The Top 10 Biggest Announcements from Disney’s D23 2024

As Disney has grown over the years, amalgamating more and more properties into its conglomerate, events like D23 have become a much bigger deal, drawing in not only fans of the Disney and Pixar studios, but also fans of Marvel and Star Wars properties, as well as attracting a wider audience through the acquisition of 20th Century Studios in recent years. This has made D23 a must-see event, and one of the most anticipated fan expos of the annual events cycle.

2024’s D23 was jam-packed with exciting announcements, new trailers, and headline-worthy news drops, so much so that to list them all here would be an insurmountable task. For that reason, we’ve selected ten announcements from across Disney’s Ultimate Fan Event that caught our eye, and have us excited for the future of Disney in cinema, television, and even gaming! With all that being said, let’s get into the ten biggest announcements from D23 weekend 2024!

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10. Toy Story 5

Image by Pixar Animation Studios

Toy Story 5 has been pseudo-confirmed for a while now, with Disney CEO Bob Iger first confirming the film’s existence back in February 2023, but until now, details on the movie were practically non-existent. At D23, fans were treated to the above teaser image, which shows our titular toys going up against their greatest foe yet – the rise of technology. More specifically, it seems like the toys’ current owner, Bonnie, is going to become infatuated with an iPad, presumably having no interest in old-timey toys anymore.

The reason I’ve squeezed this announcement just barely into the top ten is that, while it’s undeniably a huge reveal for one of the most beloved Pixar franchises of all time, I’m not sure that this sequel is entirely necessary. Toy Story, as a franchise, feels like it has already concluded twice now, in both Toy Story 3, and Toy Story 4, the latter of which already felt like it was dragging this franchise out. This take on technology also feels a little preachy, a little too ‘you kids and your video games’ for me, but we’ll see if Pixar can pull it off. Toy Story 5 is set to release in theatres on June 19, 2026.

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9. Fortnite x Disney

Image by Epic Games

D23 is primarily about movie and television news, but the world of gaming did get a chance to shine at the expo. There was no shortage of announcements pertaining to Disney’s upcoming collaborations with Fortnite, so much so that I can’t even list all of the details here. The major announcement was that the next Fortnite season will be entirely Marvel-themed. Titled ‘Absolute Doom’, the season will revolve around, you guessed it, Doctor Doom, and will be filled with Marvel-themed skins and cosmetics, including but not limited to skins for War Machine, Emma Frost, and Mysterio.

D23 also showed off upcoming skin collaborations with Fortnite across three of Disney’s properties – Disney itself, Pixar, and Star Wars. Star Wars fans will be able to access their announced skins the earliest, as skins for IG-11 and Moff Gideon are available to purchase on August 12 2024, alongside a Grogu back bling. As for Disney and Pixar, D23 showed off upcoming skins for three characters from The Incredibles, as well as a teaser trailer for skins of some of the most iconic villains in Disney’s catalogue, Cruella de Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent. Disney and Pixar fans will have to wait a little bit longer though, as these skins have been announced for sometime in Fall 2024. Fortnite fans can rejoice – there was no shortage of announcements for the game at D23.

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8. Moana 2

Image by Walt Disney Animation Studios

2016’s Moana is, for many, one of modern Disney’s strongest outings, introducing a beautiful world, a high-stakes storyline, and a new-age Disney princess that can hold her own among the classic Disney princess lineup. It’s no surprise then that the first official trailer for the film has had people talking, and for all the right reasons. Moana 2 looks just as strong as the 2016 original, with stunning visuals and what looks to be an even more intense plotline than before. Dwayne Johnson and Auli‘i Cravalho both reprise their roles as the film’s beloved central duo.

Moana 2 had received a teaser trailer prior to the one showcased at D23, but with this official trailer, fans can breathe a sigh of relief that the Disney Plus series, which was originally announced as the follow up to the 2016 film, has not gone ahead. Disney hasn’t had the best track record with those streaming shows, so to see Moana 2 adapted into a full-fledged cinematic motion picture is great news. Moana 2 is also coming very soon, scheduled to hit theatres on November 27, 2024.

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7. Daredevil: Born Again

Image by Marvel Studios

While Disney hasn’t let the general public have access to the footage just yet, a first look trailer for the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series premiered at D23, and fans are ecstatic. Back in May 2022, Marvel announced that it would be making a Daredevil series, a revival for the character after the original show’s Netflix run was cancelled after three seasons. Now, for the first time since that 2022 announcement, Daredevil: Born Again has stepped into the spotlight.

A major part of why fans are so excited about this trailer though is that, from what was shown, Daredevil: Born Again has scrapped Disney’s original idea to focus the show entirely on the titular hero in a courtroom drama series. Instead, the series will be going in the direction that the original Netflix series had, bringing back the cast of the original show. The first season of Daredevil: Born Again will have 18 episodes, premiering in March 2025, and from what we’ve seen, looks to be a step in the right direction for Disney and Marvel in the streaming world.

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6. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Image by Lucasfilm

From one Disney plus streaming series to another, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew received a first-look trailer at D23, and it looks like a very fun time. The series is more child-focused than previous entries in the franchise, focusing on a group of children who get lost in the galaxy and try to find their way back home, while sharing the screen with Jude Law, who makes his Star Wars debut.

