D23 Unveils New Trailers for ‘Mufasa,’ ‘Moana,’ First Looks at ‘Snow White,’ Massive Marvel/Star Wars Television Lineup, More ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Frozen’ and ‘Incredibles’ on the Way

Disney kicked off their eighth D23 Expo Friday evening with a showcase of highly anticipated upcoming theatrical and television projects. The massive slate spanning across animation and live action was comprised of such hot items as Mufasa: The Lion King, Moana 2, Marvel Studios’ Daredevil Born Again, Star Wars’ Skeleton Crew, Tron: Ares, Zootopia 2, Avatar 3, and more. Below are the major announcements and teases attendees were treated to over the course of the three hour presentation.

Kicking off the showcase in style was Moana 2. Auli‘i Cravalho with dancers and drummers from Nonosina Polynesia opened things up with a live performance of one of the film’s new songs, “We’re Back.” The performance culminated with the arrival of Dwayne Johnson. The two teased what audiences could expect from the Moana sequel saying that when we pick back up with Moana she’s not only become the leader of her people, but a big sister as well. The film primarily focuses on Moana’s quest for evidence of life on nearby islands emphasizing the importance of looking beyond the reef and believing that there is more and having the guts to go for more; that there are more people, places, experiences, and connections outside of their own little island. Johnson also promised “the villain of all villains” before premiering the new trailer. Also revealed were additional voice cast, including returning stars Rachel House (Moana’s Grandma, Tala), Temuera Morrison (Moana’s father, Chief Tui) and Nicole Scherzinger (Moana’s mother, Sina). The film also features the voices of Hualālai Chung, David Fane and Rose Matafeo as Moana’s new crew members Moni, Kele and Loto, respectively. Awhimai Fraser voices mysterious new character Matangi; Gerald Ramsey plays Moana’s ancestor, Tautai Vasa; and Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda lends her voice to Moana’s adoring and adorable little sister, Simea. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, opening in theaters on November 27, 2024.

Following the Moana 2 trailer, Johnson also announced a continued collaboration with Disney unveiling – in explosive WWE-esque fashion – his next live action Disney film, Monster Jam. It’s unclear what exactly this project is yet since it’s still early days, but the way Johnson described it made it sound like live-action Cars. Interesting to say the least…

James Cameron took the stage followed shortly by Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington to give a status update on the highly anticipated Avatar 3. Cameron spoke about how the third installment of his 5 part saga goes into really challenging territory for all the characters. He specifically emphasized the supposed new villain of the film saying there will be one character, “you’re gonna love to hate.” Cameron also teased that audiences will see and experience so much more of Pandora than ever before. He concluded by saying, “The new film is not what you expect, but it’s what you want,” before showing off some truly awe inspiring concept art and revealing the title for Avatar 3 in Avatar Fire and Ash. Avatar: Fire and Ash also stars Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Oona Chaplin, Jack Champion, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss and Bailey Bass. The next chapter in Cameron’s epic adventure hits theaters December 19, 2025.

Hard pivoting from the skies of Pandora to the imagination of Pixar, Pete Doctor took the stage to tease Disney’s premier animation studio’s upcoming projects. For TV, Doctor unveiled a new trailer for Pixar’s “first original series” Win or Lose (although Monsters at Work would like a word about that) which felt like a more family friendly Ted Lasso but baseball instead of soccer. The series hits Disney+ on December. 6, 2024 and is written, directed, and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced by David Lally. The new series reveals what it feels like to be in the shoes of eight different characters—the insecure kids, their helicopter parents, even a lovesick umpire—as they prepare for a championship softball game. Will Forte lends his voice to the coach. Next, Doctor teed up a look at the next chapter in the Inside Out franchise with a new series titled Dream Productions. The series is set inbetween the two theatrical films and set inside the studio in Riley’s mind, where some memories need some extra processing through dreams. Written and directed by Mike Jones and produced by Jaclyn Simon, the four-episode series also features the voices of Richard Ayoade, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Alli Maki, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith and arrives on Disney+ in 2025.

Moving away from the world of television and into the studio’s theatrical fare, Doctor wasted no tim in officially announcing the next installment in the Toy Story franchise, Toy Story 5. Doctor confirmed that Toy Story 5 would be written and directed by Finding Nemo and WALL-E director, Andrew Stanton. Stanton teased that the new film will find the Toy crew gores head to head with their greatest threat yet: electronics. Stanton briefly mentioned the current state of play time – iPad babies and whatnot – and how more traditional playthings have a serious uphill battle if they want to avoid extinction. Toy Story 5  is co-directed by McKenna Harris, produced by Jessica Choi, and opens in theaters on June 19, 2026.

