MANILA, Philippines — Disney gave fans a glimpse of what is coming to theaters and streaming platforms at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at “D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.” It unveiled new footage, cast announcements and updates for major titles from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm.
The showcase, held Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, brought together stars and filmmakers for a presentation packed with previews of theatrical releases and Disney+ projects.
One of the night's biggest draws was "Avengers: Doomsday," Marvel Studios' next major ensemble film. It stars Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, marking his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a role separate from his longtime portrayal of Tony Stark. The ensemble also includes Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Tom Hiddleston and members of the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises.
"Avengers: Doomsday" is scheduled to open in theaters Dec. 2026, with Anthony and Joe Russo directing.
Marvel also officially unveiled the principal cast for its upcoming "X-Men" film, introducing a new generation of mutants to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Sadie Sink will play Jean Grey, with Kit Connor as Scott Summers/Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Adam Driver as Mister Sinister, Maya Boyd as Storm, and Inde Navarrette as Rogue. Jake Schreier will direct the film, which is slated for release in May 2028.
Lucasfilm also brought a major "Star Wars" announcement to the showcase with "Star Wars: Starfighter," an original standalone film directed by Shawn Levy. Ryan Gosling leads the cast, joined by Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Amy Adams. The film is set roughly five years after "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" and is scheduled to arrive in theaters May 28, 2027.
Disney Animation meanwhile offered updates on several of its biggest franchises.
"Frozen 3" remains on the theatrical calendar for 2027, with Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed the first two films, returning to the franchise. Disney also continues to develop "Zootopia 3," extending the animated world introduced by Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
The company also previewed the live-action adaptation of "Tangled," offering fans a first look at Teagan Croft as Rapunzel and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. Milo Manheim plays Flynn Rider. The film, directed by Michael Gracey, is scheduled for release March 31, 2028.
Disney is also revisiting one of its most beloved live-action franchises, “The Princess Diaries 3,” with Anne Hathaway returning as Mia Thermopolis.
However, longtime fans should not expect to see Dame Julie Andrews reprise her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi. Andrews, who played Mia’s grandmother in the first two films, confirmed that she will not appear in the third installment.
In an interview with “The Hollywood Reporter,” the 90-year-old actress said she no longer feels she should be part of the film and believes the story should now focus on Mia. Andrews had previously expressed doubts about returning, telling “Today” in 2024 that she would be happy if another film were made but did not expect to participate.
Disney is also expanding its animated film pipeline with "Incredibles 3," scheduled for 2028, while "Coco 2" is in development for a later theatrical release. The projects continue Pixar's strategy of returning to some of its most established worlds while developing new original stories.
The event also highlighted Disney's television and streaming plans.
Among the projects previewed was "VisionQuest," continuing the story of Paul Bettany's Vision and expanding the Marvel television universe. Disney+ also has more "Star Wars" content in the pipeline, including the second season of "Ahsoka."
Fans of Disney Channel and its musical franchises can also look forward to "Camp Rock 3," which brings the franchise back with a new generation of performers. Disney has been building anticipation for the film with a nationwide promotional campaign ahead of its release.
The showcase also included a look at the upcoming "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" sequel, with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino returning as Romy White and Michele Weinberger. The follow-up is being developed for Hulu.
Beyond individual titles, the D23 announcements reflected Disney's strategy of balancing established franchises with new stories across theatrical releases and streaming.
The company is relying heavily on recognizable properties such as Marvel, "Star Wars," "Frozen," "Zootopia," Pixar and Disney's live-action remakes, while continuing to expand its streaming offerings through Disney+ and Hulu.
The D23 event will also feature "Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase," hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, focusing on upcoming Disney theme park attractions, destinations and experiences around the world.
