Age of The Nerd
Disney’s biggest fan event delivered an avalanche of announcements across Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney Animation, Hulu, and Disney+—and we’re still recovering.
If there was ever a night that proved Disney knows how to put on a show, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 was it.
The Honda Center transformed into the epicenter of pop culture as Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro welcomed thousands of fans to an unforgettable Entertainment Showcase packed with surprise celebrity appearances, exclusive trailers, live performances, and first looks at some of the most anticipated movies and series headed our way.
From Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm to Pixar, Disney Animation, and 20th Century Studios, nearly every corner of the Disney universe had something massive to unveil—and yes, the hype is absolutely real.
Here’s everything Age of the Nerd readers need to know.
The Biggest Disney Movie Reveals
Frozen 3 gets its first magical tease
The evening closed with perhaps the biggest crowd-pleaser of the night.
Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad reunited on stage to debut brand-new footage from Frozen 3, including a haunting glimpse of a mysterious new villain whose powers may rival Elsa’s. The cast also performed new songs written by the Oscar-winning duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez before confirming the film’s theatrical release on November 24, 2027.
Pixar brings the supers back
Pixar fans were absolutely spoiled.
Among the biggest announcements:
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Incredibles 3 officially arrives June 16, 2028
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Coco 2 reunites the original creative team and brings Miguel back as a teenager
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A brand-new supernatural original film, Ghost Market, is headed to theaters in 2028
- Gatto, the gorgeous Venice-set cat adventure from the creators of Luca, premieres March 5, 2027
Bluey is headed to the big screen
Yes, it’s happening.
Disney debuted the first teaser for The Bluey Movie, complete with giant “Keepy Uppy” balloons bouncing around the arena. The CG animated feature follows Bluey and her family on an emotional new adventure and opens in theaters August 6, 2027.
Marvel Studios Brings Mutants, Vision & Doctor Doom
Marvel came out swinging.
VisionQuest premieres this October
Paul Bettany returned alongside James Spader to unveil the first trailer for VisionQuest, the Disney+ series that completes the WandaVision trilogy. The show premieres October 14, 2026.
Avengers: Doomsday gets an epic new look
Kevin Feige surprised fans by bringing Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Hayley Atwell to the stage for a brand-new preview of Avengers: Doomsday. Even better? Tickets officially went on sale during the showcase.
The X-Men finally assemble
Marvel also revealed the first wave of casting for its long-awaited X-Men reboot:
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Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
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Kit Connor as Scott Summers
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Christopher Abbott as Professor X
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Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
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Maya Boyd as Storm
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Inde Navarrette as Rogue
The untitled film is scheduled for May 5, 2028.
Star Wars Fans Finally Get New Adventures
The Force was incredibly strong at D23.
Ahsoka Season 2 has a release date
Dave Filoni joined Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, and Eman Esfandi to debut the first teaser for Ahsoka Season 2, arriving on Disney+ January 20, 2027.
Ryan Gosling enters the galaxy
Director Shawn Levy introduced Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling as a mysterious rogue thrown into a galaxy-spanning adventure. The film blasts into theaters on May 28, 2027.
Disney Animation Has Plenty of Magic Left
Disney Animation wasn’t about to be overshadowed.
Highlights included:
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Zootopia 3 officially entered early development
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Original fantasy film Clay was announced with Kieran Culkin starring
- Hexed revealed Walton Goggins and Jodie Foster as major new cast members ahead of its November 25, 2026 release
Hulu, Disney+ & TV Had Their Own Mic-Drop Moments
Television fans had plenty to celebrate too:
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Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 premieres November 20, 2026
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Romy & Michele 2 reunites Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino for Hulu in 2027
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Camp Rock 3 is officially streaming now on Disney+
- A brand-new Kingdom Hearts anime series is in development for Disney Channel and Disney+
Beyond the Showcase: D23 Is Bigger Than Ever
Outside the Honda Center, the Anaheim Convention Center featured the largest D23 show floor in event history, complete with immersive attractions, exclusive collectibles, Disney Lorcana experiences, anniversary celebrations, and limited-edition merchandise that had fans lining up all day long.
With Horizons: Disney Experiences still to come, this is only the beginning of Disney’s massive weekend celebration.
One thing is crystal clear: the future of Disney entertainment looks absolutely stacked.