Pixar’s next original film will be Hoppers – an all-new adventure that follows 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. This allows her to infiltrate the animal kingdom and learn more about the critters and their ecosystem she loves so much. Directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, Hoppers features the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, and releases 2026.

Next up was an update on Pixar’s long awaited Elio. The film was stuck in production hell for a while continuously the the victim of delays and setbacks. But all of that is in the past as the film debuted its first teaser and set a release date of June 13, 2025. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the new adventure follows Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, who gets beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization that mistakes him for Earth’s leader. Greeting fans were the voice of Elio himself, Yonas Kibreab, and Zoe Saldaña, who lends her voice to Elio’s Aunt Olga. Produced by Mary Alice Drumm, the movie also features the voices of Brad Garrett and Jameela Jamil.

Before exiting the stage, Doctor, on the 20th Anniversary of the original film, announced that Incredibles 3, is finally in development with Brad Bird returning to write and direct.

Pixar passed the baton to Lucasfilm to provide some intergalactic updates on the state of their universe. While there was a notable absence from Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, star of the upcoming Disney+ series Skeleton Crew, Jude Law, was a welcome replacement. Law teased his upcoming Amblin-inspired series created by Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts and his frequent creative collaborator, Christopher Ford before unveiling the new trailer. Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who 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, the mysterious character played by Law as they try to find their way home. The show stars Jude Law, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon and Nick Frost, with episodes directed by Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard and Lee Isaac Chung. The show hits Disney+ on December 3, 2024, with a two episode premiere.

Following Law came Diego Luna to thank fans for their support of Andor Season 1 and tease the upcoming final season – the conclusion of Cassian’s arc we’ve been on since the characters introduction in Rogue One – in Andor Season 2. What was shown was a slick little behind the scenes sizzle reel with notable highlights including Ben Mendolsohn’s Director Krennic and Alan Tudyk’s fan favorite droid, K2-SO, making an appearance. Andor Season 2 arrives on Disney+ in 2025. 

Star Wars royalty Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau came out next to give updates on the next theatrical Star Wars outing, The Mandalorian and Grogu. Filoni expressed how ever since Iron Man, he knew Favreau would make a great Star Wars movie as he considered it an honor to be the Apprentice to Favreau in his domain. While the film just entered production, Favreau did bring a brief tease of the film which showcased an all new adventure following Mando and Grogu, Snowtroopers, Star Wars Rebels favorite, Zeb, a pov Mouse Droid shot, all culminating in an action packed climax with Mando on, what looks like Hoth, engaging a couple of AT-AT’s. As someone who’s fallen out of favor with The Mandalorian over the past two seasons, I must admit, the film, so far, looks to be a fun, explosive continuation of their story. The Mandalorian and Grogu opens on May 22, 2026. 

Despite making a Robert Downey Jr.-sized splash at San Diego Comic-Con only a few weeks ago, Kevin Feige’s Marvel Studios had more in the tank as they teased a bit more of their grand plan for Phase 6. Feige, with the help of Anthony Mackie and a blonde wigged, comic accurate costumed Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, kicked off the Marvel portion of the showcase with the trailers for Captain America: Brave New World and The Fantastic Four: First Steps which previously premiered at SDCC a few weeks prior. While there was no word on the status of Mahershala Ali’s troubled Blade movie, audiences were finally treated to their first look at the long-awaited Daredevil revival, Daredevil Born Again. The crowd erupted when Feige invited stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson and Jon Bernthal to the stage to talk a little about the upcoming show before sharing footage with D23 attendees. Each of the cast members couldn’t believe they were actually standing there for another season of Daredevil, but were grateful for the outpour of support. Feige and the cast emphasized how the series will very much channel the essence of the original Netflix series while charting a new path forward for Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk.The first trailer for Daredevil Born Again certainly echoed that sentiment. Daredevil looks like it hasn’t skipped a beat. The brutality and grit of Hell’s Kitchen remains. It’s all out WAR between Murdock and Fisk. Comic fans will catch the appearance of White Tiger – who Matt visits in prison at the top of the trailer before revealing his full costume. He tells Matt that the city “needs a hero” in the wake of Kingpin’s rise to power in New York City. We get a brief glimpse of Bullseye in prison following the events of Daredevil Season 3; Matt goes to enlist a Frank Castle in hiding; all of this culminates in a fun little Heat sendup between Murdock and Fisk in a diner. Fisk asks, “this caution that you’re giving me, is it from Matt Murdock or your darker half?” laughing before cutting to a brutal series of beatdowns Matt, as Daredevi,l delivers, to the criminals of Hell’s Kitchen as the trailer concludes. Dario Scardapane is head writer and showrunner; episodes are directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and David Boyd.

