Unpacking the D23 Disney Experiences Horizons Showcase

By: R.A. Rayne

Alright, let’s get started. There’s a great deal to go over. At first, I intended to look at everything from San Diego Comic-Con to Disney’s D23, but Disney just released a lot of exciting new material this weekend. Fans have noticed that Marvel, Star Wars, and some other Disney brands are less prominent at San Diego Comic-Con these days. There is a reason for this.

It is reasonable for Disney to announce major news at its own convention, where it covers all sorts of areas such as the parks, animation, merchandise, studios, television, and so on, which is why the first trailer for Avengers Doomsday was the only thing we saw at Comic-Con this year.

We had hoped for more programs and new series, but Disney and Marvel Studios didn’t release the trailer until Comic-Con; they had planned it that way so that two weeks later, when they had their own convention in Anaheim, they could display all of their properties there.

The main D23 panel took place Friday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event featured Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Disney Animation, live-action films, and TV shows. While many projects were already known and in different stages of production, there were also some exciting new announcements for film, TV, and video games.

There were several trailers, first looks, and announcements, including a big casting reveal. Disney Animation gave a sneak peek at Frozen 3, teasing a new ice villain, new music, and Olaf’s new love interest, Samantha. We also got two Kingdom Hearts updates: the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 4 video game, which will feature a Coco level, and a new Disney+ animated series.

Other animated films announced include Zootopia 3, the first Ice Age movie since Disney bought the franchise (called Ice Age: Boiling Point), Hexed, Coco 2, and The Bluey Movie. We also got more details about Hexed, which follows a teenage girl who discovers her magical powers and enters the world of witches. Hexed stars Hailee Steinfeld, Walton Goggins, and Jodie Foster, and is set to release on November 25, 2026. Disney Animation also teased Clay, starring Kieran Culkin as Clay, with Mooshy, set for release in November 2028.

Pixar announced Incredibles 3, which will focus on Violet and Dash as young superheroes. They also revealed Gatto, a film set in Venice about a black cat, and their first ghost story, Ghost Market, directed by Trevor Jimenez and Jesse Andrews. Ghost Market is inspired by Asian myths about shops where the living and dead meet. The story follows Kyle, a witty teen and content creator from Chicago. When his mom takes him on vacation to Hawaii, he has an unforgettable adventure. One night, while looking for a snack, he finds a hidden market in a quiet part of town. What starts as a simple search for food becomes a big discovery about the connection between the living and the dead.

Disney’s live-action announcements had some surprises as well. We got a tease for Lilo and Stitch 2, with a surprise addition to the ohana. Experiment 624, or Angel, if you’re nasty, is one of Jumba’s genetic experiments and Stitch’s love interest. She has a unique siren song that can reverse good behavior to evil (and back again when sung backward). Lilo and Stitch 2 is coming out in May 2028.

Another of Disney’s animated-to-live-action projects is Tangled, set for release in March 2028. D23 audiences were treated to a first look at Mother Gothel (Kathryn Hahn), Flynn Rider (Milo Manheim), and, of course, the frying-pan-wielding, magic-haired, not-so-damsel-in-distress Rapunzel, played by Titans actress Teagan. With filming currently underway, there was no trailer, but Rapunzel and Flynn took a moment out of their adventure to say hi to the D23 crowd.

Romy and Michelle High School Reunion stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as Romy White and Michele Weinberger, teasing Romy and Michelle 2. Many of the original cast members are returning to the project, including Alan Cumming, Camryn Manheim, Janeane Garofalo, and Julia Campbell, who reprise their roles. Keegan-Michael Key and Rob Huebel join the already hilarious cast. Romy and Michelle 2 will be directed by Tim Federle and written by original screenwriter Robin Schiff. It will be made exclusively for Hulu and may stream in 2027.

The main event of the evening was, without a doubt, Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios. Lucasfilm released our first trailer for Ahsoka: Season 2, and it looks amazing. We got our first look at the Dathomir Nightsisters attacking the New Republic, Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka battling a Jedi wielding a new type of lightsaber in the middle of a snowstorm, and Thrawn declaring war on the “Rebel Alliance.” Ahsoka: Season 2 will be released on January 20th, 2027.

Also announced at D23 was the re-release of the original 1977 cut of Star Wars. For those who aren’t old enough to remember, this is the cut that wasn’t titled A New Hope, didn’t include the extended Mos Eisley footage, and in which Han not only “shot first” but was the only one at the table who actually shot.

Lucasfilm’s final big announcement of the evening came from Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy and the film’s star Ryan Gosling. The film will be released May 27, 2027, exactly 50 years to the day that the original Star Wars film was released. Starfighter stars Ryan Gosling, Mia Goth, Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Amy Adams, and Aaron Pierre.

Levy quickly dispelled the rumors about Gosling’s character by revealing the name of the character. Gosling will, in fact, be playing Kade Auberon, a pilot from the wrong side of the galaxy, who is tied to a legendary Imperial starfighter said to be the fastest starship ever built. He wears a jacket with an upside-down Rebel Alliance starbird and two crossed rifles beneath it, giving the symbol the look of a pirate skull and crossbones.

