A hot star joins the empire — and all of Disney's big reveals
Disney Corporation presented its upcoming hits at the D23 conference, offering first looks at 'Frozen 3', the live-action 'Tangled', and 'The Simpsons Movie' sequel. Marvel officially announced the new 'X-Men' cast, featuring the breakout star of 2026. Here are all the updates from the night fans have been waiting for.
Anna and Elsa, the Avengers and X-Men, The Incredibles and The Simpsons — and even Bluey: Disney's D23 conference, the fan event that draws 100,000 visitors from around the globe every two years, kicked off this past Friday. Nearly 12,000 fans gathered at the arena in Anaheim, just across from Disneyland, to catch a first look at new content from across the corporation's divisions: animation, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney+.
The crowd was most thrilled by Anna and Elsa, as Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel took the stage to perform a new song from the upcoming Frozen 3. They were joined by Josh Gad (the voice of Olaf), who revealed that his character will have a love story in the film, which also features the long-awaited wedding of Anna and Kristoff. With the first two Frozen films grossing a combined $2.7 billion, expectations for the November 2028 release are sky-high.
Disney Animation also announced Clay, featuring Oscar and Emmy winner Kieran Culkin, and provided a look at Hex: Enchanted World, starring Jodie Foster and Hailee Steinfeld. Despite recent box office challenges, Disney is pushing forward with live-action adaptations. Kathryn Hahn arrived from the set of Tangled (due spring 2028) to confirm she will play Mother Gothel. Additionally, Jon Favreau introduced a new series, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, reviving the classic 1927 character.
Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios presented the stars of Avengers: Doomsday (coming this December): Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and Robert Downey Jr. as the formidable Doctor Doom. The new X-Men cast was also revealed, led by Adam Driver as Magneto, alongside Sadie Sink, Christopher Abbott, Kit Connor, and 2026 breakout star Indy Neverty.
Ryan Gosling introduced the next Star Wars film, Starfighter. Reflecting on his roots in The Mickey Mouse Club, Gosling said, "I owe my life to Disney, and here they are changing my life again." Anne Hathaway, set to be named a Disney Legend, shared a teaser for The Princess Diaries 3, though Julie Andrews will not be returning.
Pixar announced The Incredibles 3 (summer 2028) and Coco 2 (November 2029), along with original films Gato and Ghost Market. Other major sequels include The Simpsons Movie 2, Lilo & Stitch 2, Zootopia 3, Romy and Michele 2, Camp Rock 3, a 3D Bluey film, and Ice Age 6.
The evening opened with a speech by new CEO Josh D'Amaro, who promised to lead the company into a new era. Further announcements regarding the future of Disney parks and tourism experiences are expected to be the true test of his leadership for shareholders.