Feige also gave a status update on the upcoming Ironheart series. Dominique Thorne reprises her role as the innovative and scrappy Riri Williams/Ironheart from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Fans welcomed Black Panther director Ryan Coogler to the stage – who is producing the project – followed shortly by Thorne and the rest of her co-stars: Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Regan Aliyah and Alden Ehrenreich. Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—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” (Anthony Ramos). After a rocky and forced introduction in Wakanda Forever and extensive reshoots, the first Ironheart teaser showed promise! Similar to Peter Parker post Captain America: Civil War, Riri feels stuck following the events of Wakanda Forever. As she says in the trailer, “I want to build something undeniable.” She finds little gratification in her classes at MIT, feeling her intellect could be put to better use. She blows off classes to work on the next evolution of the Ironheart suit, which, I’m thrilled to say looks a million times better than the cartoony, beetle-esque, Power Rangers suit from Wakanda Forever. Much more like her spin on an Iron Man suit. This results in her getting expelled as she’s persuaded to turn to questionable methods to support herself by Ramos’ The Hood. Based on this first look, Ironheart looks like another (mostly) grounded, relatable, street level superhero story with a dash of the supernatural – like an inverse Iron Man meets a pragmatic Spider-Man. The series hits Disney+ in 2025 and also stars Lyric Ross, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam and Anji White. Chinaka Hodge is head writer and EP; episodes are directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes.

Feige concluded the Marvel showcase with a new trailer for Agatha All Along followed by a live performance of the series’ theme song “The Ballad of the Witches Road” from cast members Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The nine episode series premieres on Disney+ September 18, with the first two episodes.

Closing out the showcase was Disney’s Live Action slate. The preview gave glimpses at such upcoming projects as Dean Fleischer-Camp’s (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) live action Lilo & Stitch (yes, they, thankfully, managed to make Stitch cute and fluffy and not the thing of nightmares), the fan demanded Freaky Friday 2 which is officially titled Freakier Friday, and premiered trailers for Marc Webb’s Snow White, Jared Leto’s Tron: Ares, Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King. While the trailers for Snow White and Mufasa were made available to the public, the Tron 3 trailer remained a D23 exclusive. During the Tron portion, Kevin Flynn himself, Jeff Bridges, made an appearance revealing that he will in fact be returning to The Grid in the third fillm. He was quickly joined by the rest of the cast – Jared Leto, Evan Peters, Greta Lee – before debuting the teaser. Peters is revealed to be playing Julian Dillinger – a member of the antagonistic Dillinger family who’ve been at the root of the conflicts across the previous films. Lee stars as Eve Kim, a brilliant programmer whose greatest work provides a path for Ares, Leto, to enter the real world.

This brings us to Ares himself – master control of the Dillinger Grid. Fans of the franchise will notice that this is a different Grid from the one previously destroyed at the end of Joseph Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy. Ares seeks to exit his digital prison and turn the real world into the grid permanently. While many have been eagerly awaiting a Tron 3 for quite some time, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed by the footage shown. It lacks the visual flare and atmosphere that Kosinski so successfully brought to the world of Tron back in 2010. Outside of a lightcycle slicing through a cop car on the streets of some city, nothing about the film screamed Tron. That being said, I’m a sucker for the franchise and more than wiling to be proven wrong. Fingers crossed! The Tron: Ares preview concluded with, arguably, the biggest bombshell of the night: Nine Inch Nails will be scoring Tron: Ares continuing the precedent set by Daft Punk with Tron: Legacy.

Regardless of the size or scale of the projects announced, there’s no denying that Disney’s taste for the theatrics led to one of the most massive and memorable showcases of its kind. It’s the kind of sports arena energy that’s missing from, say, Hall H at SDCC and almost makes the case for moving the big SDCC presentations to Petco Park. To no one’s surprise, the Mouse has figured out a way to eventize these announcements bigger and better than ever before. They really put the show in showcase and every other convention of this caliber should take note.

