Disney teased forthcoming films and television shows like "Moana 2, "Incredibles 3," and the real-action "Snow White" utilizing their D23 fan convention on a rollicking Friday with sneak previews, live performances, and surprise visits from performers.
AP, ANAHEim, California — Disney hinted at its next films and television shows, including "Moana 2," in a rollicking display with sneak peeks, live performances, and surprise guest appearances by Dwayne Johnson, Zoe Saldaña, and Jude Law.
Friday at the top of the showcase, fans at Disney's D23 conference greeted CEO Bob Iger with a standing ovation. "The world needs to be entertained maybe even more so now than ever before and we take that responsibility seriously," he said before presentations hinted at future movies in the "Avatar, Toy Story," and "Incredibles" series.
With a performance of a song incorporating drummers and dancers in costumes modeled by the famous animated movie, Auli'si Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson of "Moana startled the crowd of over 15,000 at the Honda Center in evening's first surprise.
Set to open on Nov. 27, "Moana 2" has the stars returning as Moana and Maui, respectively. Johnson said that his kids, who are six and eight years old, were in the audience and added that working on the films has been unique to him before displaying a longer sneak look of the movie.
Disney later posted the first full-length trailer for the movie online. The video presents familiar, like her pet pig Pua and the Kakamora, a gang of dart-blowing coconut-clad pirates, as well as new, like Moana now has a little sister.
Johnson also said that he will be carrying on his long-running effort on Disney projects aiming at producing a "Monster Jam" live-action film. Regarding Johnson's other Disney project, the live-action "Moana,," that is under development, the company did not reveal any changes.
References to Star Wars
Only recently beginning production, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni hinted at the May 2026 Star Wars feature "The Mandalorian & Grogu." Favreau said he felt driven to "put something together" for the presentation and displayed a little clip including the title characters, "on a whole new journey."
"I fell in love with 'Star Wars' when I was a 10-year-old boy," Law said before showing video from the series, which has been characterized as a coming-of-age story.
Notes about "Avatar," "Frozen," and Pixar successors
Pete Docter, chief creative officer of Pixar Animation, revealed the third "The Incredibles" film the firm is working on with Brad Bird returning as director.
"Toy Story 5" director Andrew Stanton claimed it will be toys against tech in the summer 2026 picture including Woody, Buzz and the rest of the team.
Chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios Jennifer Lee showed concept art from "Frozen III," showing Anna, Elsa, and Olaf staring toward the horizon with a frightening monster lurking near by. The movie would show up in 2027.
On stage, director James Cameron and stars Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington reunited to reveal the official title of the third "Avatar" film: "Avatar: Fire and Ash."
Cameron, who will be conferred "Disney Legends" status in a ceremony to wrap off D23 on Sunday, stated, "The new film is not what you expect, but it's definitely what you want."
Coming to cinemas November 2025, fans saw "Zootopia 2." Additionally revealed by the film's lead Ginnifer Goodwin is Ke Huy Quan's joining the cast as a snake.
Marvel reveals more fresh off Comic-Con.
Following Marvel's announcement frenzy at Comic-Con International, the studio's president Kevin Feige emerged following a welcome video from Ryan Reynolds thanking the audience for supporting his movie office record-breaking "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Director of the "Black Panther" films Ryan Coogler joined Feige to talk about "Ironheart," starring Dominique Thorne and Anthony Ramos. First viewing the series that follows Thorne's character, Riri Williams, who debuted in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the actors revealed
Feige also discussed the Fantastic Four, the first family of Marvels. In a little video clip in their costumes from the U.K., where filming started late last month, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach greeted the audience.
Set to begin streaming on Disney+ in March, fans also had a first peek at "Daredevil: Born Again." Feige stated the new series will place the characters on a fresh road while nevertheless channeling the core of the Netflix original with Charlie Cox returning his Matt Murdock role. There is already a second season planned. You may alos read this: The Ultimate Born in the USA Movie Review
Significant musical events
The forthcoming prequel to the 2019 photo-realistic picture, a remake of the 1994 animated classic, "Mufasa: The Lion King will use music prominently. Original music for the upcoming film, written by director Barry Jenkins and Lin-Manuel Miranda, presented a preview including a new song, "I Always Wanted a Brother," which captures the early friendship between Mufasa and Scar.
Promoting their live-action "Snow White" film, which is set for March 2025, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot descended upon the stage. Zegler portrays the classic Disney princess, while "Wonder Woman" Gadot portrays the villainous queen. New songs from pair Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, well-known for "La La Land" and "Dear Evan Hansen," will abound in the movie.
Promoting "Tron: Ares," which will be composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's Nine Inch Nails, Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges hit the stage.
Another earworm for viewers of the 2021 "WandaVision," Kathryn Hahn sang a new song from her next Marvel series "Agatha All Along." She commended the songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who composed the smash song from "WandaVision" the series is titled after and past works from "Frozen" and "Coco."
"Freaky Friday returns
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis revealed the actual title for the much awaited "Freakier Friday," sequel.
Curtis, who will be recognized as a Disney Legend on Sunday, said she felt as though no time had gone since they shot the 2003 movie when they released the first pictures from the new film.
Pixar presents its upcoming films and programs.
Additionally revealed by Docter were an original Pixar picture, "Hoppers," starring Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm, and unique views of next feature "Elio." Along with America Ferrera and Jameela Jamil in the cast, the young star of "Elio, Yonas Kibreab welcomed Saldaña back onstage and proclaimed her as a lead role. June 2025 will see the movie in theatres.
For a first for the company, Pixar will also include two new programs hitting Disney+. Following the record-breaking popularity of "Inside Out 2, the studio is developing "Dream Productions," a program set in between "Inside Out" and "Inside Out 2," which will premiere on Disney+ in 2025. First Pixar longform series, "Win or Lose," to premiere Disney+ Dec. 6.
