D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event was held on Friday 8/9 in Anaheim, California with surprise celebrity appearances and major announcements across all their major properties—Disney Studios, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios—the anticipation was high.
Hosted by actress Yvette Nicole Brown, the night was kicked off by CEO Bob Iger who was met with a standing ovation and chants. He thanked fans saying:
“Our deep bond with fans, forged over a century of storytelling, is stronger today than ever before,” he said on stage. “Driven by the unmatched strength of our creative studios, the wide appeal of our brands and franchises, and the innovative ways that we bring our stories to life in our theme parks and experiences.”
Let's jump into the night's big news:
Moana 2 Trailer released
Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson hit the stage for Moana 2, debuting the new trailer for the upcoming sequel. Auli’i also performed a new song from the movie, “We’re Back,” written by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Check out the trailer below:
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson debuts his new project Monster Jam.
“We got an opportunity here that we could create something that is immersive and cool and fun, and also a live-action experience for our families all around the world, from the POV of these incredible, iconic monster trucks and their very eccentric and crazy drivers,” he said at D23, via Variety. “Ladies and gentlemen, Monster Jam is gonna be a heck of a ride.”
Monster Jam will be about “monster trucks, leaning into the popularity of monster jam truck rallies and celebrating the biggest motorsport event in the world.”
Avatar 3 Announcement
The official title for the upcoming new installment in the franchise was unveiled at Disney’s D23 Fan Expo on Friday night (August 9) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Director James Cameron took the stage, and also brought out stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington.
“I came 7,000 miles from New Zealand for this,” James told the crowd, via Deadline.
Telling Variety, “It’s an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it’s also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before. We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters you know and love.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit theaters December 19, 2025.
Pixar’s ‘Win Or Lose’ Teaser Trailer Debuts
Pixar debuted the teaser trailer for its upcoming first original series, Win or Lose. Starring the voice of Will Forte as the coach, the 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.”
Win or Lose debuts December 6th on Disney+! Check out the trailer below:
Toy Story 5 Update
The next installment in the Toy Story world was teased. Pixar vet Andrew Stanton, who has worked on every Toy Story movie, will direct the new feature and McKenna Harris will co-direct.
In the upcoming fifth film, it’s Toy meets Tech when Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang. The movie is set for a June 19, 2026 release. Check out the teaser below:
Inside Out Spinoff Series Announced
A spinoff series of Inside Out was revealed, titled Dream Productions.
The upcoming four episode series is “about the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams really do come true thanks to acclaimed dream director Paula Persimmon (voiced by Paula Pell).”
Also lending their voices include Richard Ayoade, Amy Poehler (Joy), Maya Rudolph, Ally Maki, Kensington Tallman (Riley), Liza Lapira (Disgust), Tony Hale (Fear), Lewis Black (Anger) and Phyllis Smith (Sadness).
New Pixar Film ‘Hoppers’ Announced
Pixar announced the brand new movie Hoppers, starring the voices of Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm.
The upcoming movie is set to hit theaters in 2026 and “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.”
Zoe Saldana Joins ‘Elio’ Cast
It was announced that Zoe Saldana has joined the voice cast of the upcoming movie Elio. She will be playing his aunt, Olga. The character Olga was originally his mom and was to be voiced by America Ferrera.
The movie 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. Brad Garrett and Jameela Jamil also star.
Incredibles 3 Announced
Pixar officially announced Incredibles 3 is in the works! Writer and director of the first two films, Brad Bird will be returning.
Zootopia 2 Casting Announcement
Ginnifer Goodwin took to the stage to reveal some thrilling updates about Zootopia! She unveiled a sneak peek of the upcoming film and participated in introducing a new character, Gary the Snake, a sought-after reptile set to be voiced by Ke Huy Quan!
Zootopia 2 follows detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they pursue a mysterious reptile who disrupts the city. To solve the case, they must explore unfamiliar areas undercover, putting their partnership to the ultimate test.
The movie will be released in theaters November 2025. Jason Bateman returns to voice the fox Nick Wilde, while Fortune Feimster also joins as a beaver named Nibbles.
Frozen 3 Announced
Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed Frozen and Frozen II, teased the upcoming Frozen III. The upcoming threequel was first announced in February 2023 and it will be in theaters in 2027!
A first look concept art photo was also unveiled above.
Disney on Broadway Announcements
Disney On Broadway presented a medley performance in honor of 30 years, with Samantha Barks delivering her version of “Let It Go.”
It was revealed that Hercules is scheduled to premiere in London's West End in the summer of 2025, and a professional recording of the Frozen musical, starring Samantha as Elsa, has been produced and will premiere on Disney+ in 2025.
Lastly, it was officially confirmed that The Greatest Showman is currently in the works for a stage adaptation!
Star Wars Skeleton Crew Trailer Debuts
The latest Star Wars series follows the journey of four children who stumble upon a mysterious secret on their supposedly safe home planet, leading them to venture into a perilous galaxy where they encounter enigmatic figures like Jod Na Nawood, portrayed by Jude Law.
The cast includes Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, Tunde Adebimpe, Kerry Condon, and Nick Frost.
Skeleton Crew is scheduled to premiere its first two episodes on December 3rd on Disney+.