MARVEL

Daredevil Born Again

Launching on Disney+ in March 2025, Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again 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 crowd erupted when Feige invited stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson and Jon Bernthal to the stage to talk a little about the upcoming show before sharing footage with D23 attendees. Dario Scardapane is head writer and showrunner; episodes are directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and David Boyd. 

Ironheart

Fans welcomed Ryan Coogler to the stage—Coogler and his team at Proximity are producing the upcoming Disney+ series Ironheart with Marvel Television. Stars Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Regan Aliyah and Alden Ehrenreich offered insight and a look at some footage of the new series that launches on the streamer in 2025. Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—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” (Anthony Ramos). The series also stars Lyric Ross, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam and Anji White. Chinaka Hodge is head writer and EP; episodes are directed by Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes.

Captain America: Brave New World

Feige welcomed Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie, who makes his big-screen debut as Cap on February 14, 2025. Mackie talked about the film and shared footage with the D23 audience. Julius Onah directs the feature film in which Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross. Captain America: Brave New World also stars Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson and Harrison Ford. Feige and Nate Moore produce; Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth executive produce.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Fans were excited to learn—and see—a little more about Marvel’s First Family and the retro-futuristic vibe the new movie is embracing. Starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/Thing, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which just began production in the UK, features Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). Directed by Matt Shakman, produced by Kevin Feige and featuring music by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino, The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

Giacchino also hosted the Music of Marvel panel, where he was joined by composers Christophe Beck and Laura Karpman, songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and music supervisors Dave Jordan and Justine von Winterfeldt to talk about their favorite scores, songs, and needle drops from Marvel Studios’ movies and series. During the panel, Oscar nominee Laura Karpman (The Marvels, Ms. Marvel, American Fiction) announced that she would be composing the score for the upcoming feature film, Captain America: Brave New World, and Giacchino previewed his score for the The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Agatha All Along

Cast members Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp and Patti LuPone joined together on stage to sing the Sacred Chant version of the series’ theme song “The Ballad of the Witches Road” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who, along with cast member Aubrey Plaza,  joined Kevin Feige on stage. 

In Marvel Studios’ Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…The series streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning September 18, with the first two episodes.

STAR WARS

Skeleton Crew

Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who 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, the mysterious character played by Law. Finding their way home—and meeting unlikely allies and enemies—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined. 

Starring Jude Law, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon and Nick Frost, episodes of the original live-action series are directed by Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard and Lee Isaac Chung. The executive producers are Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson. The coming-of-age series begins streaming on Disney+ on Dec. 3, 2024, with the first two episodes.

The Mandalorian & Grogu

Director Jon Favreau and producer Dave Filoni offered a special sneak peek of Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, the upcoming Star Wars feature film that will open in theaters on May 22, 2026. Starring Pedro Pascal, directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Favreau, Filoni and Ian Bryce, this exciting new adventure in the Mandalorian and Grogu’s journey is currently in production.

Andor S2

Season two of Andor is on the horizon and star Diego Luna joined fans at D23 to build excitement for the follow-up to the critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated first season of the Lucasfilm series. Andor Season 2 will continue to follow Cassian Andor over the period of four years as he grows into the rebel hero we see fulfill his destiny in Rogue One. The second season will launch on Disney+ in 2025.

DISNEY LIVE ACTION

Mufasa: The Lion King

Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King closed the studio’s showcase, beginning with Lebo M., who contributes to the film’s music, performing the iconic “Nants’ Ingonyama” alongside a full choir. Director Barry Jenkins welcomed to the stage Mufasa songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda in his first-ever D23 appearance. Together, they offered a special look at a sequence from the film featuring a new song, “I Always Wanted a Brother.” Cast members Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Theo Somolu, Braelyn Rankins and Anika Noni Rose were introduced after Jenkins shared details about the all-new story that introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka. Fans were among the first to see the new trailer before being treated to a show-stopping finale by Lebo M. and choir, who returned to the stage to perform a new song called “Ngomso.” Mufasa: The Lion King also stars John Kani, Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Keith David, Donald Glover, Blue Ivy Carter, Folake Olowofoyeku, Joanna Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, Abdul Salis, Dominique Jennings and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Adele Romanski & Mark Ceryak produce. Mufasa: The Lion King releases only in theaters December 20, 2024.

