Disney is hoping for a field workplace rebound constructed on sequels, prequels and pixie mud

When Disney CEO Bob Iger stepped onto the stage on the Honda Middle in Anaheim, California on Friday evening, the group erupted. Some 12,000 Disney followers rose to their ft and cheered, leaving the 73 year-old government grinning vast as he tried to quiet them again down.

“I used to be going to say good night and thanks for that heat welcome, however that was greater than a heat welcome,” Iger stated to these gathered for Disney’s first showcase at its biannual D23 Expo.

It is the primary time in 5 years that Iger has attended the exposition occasion for Disney’s greatest followers, as he briefly retired from his place as chief government for almost two years earlier than returning to the helm in November 2022.

His absence coincided with a downturn in Disney’s theatrical enterprise which, like different studios was disrupted by pandemic shutdowns and twin Hollywood labor strikes. But, the corporate’s post-pandemic field workplace was additionally beset by government selections to extend content material manufacturing to pad its fledgling streaming service Disney+. Iger himself has admitted on quite a few events that Disney sacrificed high quality for amount and it was his aim upon returning to proper the ship.

On Friday, he opened an explosive — typically actually, as Disney loves to make use of pyrotechnics — three-hour lengthy presentation that detailed a number of theatrical movies, tv sequence and stage productions coming over the following few years.

As the corporate seeks to rebuild its fame and recapture magic on the field workplace, it’s relying closely on current, and beloved, franchises. And, when it does enterprise into new territory, it’s tapping tried-and-true expertise in entrance of and behind the digital camera.

Its newest Pixar movie, “Inside Out 2,” is now the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, topping $1.5 billion on the international field workplace. Its first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe flick — “Deadpool & Wolverine” — broke opening weekend data for an R-rated movie and is ready to surpass the $1 billion mark as early as this weekend.

To open Friday’s leisure showcase, Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson joined a crew of Polynesian dancers and drummers to carry out a music from the upcoming “Moana 2.” The hotly anticipated sequel to 2016′s “Moana” arrives in theaters in the course of the Thanksgiving vacation and is anticipated to turn into Disney’s third billion-dollar movie launched in 2024, in line with field workplace analysts.

Whereas the primary movie generated rather less than $700 million on the international field workplace, viewers fervor for extra “Moana” content material is predicted to drive excessive ticket gross sales in November. In any case, it was probably the most streamed movie of 2023.

Sequels and prequels are theme for Disney, and throughout the board in Hollywood. Whereas Iger has cautioned buyers prior to now that the corporate will probably be extra selective about which previous tales it continues to discover, its leisure showcase featured quite a few additions to in style franchises.

This was notably obvious at each of its animation studios. Of the seven theatrical titles Disney touted throughout Friday’s presentation, 5 have been from current franchises — “Moana 2,” “Toy Story 5,” “Zootopia 2,” “Frozen III” and “Incredibles 3.”

It is no shock Disney goes again to the effectively with these movies. The Toy Story franchise has generated $3.2 billion on the international field workplace, the 2 Frozen movies surpassed $2.7 billion worldwide, the 2 Incredibles movies tallied $1.8 billion globally and “Zootopia” reached $1 billion worldwide throughout its run in 2016.

Followers got glimpses of the 2 unique titles coming from Disney — “Elio” and “Hoppers” — which had two drastically completely different tones. One follows a younger boy to outer area as he’s mistaken for the chief of Earth the opposite facilities on a younger lady who “hops” into the physique of a robotic beaver so as to go undercover within the animal world.

After all, there’s some star energy behind these titles. “Elio” is directed by Adrian Molina, who co-wrote 2017’s “Coco” and can function Zoe Saldana (“Avatar,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”) as a part of the voice solid. “Hoppers” has Jon Hamm (“Mad Males”) and Bobby Moynihan (“Saturday Night time Dwell”) voicing characters.

It is clear that Disney’s technique throughout all of its studios is to offer audiences with a number of acquainted favorites alongside a handful of recent entrants.

At Lucasfilm, its first Star Wars function movie since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker” arrives in 2026 and is titled “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The flick will observe the a lot beloved duo from “The Mandalorian.” Footage from Friday’s panel confirmed Mando and Grogu on an icy planet battling stormtroopers and AT-ATs.

Lucasfilm can also be set to launch the second season of “Andor,” a sequence that takes place earlier than “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and follows the reluctant hero Cassian Andor as he traverses a world choked by the Galactic Empire.

Amidst these in style tales additionally comes “Skeleton Crew,” which as been billed as a “Goonies”-like journey sequence. It stars Jude Legislation alongside a solid of 4 children who by accident jettison themselves off into area and get misplaced within the stars.

There are two extra Star Wars function movies on the calendar — dated December 2026 and December 2027 — however it’s unclear who will direct them or what storyline Disney will heart upon. Star Wars stays one of many prime franchises on the international field workplace having generated greater than $10 billion in ticket gross sales since 1977’s “A New Hope” hit theaters.

Different sequels coming to the massive display screen from Disney within the coming years additionally embrace the third Avatar movie titled “Avatar: Fireplace and Ash,” a “Freaky Friday” sequel known as “Freakier Friday” and a 3rd “Tron” movie known as “Tron: Ares.” There will even be a live-action remake of “Snow White” hitting theaters in March and a “Lilo and Sew” live-action movie coming later in 2025.