The Disney Entertainment Showcase is just one of the showstopping highlights of the D23Expo—the ultimate Disney fan event. While there’s plenty to do at the Anaheim Convention Center, attendess took a small trip to the Honda Center to get a sneak peek of what’s to come from Disney, Marvel Studios, Star Wars, and Pixar. And we are here to share all of their announcements with you live.
Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger stepped to the stage to talk about Disney’s 100-year legacy after an exhilarating sizzle reel that got the crowd riled up. He spoke about the company’s responsibility to its fans that extends beyond just entertaining but also inspiring and giving us hope.
Things kicked off with Moana 2. Polynesian dancers took to the stage with the island of Montuni standing in the background. That’s when Auliʻi Cravalho took to the stage to sing one of the new songs about going back to where I am supposed to be. After that rousing performance, the crowd became even more energized when Dwayne Johnson (who voices Maui the shapeshifting demigod) stepped onto the stage. He confirmed that Maui will sing again and that his fantastic hair will return. All of this believing that there is more and to go for more.
Johnson said Tekā was bad, but the newest villains were just as bad, maybe even worse. Moana leaps and runs as if she were being chased. Moana is now a big sister. She tells stories about Maui and how her ancestors were meant to travel and connect the islands. But there’s a new curse, and in order to reverse it and not be destroyed, Moana and Maui have to go on an epic quest where they will encounter new villains and the Kakamora. Moana 2 opens in theaters on November 27, 2024.
Johnson then stepped out again to talk about Monster Jam, a film about monster trucks described as “one heck of a ride.” The film will be taken from the perspective of those who drive the trucks. It’s a perfect fit for Johnson, who is involved because he is a big fan of monster trucks.
Returning voice cast includes 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.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron then took to the stage. He came all the way from New Zealand to talk about Avatar 3 – just one of the films that he and his team have been working on for the past 18 years. Though the action is there, he says there’s very high emotional stakes. There will be new characters, cultures, settings, and biomes, But he says the new film is not what you expect but it is what you want.
Cameron then welcomed Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana to the stage. Both expressed their excitement. Though they couldn’t show any new footage, the three revealed that the new Avatar film will be Avatar: Fire and Ash. This was complemented by some new concept art that teased the beauty of Pandora’s oceanic landscape and the destruction fire holds.
Pixar
Pete Doctor announced the already confirmed Dream Productions. Set in between the events of Inside Out 1 and Inside Out 2. The series will take you through the process of how dreams are made. Think of it as an animated documentary style series that follows the challenges of making dreams more cinematic. The series is expected to debut in 2025.
Toy Story 5
Docter confirmed that Andrew Stanton will be writing and directing Toy Story 5. The two are legacy storytellers at the acclaimed studio. Stanton said the films reflected on thems about loyalty and friendship, The sequel sees Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang facing off against the newest childhood must have trend, electronics. Stanton adds that there are abotu 50 Buzz Lightyears that are stuck on toy mode, which will cause some serious problems for our crew.
Hopper
Another new actioner packed Pixar animated film called Hoppers sees Mabel (Piper Curda) pop her body into the body into a bevear. The film will also feature the voices of Bobby Moynihan as the king of the bevears, and Jon Hamm as a a human.
Elio
During the Elio presentation, the film’s star Yonas Ascunsion Kibreab welcomed Zoe Saldana. She will play Elio’s aunt. “I wanted to see a representation of how the will family works on screen,” she said.
Elio is a dreamer, who looks to the stars in the night sky. So much so that his aunt has to remind him that his head shouldn’t be stuck in the clouds. Expect to see aliens of all kinds of shapes and sizes, some of whom want to swaddle, not eat, Elio.
The Incredibles 3
Brad Bird will also direct The Incredibles 3. Yes, The Incredibles 3 is happening.
Zootopia 2
Ginnifer Goodwin said the bunny is back. She confirms all of your favorite characters are back, including Mr. Big, Clawhauser, and Flash the sloth. She adds that reptiles will be introduced to the world and that one of the them will be Gary the Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan. When we first meet gary he is a wanted reptile on the run. The sequel explores uncharted territory like Marsh Market. Zootopia 2 is expected to hit theater in 2025.
Frozen 3
Jennifer Lee briefly spoke about Frozen 3 and how it and Frozen 4 will answer all of the unanswered questions left by the first two films. Concept art revealed Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) reconnecting at a small yellow river separated by a forest, but a dark, shadowy figure with horns stands behind them.