Freakier Friday

Fans gave a warm welcome to Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, the stars of the upcoming Freaky Friday follow-up—who revealed to fans for the first time the sequel’s official title, Freakier Friday, which heads to theaters in 2025. Directed by Nisha Ganatra and produced by Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn and Curtis, the new 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. “Freakier Friday” also stars Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky and Rosalind Chao. Executive producers are Nathan Kelly, Ann Marie Sanderlin and Lohan. The logo for the film is now available.

Tron: Ares

TRON: Ares stars Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Evan Peters and Jared Leto garnered huge applause from the audience—Leto, who portrays Ares, hit the stage in style alongside an iconic Lightcycle. Cast members shared details about their characters as well as an in-room-only early look. After a sonic assault, lasers burned into the screens, which parted to reveal “music by NINE INCH NAILS.” Slated for theatrical release on October 10, 2025, TRON: Ares follows 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. Joachim Rønning directs; producers are Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger.

Lilo & Stitch

A new logo was revealed for the much-anticipated feature Lilo & Stitch. The crowd got a taste of Stitch’s signature mayhem as he wreaked havoc throughout the Honda Center. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and produced by Jonathan Eirich and Dan Lin, Lilo & Stitch is a live-action reimagining of the animated classic. Starring Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere and Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis, the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family comes to theaters Summer 2025.

Snow White

Stars Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, who portray Snow White and the Evil Queen, respectively, were on hand to give fans exclusive details about the production and share a first look at the “Whistle While You Work” scene.

Disney’s Snow White is a live-action musical reimagining of the classic 1937 film. The magical music adventure journeys back to the timeless story with beloved characters Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy. “Disney’s Snow White” is directed by Marc Webb and produced by Marc Platt and Jared LeBoff, with Callum McDougall serving as executive producer, and features all-new original songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Releases in theaters March 21, 2025.

20th CENTURY STUDIOS

Avatar 3

The excited crowd offered a warm D23 welcome to Cameron, who will become an official Disney Legend this weekend. Joined by Avatar stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña, Cameron revealed for the first time the title of the third film in the remarkably successful Avatar franchise: Avatar: Fire and Ash, which takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Saldaña) and the Sully family. Directed by Cameron, the new film from 20th Century Studios and Lightstorm Entertainment also stars Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Oona Chaplin, Jack Champion, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss and Bailey Bass. Avatar: Fire and Ash opens exclusively in theaters nationwide December 19, 2025.

DISNEY ANIMATION/PIXAR

Moana 2

Auli‘i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson—together on the D23 stage for the first time ever—shared it with fans and press. Cravalho gave a live performance of one of the film’s new songs, “We’re Back,” with dancers and drummers from Nonosina Polynesia under the direction of Tiana Liufau—who contributed animation reference choreography to Moana and the new film—and Johnson led the audience in a rousing “chee hoo!” chant.

Also revealed were additional voice cast, including returning stars Rachel House (Moana’s Grandma, Tala), Temuera Morrison (Moana’s father, Chief Tui) and Nicole Scherzinger (Moana’s mother, Sina). The film also features the voices of Hualālai Chung, David Fane and Rose Matafeo as Moana’s new crew members Moni, Kele and Loto, respectively. Awhimai Fraser voices mysterious new character Matangi; Gerald Ramsey plays Moana’s ancestor, Tautai Vasa; and Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda lends her voice to Moana’s adoring and adorable little sister, Simea. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, opening in theaters on November 27, 2024.

Hoppers

Coming to theaters in 2026 is Hoppers, an all-new film from Pixar that 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. Directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, Hoppers features the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm.

Incredibles 3

Docter had one final announcement before he bid adieu. Fans’ favorite Super-family is heading back to the big screen—Incredibles 3 is officially in the works at Pixar Animation Studios with Oscar®-winning filmmaker Brad Bird currently developing the film. 

Toy Story 5

It’s been almost 30 years since audiences first met Buzz and Woody and what a journey they’ve had! The D23 crowd was elated to hear about Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 when Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton, who’s worked on every Toy Story film and helms the new movie, greeted fans and offered a few clues about the new story. 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. Co-directed by McKenna Harris and produced by Jessica Choi, Toy Story 5 opens only in theaters on June 19, 2026. 

Elio

The D23 audience was cosmically chosen to learn more about Pixar’s upcoming feature film Elio. Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the new adventure follows Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, who gets beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization that mistakes him for Earth’s leader. Greeting fans were the voice of Elio himself, Yonas Kibreab, and Zoe Saldaña, who lends her voice to Elio’s Aunt Olga. Produced by Mary Alice Drumm, the movie also features the voices of Brad Garrett and Jameela Jamil. Elio releases in theaters on June 13, 2025.