The in-house audience was treated to a glimpse of what’s to come. The footage showed a beautiful water planet with spires of swirling water spouts towering over the landscape, and a scene between Gosling and Gray in which Gray uncovers the imperial starfighter Auberon has been hiding. While the footage didn’t reveal much about the plot or show us any of the other characters, it was enough for us to speculate that Auberon, a pirate, smuggler, or rogue, is hiding out with the kid on this water planet and will need to use the starfighter to perhaps escape whoever wants the kid. Don’t hold me to that, but that’s my take on what I saw.

What you can take to the bank is that, as a lifelong Star Wars fan who has seen, read, experienced, and absorbed just about everything one possibly can, I think this movie is going to blow people away. This is going to be Top Gun for Star Wars fans.

And finally…

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige delivered again. At SDCC, we got our first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, a tease that Deadpool might be in the film, with the unexpected appearance of Ryan Reynolds dressed in a Jean Grey-colored denim “Canadian tuxedo” version of Deadpool, and the announcement that Star Wars: Starfighter star Ryan Gosling will be joining the MCU as Johnny Blaze. Gosling’s lobbying to be Ghost Rider is finally paying off. For years, it has been widely known that the actor has coveted the role, and now he has gotten his chance.

But if you think Marvel Studios’ SDCC Hall H panel blew your mind, buckle up, bub. Feige first announced Vision Quest and introduced the show’s stars, Paul Bettany and Ultron himself, James Spader, to the stage. Yes, you read that correctly. Ultron is back! The show will center on Vision’s existential crisis as he tries to discover who he is and where he belongs. Vision Quest will stream on Disney+ starting October 14, 2026. Joining Bettany and Spader are Ruaridh Mollica, Todd Stashwick, T’Nia Miller, Lauren Morais, Orla Brady, Diane Morgan, Polly Frame, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Emily Hampshire, and James D’Arcy. From the trailer, this conclusion to the WandaVision trilogy will have just as much heart, soul, and humor as the other two shows.

Next, as Fiege was setting up a new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, he was interrupted by a video message from the one and only Hugh Jackman. Jackman, who was being directed from off-camera, Ryan Reynolds, offered his services to be a part of Avengers: Doomsday. Between this and Denim-pool at SDCC, it is all but confirmed that Marvel Jesus and “Peanut” will be in Avengers: Doomsday.

After the Deadpool and Wolverine stars ended their message, we were treated to a new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. In this trailer, we got an emotional Sue Storm talking to the other Avengers about Victor. They all appeared to be at a low point as she told them that Victor was always the smartest man in every room, how he was kind and caring, but then… everything he loved was taken from him. We see the aftermath of a battle as Reed asks Victor if he was responsible, footage of Thor from the last trailer, and finally Victor declaring himself Doom.

And lastly, we got the announcement everyone has been waiting for. Fiege welcomed Sadie Sink to the stage, not to discuss Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but to introduce the world to the X-Men. Not only did we get a look at the familiar yellow X symbol and the film’s release date–May 5, 2028–but Sink and Fiege brought some of the new X-Men to the stage, including Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Chris Abbott as Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd as Storm, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost. We also learned from a video message that Adam Driver was at Pinewood Studios in London, waiting for the rest of the cast to arrive so they could start filming. Fiege said that Driver will play Nathan Milbury, which, every X-fan knows, is one of the many names used by Mister Sinister.

Mister Sinister is one of the X-Men’s most fearsome enemies and a character X-fans have been begging to see on the big screen for decades. Mister Sinister is an immortal, pale-skinned, mutant-obsessed monster with a genius-level scientific intellect. For centuries, he has conducted self-experimentation, splicing other mutants’ DNA into his own, giving him a power set that includes cellular shape-shifting, rapid regeneration, high-level telepathy and telekinesis, and energy projection.

It is easy to say that the Disney Experiences Showcase panel, Horizons, did not disappoint. The Friday night panel kicked off an exciting weekend that included park expansion announcements, construction updates, and glimpses into what is to come at parks around the world, across the cruise lines, and in all aspects of the wonderful world of Disney. Below I have listed all of the films, shows, games, and more announced at the D23 Expo Horizons panel.

Animated and Pixar Movies

• Ice Age: Boiling Point: February 5, 2027
• Gatto: March 2027
• The Bluey Movie: August 6, 2027
• The New Simpsons Movie: September 3, 2027
• Frozen 3: November 24, 2027
• Hexed: November 25, 2027
• Incredibles 3: Summer 2028
• Clay: November, 2028
• Ghost Market: Spring 2028
• Coco 2: November, 2029
• Zootopia 3: TBA

Live-Action Movies
• Avengers Doomsday: December 18, 2026
• Star Wars Starfighter: May 28, 2027
• Tangled Live-Action: March 31, 2028
• X-Men: May 5, 2028
• Lilo & Stitch 2: May 28, 2028
• Princess Diaries 3: TBA (Anne Hathaway confirmed it is in active development)
• Romey and Michele’s High School Reunion 2 (TBD- Possibly 2027 on Hulu)

TV series
• Camp Rock 3: Now streaming
• Lion: August 20, 2026
• VisionQuest: October 14, 2026
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3: November 20, 2026
• Ahsoka Season 2: January 20, 2027
• Oswald: February, 2027
• Kingdom Hearts: TBA

Theatre and Musicals
• The Greatest Showman (Stage Musical): Spring 2027, Premiers at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London

Video Games
• Kingdom Hearts IV: Late 2027 release window