Star Wars
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
A timeless adventure story in the spirit of Amblin Productions stories that likens to Goonies and E.T. A group of young kids find themselves lost in the vast galaxy and must find their way home. “I love most about this series is that it is told through the perspective of the kids as they explore curious and dangerous worlds beyond their own, unsure how and who they can trust,” Jude Law said. “We had a terrific time making the show. I’m excited for all of you to see it when it comes to Disney, plus this December”
The trailer revealed a teacher saying how a test will set the entire course for their future. These kids want to go on a real adventure, and their curiosity and sense of adventure gets them into a bit of trouble. Especially when they believe they have found a lost Jedi temple. Though, it’s really a star ship that whisks them away to galaixes unknown. They will encounter hungry alien beasts and space pirates. They will also encounter Jude Law’s character, who is a Jedi in hiding.
Andor
Diego Luna was so excited to talk about the second installment of Andor. He thanked everyone for caring about the first season and after playing the character for the past ten years he is ready to share the final piece of the puzzle and complete Andor’s arc. The stakes are greater and the fight for freedom and a better tomorrow is even bigger. First looks at Ben Mendelsohn as Krennic and Alan Tudyk as K-2SO were also revealed.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Jon Faverau and Dave Filoni talked about the next chapter of the infamous Din Darjin and Grogu, from the Disney+ streaming service to the big screen. Filming as already begun production for a 2026 release. A quick sizzle reveal showed recapped what’s happened before in between seasons one through three and a bit of Book of Boba Fett before jumping into a full on preview of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Quick note, Zeb, Snowtroopers, and Anzellans are back.
Marvel Studios
Captain America: Brave New World
Disney gave a small preview of the fourth installment of the Captain America franchise, which sees Anthony Mackie stepping out of the role of the Falcon and assuming the role of Captain America. The footage shown was pretty much the same as the one at the San Diego Comic-Con a few weeks back. Mackie confirmed that Harrison Ford, who plays President Ross aka Red Hulk, goes that far in his performance.
Fantastic Four: First Steps
Though the Fantastic Four: First Steps footage wasn’t new either, director Matt Shakman sent over a snippet of Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the titular team and Marvel’s first family apologizing that they could not be there because they are in the process of filming but shared their enthusiasm about being a part of something special.
Ironheart
The series follows Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) an expelled MIT student who finds herself stuck after her internship abroad. She has some trouble funding building her suit and starts to run with the wrong crowd who had promised her money under false pretenses. When she realizes she’s in too deep, she fights for the side of justice. Anthony Ramos, Lyryc Ross, Alden Ehrenreich and Regan Aliyah also star. Ryan Coogler, who directed Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, serves as showrunner.
Daredevil Born Again
The devil’s work is never done. We caught a first glimpse of some new footage for the upcoming series. During the tease Matt Murdox (Charlie Cox) is sitting at a diner with Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). The lawyer warns the crime boss that he will be there to stop him if he ever steps out of line. Fisk calmly asks if this threat is coming from Matt Murdock or his darker half. The series also stars Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher. The series is set to premiere March 2025.
Agatha All Along
Although Kathryn Hahn, Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza couldn’t share any new details, they did come out to sing one of the new songs as written by Bobby and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
Disney Live-Action
Freakier Friday
Freakier Friday’s Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan said the highly anticipated sequel promises to be more freakier and more emotional.
Lilo and Stitch
Experiment 626 makes his return, this time for live-action, for a Summer 2025 release.
Snow White
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot spoke about their excitement to play their respective characters. With Zegler overjoyed that she gets to play Disney’s first princess, and Gadot said she had a grate time playing a villain for the first time.
Zegler’s Snow White singing “Whistle While You Work.” This new iteration featured a new more whimsical sequence that saw her and the seven dwarves showing the power of having fun while you clean.
Tron Ares
Greeting programs, Evan Peters plays Dillinger, and if you know anything about them within the world of Tron, you know they are up to no good. Greta Lee plays Eve Kim a human programmer who is one of the first to make contact with Ares (Jared Leto.) Ares is a program who is looking to bring the real world to the grid permanently.
During the teaser, we see Dillinger walk over a triangle-patterned floor. intelligent life isn’t in the stars, According to Dillinger, it is in the grid. Ares is curious as he feels rain and a butterfly for the first time. We see him face to face with Eve, who asks who he is. Eve looks to play a huge role as she interacts with with the lightstreaks of a Light Cycle and even steps into the massive world of the Grid which has evolved since the events of Tron Legacy.
Mufasa
A deeper exploration of the brotherhood shared between Mufasa and Taka who later becomes Scar. It will tell the story of how an orphan became a king. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the film will feature original songs written by Lin Manuel-Miranda. The prequel also stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Theo Somolu, Braelyn Rankins and Anika Noni.
Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. The film also features 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. Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, the all-new feature film is set to hit theaters on December 20, 2024.