Breakdown - Disney D23 '24 Presentation

        Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, don't count Disney out just yet, because last night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, the company's big presentation at the D23 Expo was held, and Disney came out swinging hard. And, there are so many things to get through, so let's go ahead and get started. 

       Okay, so the presentation kicked off with a new trailer for the upcoming Moana 2, which reveals some plot info, and shows us Moana's little sister, who is a new character. Moana 2, featuring the returns of Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, is set to hit theaters this November. Speaking of Dwayne Johnson, it looks like he will be starring in a new Disney movie called Monster Jam, which will center on monster truck drivers. Now, I'm kind of intrigued by this, as Monster Jam itself is pretty popular, so the idea of Disney making a movie about it is kinda neat, and with Dwayne Johnson as the star, anything is possible. 

      But, the first major pop I had while following the coverage was the reveals that James Cameron had for the next chapter in the Avatar franchise. Cameron, who is being honored as an official Disney Legend this year, revealed that the new Avatar will be more emotional, and will showcase new biomes and cultures of Pandora. But, more important than that, we got the official title: Avatar: Fire and Ash. Okay, now THAT is a banger of a title. Well done, James Cameron. Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is already in my Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2025 (second only to James Gunn's Superman), is hitting theaters in December of 2025. 

       Pixar took the stage, and they showcases several banger announcements. First, we have the announcement of a new Disney+ series titled Dream Productions, which will be set in the world of the Inside Out movies, and will take place between the events of the two movies. Dream Productions will stream on Disney+ in 2025. Speaking of which, Pixar's upcoming Disney+ series, Win or Lose, got a trailer, and the series will release this December. Pixar's next film, Elio, got an update, which was the inclusion of Zoe Saldana in the cast. Cool. We also got an announcement regarding a few new theatrical titles from Pixar, with a brand new film being called Hoppers. This will be a story about a young girl who places her own brain into a robotic beaver, and will feature Jon Hamm in a voice role. Hoppers will hit theaters in 2026. Also in 2026 is Toy Story 5, being directed by Andrew Stanton, and this movie will see an army of malfunctioning Buzz Lightyear toys serve as the villains of the movie. Lastly, Pixar revealed that they are working with Brad Bird to develop Incredibles 3. Yes, we're getting a third Incredibles, and I couldn't be more excited, as I absolutely love the first two. No release date yet, but I surmise we're going to get that announcement soon. 

       Okay, so while Pixar had some major announcements, Disney animation's reveals were definitely smaller by comparison. First, we got a casting announcement for next year's Zootopia 2, where it was announced that Ke Huy Quan is joining the cast as a reptile named Gary. It was also revealed that Frozen III will be in theaters in 2027, with a fourth Frozen teased as well. Speaking of which, the Broadway musical version of Frozen is getting a filmed version released onto Disney+ in 2025, with actress Samantha Barks reprising her role as Elsa from the West End production of the musical. And speaking of musicals, the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman is confirmed for a Broadway adaptation. 

      Now, it's on to the big guns: Star Wars and Marvel. Starting with Star Wars, we got our first trailer for this December's Skeleton Crew. Co-creates by Spider-Man director Jon Watts, this series is set to feature a group of kids finding their way in the galaxy, and will see Jude Law as a former Jedi Knight. I gotta say, after the dumpster fire that was The Acolyte, I am holding reservations on this one, but the trailer looks good, so I am hopeful. Next, we have season two of Andor. Releasing in 2025, the second season of Andor will take place over the course of four years, and will see the returns of Ben Mendelsohn as Krennic and Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera. Lastly, Dave Filoni remarked that Lucasfilm was "putting Star Wars back on the big screen," starting in May 2026 with The Mandalorian & Grogu, which will see the titular duo be joined by the character of Zeb, who made his live-action debut in the third season of The Mandalorian, and possibly also the return of Mando's iconic ship, the Razor Crest. Honestly, with Dave Filoni having a more direct role creatively with Star Wars, I am pretty hopeful for its future. As for Marvel, we got first looks at Disney+ projects like Ironheart, which didn't reveal a lot, Agatha All Along, which got a new trailer ahead of its September release on Disney+, and Daredevil: Born Again, which revealed quite a bit. First, we learned that Matt and Fisk will team up to confront a greater threat, Muse. Also both White Tiger will appear, as will Kamala Khan's father. Also, Jon Bernthal shared his excitement to return to the MCU as The Punisher. Daredevil: Born Again is set for a Disney+ release in 2025, with a second season set to begin production very soon. Wow, Marvel must have faith in this one to already greenlight a second season. On the movie side, we got more looks at Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps. 

      Finally, we have Disney's live-action slate. First, it was confirmed that the second season of the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is in production, and will adapt Rick Riordan's second novel in the series: The Sea of Monsters. David Blaine, the famous magician, is officially getting an National Geographic project titled David Blaine: Do Not Attempt. It was also confirmed that the sequel to the movie Freaky Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan is set to release in 2025, and will be called Freakier Friday. Our first trailer for Disney's remake of Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, was released, and it looks pretty good. Also, we got a quick tease for another Disney remake, Lilo & Stitch, which hits theaters in the summer of 2025. Also, a new trailer for this December's Mufasa: The Lion King was released, and I will admit to being intrigued enough to maybe check it out. But, I've saved the best for last. Easily one of my more anticipated movies of next year: Tron: Ares. At the presentation, Disney revealed the official logo for the movie, brought out a few of the stars like Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges, and confirmed that rock band Nine Inch Nails will compose the music for the movie. Okay, a Tron movie with Jared Leto, a returning Jeff Bridges, AND music by Nine Inch Nails? Disney, you win. I gotta give this one to ya. You guys win. 

       So, to quickly summarize: trailers for Moana 2, Skeleton Crew, Agatha All Along, Snow White, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Lilo & Stitch. Announcements regarding Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, Frozen III, Monster Jam, Daredevil: Born Again, Andor season two, Percy Jackson season two, The Mandalorian & Grogu, Freakier Friday, and Tron: Ares. AND, confirmation for James Cameron's next Avatar film: Avatar: Fire and Ash. I think it's safe to say that the stink of Bob Chapek is finally washed out of Disney, and the future under the returned Bob Iger is looking pretty damn bright. Now, could a number of these announced titles not be successful? Sure, but I'm choosing to be the optimist here, and say that I am eagerly awaiting a number of these movies and Disney+ shows. 

       Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I will see you on Monday with my review of The Bourne Identity.