ANAHEIM: Disney teased its upcoming movies and television series, including "Moana 2," during a rousing showcase at the D23 convention, featuring sneak peeks, live performances, and surprise appearances from actors including Dwayne Johnson, Zoe Saldaña, and Jude Law. Fans at the D23 convention welcomed Disney CEO Bob Iger with a standing ovation on Friday as he kicked off the showcase. "The world needs to be entertained, maybe even more so now than ever before, and we take that responsibility seriously," Iger said before unveiling new projects in the "Avatar," "Toy Story," and "Incredibles" franchises.
The evening began with a surprise performance by Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, who reprised their roles as Moana and Maui, respectively, for "Moana 2." The performance, featuring drummers and dancers in costumes inspired by the beloved animated film, thrilled the crowd of over 15,000 at the Honda Center. Before presenting an extended sneak peek of the film, Johnson shared his excitement about returning to the "Moana" franchise, noting that his daughters, who were in the audience, had inspired him.
"Moana 2" is set to hit theaters on November 27. The footage introduced new and familiar characters, including Moana's little sister, her pet pig Pua, and the Kakamora, a band of dart-blowing, coconut-clad pirates. Disney also released the film's first full-length trailer online.
Johnson also announced his involvement in a "Monster Jam" live-action movie, continuing his long-running collaboration with Disney. However, no updates were provided on the live-action "Moana" project currently in development. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, meanwhile, teased the upcoming Star Wars film "The Mandalorian & Grogu," slated for release in May 2026.
The duo revealed that the film had just begun production and shared a brief clip featuring the title characters on a "whole new journey." Jude Law also took the stage to discuss "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew," which will debut on Disney+ on December 3. Law reminisced about falling in love with Star Wars as a 10-year-old boy before showing footage from the series, described as a coming-of-age tale.
Pixar Animation Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter announced the studio is developing a third installment of "The Incredibles" franchise. Additionally, Andrew Stanton, who directed the first two "Toy Story" films, has returned to helm "Toy Story 5." Stanton revealed that the latest film would explore the clash between traditional toys and modern technology, as children increasingly choose gadgets over classic toys.
"Toy Story 5" is expected to be released in the summer of 2026. Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, shared concept art for "Frozen III," featuring Anna, Elsa, and Olaf overlooking the horizon with an ominous creature lurking nearby. The film is slated for a 2027 release.
Director James Cameron and actors Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington reunited on stage to share new details about the third installment of "Avatar." The film, officially titled "Avatar: Fire and Ash," is still in the early stages of production, so no clips were shown. Cameron teased that the film would surprise audiences, saying, "The new film is not what you expect, but it's definitely what you want.
" Cameron will be honored as a Disney Legend in a ceremony closing out the D23 convention on Sunday. Fans also got an exclusive look at "Zootopia 2," set to be released in November 2025. Ginnifer Goodwin, who stars in the film, announced that Ke Huy Quan would join the cast as a snake.
Following a series of announcements at Comic-Con International, Marvel President Kevin Feige continued the momentum at D23. After a welcome video from "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds, who thanked fans for their support of the record-breaking "Deadpool & Wolverine," Feige was joined by "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler to introduce the upcoming Disney+ series "Ironheart," starring Dominique Thorne and Anthony Ramos. The cast shared a first look at the series, which follows Riri Williams, a character first introduced in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
" Feige also provided updates on the highly anticipated "Fantastic Four" film, Marvel's "first family." Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach greeted the audience in a video clip from the UK set, where filming began late last month. Feige revealed that the film's aesthetic would embrace a retro 1960s style and shared a brief montage of pre-production clips.
Music will play a significant role in "Mufasa: The Lion King," the upcoming live-action prequel to the 1994 classic. Director Barry Jenkins was joined by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed original music for the new film. The duo introduced a clip featuring the new song "I Always Wanted a Brother," which depicts the early relationship between Mufasa and Scar.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, stars of the live-action "Snow White" film, scheduled for March 2025, also made an appearance. Zegler, who plays the original Disney princess, and Gadot, who portrays the Evil Queen, shared a sneak peek of the highly anticipated adaptation. The film will feature new songs by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind "La La Land" and "Dear Evan Hansen.
" The convention also featured exciting announcements from Pixar. The studio is working on an original film titled "Hoppers," starring Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm, and shared exclusive looks at the upcoming film "Elio." The film's young star, Yonas Kibreab, joined Zoe Saldaña onstage to announce her role in the movie, which also stars America Ferrera and Jameela Jamil.
"Elio" is set to be released on June 13, 2025. Pixar also announced two new series for Disney+, marking a first for the studio. Following the success of "Inside Out 2," Pixar will release "Dream Productions," a series set between "Inside Out" and its sequel, on Disney+ in 2025.
Additionally, "Win or Lose," Pixar's first long-form series, will debut on Disney+ on December 6. In other highlights, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan revealed the title of the "Freaky Friday" sequel, "Freakier Friday," and shared the first images from the film. Curtis, who will also be honored as a Disney Legend on Sunday, reflected on the original 2003 movie, saying it felt like no time had passed since filming.
Kathryn Hahn delighted the audience with a live performance of a new song from her upcoming Marvel series, "Agatha All Along," a follow-up to her viral "WandaVision" musical number. Hahn praised songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who also created the music for "Frozen" and "Coco," and performed the hit song that inspired the series title. Finally, Disney's "Tron: Ares" was announced to have a soundtrack composed by Nine Inch Nails, adding to the excitement of the eventful showcase.
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