Disney delivered major updates for Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Walt Disney Animation and several highly anticipated live-action projects.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event returned to Anaheim with a packed Disney Entertainment Showcase featuring trailers, casting announcements, musical performances and first looks at some of the company’s biggest upcoming projects.
Thousands of fans filled the Honda Center for the massive presentation, which covered Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney+. Zootopia 2 stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Ke Huy Quan hosted the evening.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro opened the showcase by celebrating the company’s connection with generations of fans. Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden followed him alongside Bart Simpson, who helped introduce a special preview of the upcoming theatrical Simpsons movie. The film will open in theaters on September 3, 2027.
From there, Disney wasted little time delivering one major announcement after another.
Lilo & Stitch 2, Tangled and The Bluey Movie Lead Disney’s Slate
Disney Legend Anne Hathaway appeared during the opening portion of the presentation to reflect on her history with the company, beginning with The Princess Diaries.
Maia Kealoha, who played Lilo in the blockbuster live-action Lilo & Stitch, then took the stage looking for Stitch. The blue alien appeared on the screen with Angel, confirming that the popular pink character will join the live-action franchise in Lilo & Stitch 2.
Production on the sequel will begin in Hawaiʻi later this year. Chris Sanders, who co-created and directed the original animated movie, will direct the new film. Lilo & Stitch 2 will arrive in theaters on May 26, 2028.
Disney also debuted the first teaser trailer and poster for The Bluey Movie. The CG-animated adventure follows Bluey and her family through an action-packed day that changes everything for them.
Series creator Joe Brumm wrote and directed the film, with Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack returning as Chilli and Bandit. The Bluey Movie opens in theaters on August 6, 2027.
The Ice Age franchise also returned to the D23 stage. Queen Latifah and Denis Leary presented exclusive footage from Ice Age: Boiling Point, introducing Jurassic Scrat, an enormous prehistoric relative of Scrat and Baby Scrat.
The dinosaur and lava-filled adventure reunites Manny, Sid, Diego, Ellie and Buck as the herd explores dangerous new areas of the Lost World. Ice Age: Boiling Point opens exclusively in theaters on February 5, 2027.
Kathryn Hahn appeared as Mother Gothel to discuss Disney’s live-action Tangled. Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim, who play Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, also delivered a recorded message from the film’s set in Spain.
Michael Gracey directs the remake, which also stars Diego Luna as Hawthorne, Caitríona Balfe as Queen Arianna, Elliot Cowan as King Frederic, and Patrick and Hugo McPherson as the Stabbington twins. Tangled opens in theaters on March 31, 2028.
Hahn remained onstage to introduce Jon Favreau and his upcoming Disney+ series, Oswald. The live-action and animation hybrid follows a middle school student who discovers Oswald the Lucky Rabbit after an earthquake releases the forgotten Disney character from his hiding place.
Favreau created, wrote and co-directed the series. The cast includes Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Ryder Allen, Al Madrigal, Kathryn Hahn and Albert Brooks. Oswald premieres February 17, 2027, on Disney+.
Pixar Reveals Incredibles 3, Coco 2 and Ghost Market
Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter opened the studio’s presentation with the first look at Incredibles 3. The concept art showed the Parr family, Frozone and Edna Mode back together for another superhero adventure.
Peter Sohn, who previously directed Elemental, will helm the sequel. Brad Bird and Dana Murray serve as producers. Incredibles 3 opens exclusively in theaters on June 16, 2028.
Pixar also presented new concept art from Coco 2, revealing an older teenage version of Miguel. Benjamin Bratt joined Docter onstage to confirm that Ernesto de la Cruz will return, sending Miguel on another life-changing journey into the Land of the Dead.
Original Coco director Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina are returning for the sequel. Coco 2 will arrive in theaters in November 2029.
The Land of the Dead will not be the only place fans can revisit the world of Coco. Disney, Pixar Games and Square Enix confirmed that Kingdom Hearts IV will feature a new world inspired by the Pixar film. The long-awaited game is targeting a late 2027 release. A Disney+ series was also announced.
Pixar then announced an original movie titled Ghost Market. The supernatural adventure centers on ʻOno Market, a hidden plate lunch shop on Oʻahu’s North Shore that serves spirits trapped between life and death.
A fast-talking child named Kyle accidentally enters the market and becomes caught in a supernatural adventure. Trevor Jimenez and Jesse Andrews direct Ghost Market, which arrives in theaters in March 2028.
Pixar closed its presentation with an exclusive look at Gatto. Mark Ruffalo voices Nero, a scrappy black cat living in Venice who becomes indebted to a ruthless feline mob boss named Rocco, voiced by Laurence Fishburne.
Luca director Enrico Casarosa helms the animated film, which opens in theaters on March 5, 2027.