Diego Luna Talks Andor Season 2
Diego Luna, who plays Andor star, took the stage to discuss the upcoming second season. The new season will continue to follow Cassian Andor's journey over a four-year period as he evolves into the rebel hero depicted in Rogue One.
The second season is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2025. It was announced that Ben Mendelsohn will be joining the cast, reprising his role as Krennic from Rogue One, while Forest Whitaker will reprise his role as Saw Gerrera.
Dave Filoni & Jon Favreau Tease ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ Movie
The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, set to be released on May 22, 2026, has begun filming as confirmed by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau.
During a sneak peek shared by the creators, fans got a glimpse of the film which featured Zeb from Rebels, intense action scenes with Mando, Grogu piloting an AT-ST style vehicle on a planet resembling Hoth, and the return of the Anzellans. Additionally, the teaser unveiled the comeback of the Razor Crest as reported by Empire Magazine.
The Fantastic 4: First Steps Costume Reveal
Marvel teased the upcoming The Fantastic 4: First Steps movie, which is currently in production in the UK. Fans were treated to a first look at the cast on set and in costume, and even Joseph Quinn in a very retro Fantastic Four suit.
The movie hits theaters on July 25, 2025.
Daredevil: Born Again Teaser & Season 2 Reveal
On stage, the Daredevil: Born Again cast made an appearance including Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, and Jon Bernthal.
During the event, Marvel head Kevin Feige revealed that they have captured the essence of the Netflix series while embarking on a new direction.
A sneak peek of the upcoming first season was shown, with the announcement that season two is set to begin production shortly. The series will feature Kamala Khan’s father and White Tiger, Daredevil and Kingpin joining forces, and Muse as the primary antagonist!
Ironheart Cast Teases Upcoming Series, Teaser Revealed
At the event, the cast of the upcoming Ironheart series, including Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross, Regan Aliyah, and Alden Ehrenreich, took the stage and presented new footage of the series!
In the clip, Riri portrayed by Dominique expresses her feelings of being stuck after her internship in Wakanda, saying, “I want to create something that cannot be denied.”
Ironheart showcases a clash between technology and magic as Riri Williams (Thorne), a young and brilliant inventor, returns to Chicago to leave her mark on the world. While her innovative approach to creating iron suits is remarkable, her ambitions lead her to cross paths with the enigmatic yet charming Parker Robbins, also known as ‘The Hood’ (Ramos).
Although the exact release date has not been disclosed, Ironheart is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in 2025.
Agatha All Along Cast Performs, Trailer Unveiled
The stars of Agatha All Along – Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn and Debra Jo Rupp – performed the show’s theme song, “The Ballad of the Witches Road,” which was written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the duo responsible for the music of Frozen and WandaVision.
The full, official trailer is below:
Percy Jackson Season 2 Poster & First Look Revealed
Percy Jackson and the Olympians author Rick Riordan and stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri took to the stage and unveiled a new video teaser marking the start of production, which just began last week!
Season two will be based on “The Sea of Monsters,” the second book in the series.
First look below:
Descendants & Zombies Tour Announced
Descendants: The Rise of Red stars Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Dara Reneé, Ruby Rose Turner, Morgan Dudley, Joshua Colley, and Peder Lindell performed a medley of music from their movie, which premiered on Disney Channel that same night.
Their co-star Rita Ora also announced the exciting news of the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour happening in the summer of 2025!
Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, Dara Reneé, and Ruby Rose Turner from The Rise of Red, along with Freya Skye and Malachi Barton from Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, are confirmed to join the tour, with more participants to be revealed soon.
The upcoming arena tour promises to be “an immersive and interactive live concert experience celebrating the high-energy music from both franchises, to be held in arenas nationwide.”
Official Freaky Friday 2 Title Revealed
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan announced the official title of Freaky Friday 2, which they have been filming in Los Angeles. The upcoming sequel will be called Freakier Friday, and is set to be released in theaters in 2025!
The first official images were also displayed on screen at D23. Check them out below:
First Look at Live-Action Stitch Revealed
Disney unveiled the new logo for the upcoming live-action Lilo & Stitch movie, as well as a first look at what Stitch will look like below:
Live-Action Snow White Teaser Trailer Debuts
Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler debuted the first teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action Snow White movie in theaters on March 21, 2025!
Check out the trailer:
TRON: Ares Cast Teases New Movie
Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Evan Peters and Jared Leto stepped out on stage to tease their upcoming movie, where “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 actors shared details about their roles and offered the audience a sneak peek. Additionally, it was announced that the film will feature music by Nine Inch Nails!
Mufasa: The Lion King Debuts New Trailer
To conclude, the showcase featured a performance by Lebo M singing “Nants’ Ingonyama” with a full choir in Mufasa: The Lion King. Barry Jenkins, the director, then introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda who shared that he is working on new music for the upcoming film and together they presented a preview of a new song, “I Always Wanted a Brother.”
Mufasa: The Lion King tells the story of Mufasa, an orphaned cub who finds solace with a lion named Taka. The film is scheduled to premiere in theaters on December 20th.
Check out the trailer below:
What was your favorite announcement? Drop a comment!
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