To address the elephant in the room, Star Wars has had a shaky time recently, especially when thinking about Disney Plus streaming series – the less said about The Acolyte, the better. However, this does look like an exciting new take on the Star Wars universe, and if the show leans more into The Mandalorian side of things, we can hope for a solid new Star Wars adventure. The series premieres on Disney Plus on December 3, 2024.

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5. Avatar: Fire and Ash

Image by 20th Century Studios

Watching James Cameron’s Avatar dreams slowly come to fruition is quite the experience, and D23 marched a new step on his journey with the franchise. Avatar news is never exactly a surprise. After all, release dates have been planned for new Avatar movies up as far as Avatar 5 in 2031 – however, fans at D23 were treated to a reveal for the title of the upcoming third Avatar movie, named Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Concept images for the movie were also showcased, though they haven’t hit the internet in HD just yet. In talking about the film, James Cameron has indicated that Fire and Ash will be exploring fiery versions of the Na’vi, who will act as villains to balance out the good/evil balance between the Na’vi and humans in the franchise thus far. Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to release on December 19, 2025, and I can’t wait to see what kind of innovations Cameron offers us next.

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4. Marvel Zombies

Image by Marvel Studios

D23 also showed off the first footage of Marvel Zombies, an upcoming TV-MA series which will continue to explore the zombified universe introduced in the first season of What If…? in 2021. The series sees the return of Shang-Chi to the Marvel universe, a much-awaited return since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and the adult rating promises that the show will take a much darker, more mature route than other Marvel projects. Also, it’s a horror take on the MCU – and who doesn’t love horror?

While we have no official release date for Marvel Zombies, the series is expected to premiere on Disney Plus in 2024. The only downside to the whole thing is that the show is apparently only four episodes long which hardly seems long enough to explore the concept. On the other hand, it could be that if it ran for any longer, and it would overstay its welcome. Regardless, I and many other Marvel fans are very excited for Marvel Zombies, and are ready for a different take on a franchise in danger of growing stale.

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3. The Incredibles 3

Image by Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar fans were having a great time at D23 – first Toy Story news and now this?! Along with Toy Story, The Incredibles is up there competing for the title of the most beloved Pixar franchise, as well as being a genuinely appreciated set of movies in the superhero fandom. There was a huge wait between the first Incredibles movie and the sequel, but hopefully fans won’t be waiting that long for the third instalment in the franchise, as The Incredibles 3 has officially been announced at D23.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to say on this announcement aside from the fact that it exists, and Brad Bird is returning to direct, which is great news for the consistency of the franchise. The Incredibles movies have been lauded, both by critics and fans, and I hope that the third movie will be no different. With Bird at the helm, I’ve got trust in the film. Unsurprisingly, there’s no release date for The Incredibles 3 yet, but anything is better than the 14-year wait between the original and the sequel. 

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2. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Image by Marvel Studios

This one likely caught the eyes of all the comic book fans checking out D23, because the visual style of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a throwback straight to the Steve Ditko days. The series is a part of the MCU, but takes place in an alternate universe where Norman Osborn is Peter Parker’s mentor, as opposed to Tony Stark. The show also explores Spider-Man’s origin story, which has surprisingly not been explored in the MCU yet, with Tom Holland jumping right into the role from the start.

Hudson Thames will be returning to voice Peter Parker, reprising the role from What If…?, alongside appearances from other notable names, such as Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. Doctor Strange and Tony Stark will also be appearing in the series, and I can’t wait to see how this stylized show represents these beloved characters. While my confidence in Disney Plus streaming shows is justifiably shaky, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is another D23 show that looks so original, I can’t help but go all-in and get excited for it. The show is scheduled to debut in 2024.

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1. The Mandalorian & Grogu

Image by Lucasfilm

And here we have the biggest announcement for D23 2024, as fans were treated to first-look footage for the upcoming 2026 film, The Mandalorian & Grogu. Part of the reason why this announcement is so huge is that it is a continuation of The Mandalorian’s story, which has been one of the biggest triumphs to hit the Star Wars franchise in years. The film is also such a big deal, however, as it will be the first Star Wars movie to be released theatrically since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker – which had a mixed reception to say the least.

Though the footage is not available publicly, fans have reportedly been stunned by what was shown at D23, and I can’t wait for Disney to let us in on the action in the near future. If the movie can hold up to the quality that The Mandalorian has delivered as a series, then hopefully, it might just begin to return the Star Wars franchise to its days of cinematic glory. We’ll find out for definite when the movie hits the big screen on May 22, 2026.

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Conclusion

With so much announced, it was difficult to choose a top ten, but somehow, I managed. What was your favourite announcement from D23 2024? Are you most excited for one of the entries on our list, or have we missed anything major that you can’t wait to see? Are you excited for live-action Snow White, or do the CGI dwarves terrify you as much as they do me? Maybe the upcoming Lilo & Stitch adaptation takes the prize for your most anticipated D23 announcement? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and prepare for these big upcoming Disney projects!

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