Meanwhile, 20th Century Studios brought Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow to the stage to announce Romy & Michele 2. Tim Federle directs the sequel, which also stars Alan Cumming, Camryn Manheim, Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Huebel, Breckin Meyer, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Janeane Garofalo. The film premieres exclusively on Hulu in 2027.
Marvel Debuts Avengers: Doomsday Footage and Reveals X-Men Cast
Marvel Studios delivered some of the evening’s biggest surprises, beginning with VisionQuest. Paul Bettany, James Spader and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed the first trailer and poster for the Disney+ series.
The show completes the trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued through Agatha All Along. Bettany returns as Vision, while Spader reprises his role as Ultron for the first time since Avengers: Age of Ultron.
After escaping those who attempted to weaponize him, Vision searches for a new purpose by consulting the artificial intelligence personalities hidden within his programming. His quiet existence ends when a bounty places him on the run alongside Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be his reincarnated son.
VisionQuest premieres October 14, 2026, exclusively on Disney+.
Feige then welcomed Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell to the stage for Avengers: Doomsday. The actors introduced a new look at the crossover event, which will bring heroes from three different universes together against Doctor Doom.
Downey leads the film as Victor von Doom, while Evans and Atwell return as Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter. Anthony and Joe Russo direct the movie, which opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Tickets are now on sale.
Marvel closed its film presentation by officially revealing several cast members for Jake Schreier’s X-Men movie.
Sadie Sink, who debuted as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, appeared alongside Schreier before welcoming her new castmates. Kit Connor will play Scott Summers, Christopher Abbott will portray Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving will appear as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette will play Rogue, and Maya Boyd will portray Storm.
Adam Driver announced through a recorded message that he will play Nathaniel Milbury. The new X-Men movie opens exclusively in theaters on May 5, 2028.
Marvel Games and Insomniac Games also debuted a new trailer for Marvel’s Wolverine. The PlayStation 5 game launches on September 15.
Ahsoka Season 2 and Star Wars: Starfighter Take the Stage
Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni appeared with Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen and Eman Esfandi to reveal the first teaser trailer for Ahsoka Season 2.
The new season finds Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren attempting to return home from a mysterious galaxy. Meanwhile, Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Zeb and Chopper must stop Grand Admiral Thrawn and his allies from plunging the New Republic into another devastating war.
Hayden Christensen’s appearance also confirmed that Anakin Skywalker will remain an important part of Ahsoka’s journey. Ahsoka Season 2 premieres January 20, 2027, exclusively on Disney+.
Shawn Levy followed the presentation with an update on Star Wars: Starfighter. Ryan Gosling joined the director onstage wearing a retro Mickey Mouse Club jacket before they introduced footage exclusively for the D23 audience.
The standalone adventure follows a cynical rogue whose mysterious past pulls him into a dangerous journey across the galaxy. Gosling stars alongside Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, Flynn Gray and Amy Adams.
Star Wars: Starfighter opens in theaters on May 28, 2027.
Frozen 3 Villain Teased as Zootopia 3 Enters Development
Walt Disney Animation Studios used the final portion of the showcase to confirm that Zootopia 3 is officially in early development.
Goodwin and Quan joined Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush to share the news and screen an exclusive sequence created for the D23 audience. Disney has not announced a release date for the sequel.
Bush also announced a new animated feature currently titled Clay. Kieran Culkin will voice Flip, a rebellious creature chosen to mentor an impressionable ball of clay named Mushy.
The unlikely pair becomes caught in a chaotic adventure through a magical forest filled with fantastical creatures. Clay opens exclusively in theaters in 2028.
Disney’s upcoming movie Hexed received several major casting updates. Walton Goggins will voice Beef Roger Crummchuk, a reclusive three-eyed cat who joins Billie Doe and her mother on their journey into the magical land of Hexe.
Hailee Steinfeld voices Billie, while Rashida Jones plays her mother, Alice. Jodie Foster has joined the cast as Queen Celeste, a powerful villain determined to maintain control over Hexe. Disney’s Hexed opens in theaters on November 25, 2026.
Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad closed the showcase with the first major preview of Frozen 3. Bell and Menzel performed a new version of “Frozen Heart,” while Gad debuted an Olaf love song titled “Ooooh, Samantha.”
The presentation ended with new animation featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven. The footage also teased a mysterious villainess whose magical powers could rival Elsa’s abilities.
Jennifer Lee and Trent Correy direct Frozen 3, which arrives in theaters on November 24, 2027.
With new looks at Avengers: Doomsday, Ahsoka, Frozen 3 and several unexpected announcements, Disney’s Honda Center showcase provided a packed roadmap of what fans can expect across theaters, television, streaming and video games over the next several years.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