Zootopia 2

Fans went wild for the studio’s highly anticipated follow-up to Zootopia, 2016’s Oscar-winning feature film. In Zootopia 2, which hits theaters in November 2025, detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. Ginnifer Goodwin, who returns to voice clever bunny Judy, greeted fans at D23, sharing a special look at the film that features a fugitive snake called Gary. Jason Bateman returns as the voice of wise-cracking fox Nick Wilde, Ke Huy Quan was announced tonight as the voice of Gary, and Fortune Feimster ventures into the world as a beaver named Nibbles. Jared Bush is directing and writing; Yvett Merino produces.

Frozen 3

Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed 2013’s Oscar-winning Frozen and its 2019 follow-up, shared a brief tease and concept art for Frozen 3, which comes exclusively to movie theaters in 2027.

Win or Lose (Television)

Docter revealed the official launch date of Pixar’s first original series Win or Lose, which begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ on Dec. 6, 2024. Directed, written and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced by David Lally, the new series reveals what it feels like to be in the shoes of eight different characters—the insecure kids, their helicopter parents, even a lovesick umpire—as they prepare for a championship softball game. Will Forte lends his voice to the coach.

Dream Productions (Television)

Coming to Disney+ in 2025 is Dream Productions, a just-announced series from the world of “Inside Out” about the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams really do come true thanks to acclaimed dream director Paula Persimmon (voice of Paula Pell). Written and directed by Mike Jones and produced by Jaclyn Simon, the four-episode series also features the voices of Richard Ayoade, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Alli Maki, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith.

DISNEY ON BROADWAY celebrated its 30th anniversary with a thrilling medley of performances and exclusive announcements from its hit stage musicals. Highlights included The Lion King, Aladdin and Hercules, which will open in London’s West End in summer 2025. The event also featured news about The Greatest Showman, currently in development for a stage musical adaptation, and Frozen, which was filmed on stage and will premiere on Disney+ in 2025. Samantha Barks, who will star as Elsa, dazzled the audience with a powerful rendition of “Let It Go.” 

The stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman, featuring the Academy Award-nominated songs of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, will announce production timetable, creative team and cast at a later date.

Disney Branded Television, Disney Concerts, Disney Music Group, and AEG jointly announced that the stars of mega-hit franchises Descendants and Zombies will be hitting the road together for the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour in summer 2025. Descendants: The Rise of Red star Rita Ora introduced a medley performance of hit songs from the latest film, followed by an announcement of the tour news. The arena tour will be an immersive and interactive live concert experience celebrating the high-energy music from both franchises and will be held in arenas across the country. Descendants: The Rise of Red stars Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Dara Reneé, and Ruby Rose Turner, as well as Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires stars Freya Skye and Malachi Barton are already confirmed for the tour, with more to be announced soon. Tickets will go on sale this November.

NatGeo

National Geographic revealed a first look at the upcoming series, David Blaine: Do Not Attempt, coming 2025 on National Geographic and Disney+.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Griffin Schiller

Griffin Schiller is a Los Angeles based critic and the founder and host of FilmSpeak, a YouTube channel dedicated to providing more thoughtful insight and analysis behind the entertainment you love.

He is also a regular contributor and podcast host at The Playlist and now the lovely folks over at AwardsWatch. A versatile media journalist Griffin has interviewed some of the industry's leading creatives, reported on breaking news, and attended film festivals and other exclusive industry events.

Griffin is the world's biggest Nolan fan (eat your heart out Ryan), loves James Bond, and has some of the wildest takes out there...like seriously, he's the weirdo who actually loves The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

You can find Griffin on YouTube at www.youtube.com/@FilmSpeak, Twitter: @griffschiller, Instagram: @griffschiller

Latest posts by Griffin Schiller (see all)

• Interview: Composer Kris Bowers on Early Influences and Creating the Iconic “Migration” Piece for ‘The Wild Robot’ [VIDEO] - December 5, 2024
• Interview: ‘Gladiator II’ Cinematographer John Mathieson on Reuniting with Ridley Scott and Continuing the Legacy and Lore - November 22, 2024
• Interview: Fred Hechinger on Working with Ridley Scott and Embracing Villainy in ‘Gladiator II’ [VIDEO] - November 20, 2024