The Highlights
Toy Story 5 (Pixar, June 19, 2026)
Buzz, Woody, and Jessie are back. Again. The big new character is Lilypad, a frog-themed tablet toy, joined by Smarty Pants, a potty-training toy voiced by Conan O'Brien. Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack, and Tony Hale are all confirmed to return. On paper, it's fun. But let's be real: when your headliner is Toy Story 5, you're mining nostalgia more than breaking new ground.
Zootopia 2 (Disney Animation, November 26, 2025)
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde return in a new case that introduces Gary De'Snake, a reptilian character voiced by Ke Huy Quan. Shakira is back as Gazelle, this time with a new anthem written by Ed Sheeran. I'll happily watch it, but again, it's a sequel. Familiar, colorful, safe.
Hexed (Disney Animation, November 2026)
Finally, an original one. Hexed tells the story of an awkward teen boy whose quirks turn out to be actual magic, with his mom by his side as they discover a hidden world. This movie has the potential to be the kind of whimsical, heartfelt Disney story that feels genuinely new. Which is exactly why it stood out, because it was one of the few new ideas on stage.
Avengers: Doomsday (Marvel, December 18, 2026)
The Russo Brothers showed up with Paul Rudd (via video), teasing the MCU's next mega event. The villain is Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., and the film promises an epic collision of Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four. It'll be huge. But the reveal itself? Thin. No footage, no mind-blowing surprises. Just reassurance that Marvel is still in motion, of course.
TRON: Ares (October 10, 2025)
The Grid is back, with Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson all confirmed. The biggest surprise: Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross) are scoring the film, and Disney parks are even adding a TRON: Ares ride overlay. It's stylish and niche, but let's be honest. It's not the centerpiece of the Disney calendar.
Ice Age: Boiling Point (February 5, 2027)
Yes, Manny, Sid, and Diego are still around. This time, they're navigating through volcanic terrain and dinosaurs in the Lost World. Families will watch, kids will giggle, but it's more of the same.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Disney+, 2025)
And then there's the surprise announcement: a new Diary of a Wimpy Kid film is coming to Disney+. Honestly? This was the one that actually got me excited. Greg Heffley's world is scrappy, funny, and beloved.
Sequel Saturation
Look at that lineup: Toy Story 5. Zootopia 2. Avengers: Doomsday. Tron: Ares. Ice Age: Boiling Point. Five sequels or franchise continuations. One original (Hexed). One mid-tier family comedy (Wimpy Kid).
This is Disney right now: a studio leaning hard on IP, banking on nostalgia, and delivering safety over surprise. It's sequel saturation. And while it may work for the bottom line, it chips away at the magic.
Disney used to be the studio that dared. The 1990s Renaissance, including The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, was built on original stories. Pixar in the 2000s gave us Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, WALL-E, and Up. These weren't just hits. They were cultural moments.
Audiences Aren't Blind
Fans notice the pattern here. Kids might squeal at seeing Buzz and Woody again, but parents, the ones buying the tickets and subscriptions, are asking: Is this all? Pixar's last big original, Elemental, eventually found success, but only after a slow start. Wish underperformed. The brand isn't bulletproof anymore.
Sequels will always make money. But sequels don't build legacy. They don't inspire. They don't make a new generation fall in love with the way I once did when I first watched The Lion King in a theater or Finding Nemo on DVD.
When the big D23 moment is Paul Rudd waving from a Marvel set, it doesn't feel like magic. It feels like maintenance.
The Wimpy Kid Effect
The most telling part? The announcement that genuinely made me smile was Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Not the billion-dollar Pixar sequel. Not the Marvel mega-crossover. Just a scrappy, middle-grade comedy about a kid with bad luck and worse friends.
That says everything. Because it wasn't nostalgia. It felt like a surprise. And in a showcase this safe, even a modest surprise feels like a revelation.
The Verdict
Disney is in trouble. The studio that once invented the future of storytelling is holding onto the past. With the talent, tools, and legacy they have, they should be blowing us away.
Disney can still deliver wonder. But if D23 is the barometer, it's not about leading the future anymore; it's about keeping the past alive. And that's not magic. That's management.
And don't get me started about Coco 2. How dare you, Disney?
