arrive in theaters December 19, 2025. Future films in the franchise are planned to be released in 2029 and 2031.
Frozen 3
Another sequel to Disney’s 2013 hit Frozen is on the way. Jennifer Lee — Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation — showed off concept art from production designer Brittney Lee and a logo for the new film, which is set to debut November 24, 2027.
Top Secret
One of the most peculiar announcements from Walt Disney Studios was that of a “top secret” original film being developed for 2026.
Pixar Studios
Pixar Animation Studios showcased the following a mix of sequels and original content:
Win or Lose
Pixar’s first original series – Win or Lose – arrives December 6, 2024 on Disney+. The series follows the intertwined stories of eight different characters as they each prepare for their big championship softball game.
Elio
The newest Pixar original concept film – Elio – will arrive in theaters June 13, 2025. The film’s story will follow the adventure of Elio, an underdog boy with an active imagination, who finds himself inadvertently beamed up to an interplanetary organization where he is chosen to become Earth’s ambassador to other galaxies.
Toy Story 5
Pixar’s gold standard Toy Story franchise will add a fifth installment when Toy Story 5 arrives in theaters June 19, 2026. As described by Disney, “This time around, it’s Toy meets Tech when Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs get exponentially harder as they go head to head with this all-new threat to playtime.”
Hoppers
Coming on the heels of Toy Story 5, the next Pixar original film – Hoppers – is planned for March 6, 2026. The film introduces Mabel, “an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic animal: an adorable beaver.” With the announcements of Elio and Hoppers, Pixar seems to be headed in a science fiction direction.
Incredibles 3
Incredibles 3 is officially in the works, with Oscar-winning Pixar filmmaker Brad Bird currently developing the film. The superhero film series is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed franchises in all of animation with the first two films bringing in nearly $2 billion collectively, and the original film winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. A release date has not yet been given to the film.
Marvel Studios
The Marvel slate of projects is always highly anticipated, especially nowadays, where the Marvel Cinematic Universe has endured a bit of a drought over the last few years. Marvel showcased the following at D23:
Agatha All Along
While not exactly “new” news, Marvel highlighted one of the most anticipated Disney+ series since WandaVision, which begins streaming in just a few weeks, on September 18, 2024. According to Disney, Agatha All Along will tell the story of how “the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth teen helps break her free from a distorted spell.”
The show features a new song by Frozen franchise songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez called “The Ballad of the Witches Road.”
Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters February 14, 2025. In the film, “Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross.” Disney recently released a trailer for the film at San Diego Comic Con:
Daredevil: Born Again
Fans of the gritty Netflix series Daredevil are celebrating the upcoming release of Daredevil: Born Again, which arrives on Disney+ March 2025. According to Marvel, the series “catches up with Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer with heightened abilities, and his nemesis, Wilson Fisk, who’s pursuing his own political endeavors in New York.” The cast of the series were all on-hand at D23 to celebrate the new season. When the Daredevil series streamed on Netflix, it was recognized for its graphic violence and tense storylines. It will be interesting to see how Disney’s iteration carries the series forward.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Recently announced at San Diego Comic Con, The Fantastic Four: First Steps just took its first steps in production in the UK. It is scheduled to hit theaters July 25, 2025. The film is expected to lead into Avengers: Doomsday (more on that below).
Ironheart
Back to television, the Disney+ series Ironheart is planned to arrive sometime in 2025. This follows young genius Riri Williams, the tech savvy MIT student from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. As stated by Marvel, Ironheart “pits technology against magic when Riri Williams – a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka “The Hood.”
Previously Announced – Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars
On July 27, 2024 at San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Studios’ revealed the next two Avengers films in the MCU – Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release May 1, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for release May 7, 2027.
Marvel proceeded to turn MCU fans on their collective heads when they revealed Robert Downey Jr. – the legendary actor behind Tony Stark/Iron Man – behind the mask of Doctor Victor von Doom, revealing in dramatic fashion that he will be playing the mega-villain of the next two Avengers films.
Lucasfilm / Star Wars
Not to be left out of the fun, Lucasfilm offered details on several upcoming projects.
Skeleton Crew
The newest Star Wars series – Skeleton Crew – is coming to Disney+ December 3, 2024. The series will follow four “younglings” (Star-Wars-speak for kids) as they “make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy, crossing paths with the likes of Jod Na Nawood, a mysterious character that [actor Jude Law)] portrays.”
Based on the trailer released at D23, the series looks to be bringing a bit more “space” back into Star Wars:
Andor
Andor – which is, in my opinion, the single best Star Wars series to come to Disney+ – will see Season 2 releasing in 2025. Season One was nominated for eight Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series – all without a single lightsaber wave. According to series’ star Diego Luna “This second part will follow Cassian [Andor] over the period of four years as he grows into the hero we see make the ultimate sacrifice in Rogue One.”
The Madalorian and Grogu
The Mandalorian – hands down the most popular Star Wars series to release on Disney+ – has outgrown the small screen. Lucasfilm previously teased a Mandalorian film in development, with a working title The Mandalorian and Grogu. Lucasfilm has now confirmed that the film is coming to theaters May 22, 2026.
Other Disney Entertainment Projects
Aside from the major projects listed above, Disney listed several additional projects in development.
Dream Productions will be a new Pixar series about the “dream studio” inside Riley’s mind from Inside Out.
A Hercules stage musical is coming to London’s West End theater district in Summer 2025.
A stage musical treatment of the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman is also in development.
Wow, that’s a lot of content coming from Disney over the next few years! For a complete run-down of the major announcements from Disney Parks and Experiences, click here!
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