By Rebecca Roberts
Elm Copy Editor
On Aug. 15, Disney’s D23 event provided fans with special looks at what the company has planned for their theme parks, rides, and cruises, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. D23 is the official fan club for the Walt Disney company.
Neil Patrick Harris hosted the three-day event. Special guests included Darren Criss, Skylar Astin, Megan Hilty, Tig Notaro, and Jack McBrayer. Sheryl Crow, Beck, Los Lobos, and Gloria Gaynor also gave special performances.
According to ABC News, “D23 is the place where news is made for fans of Disney’s theme parks, characters, and more.”
There will be two new attractions at the Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure: Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab, opening in 2028. Some actors will reprise their roles for both attractions. A new “Coco” ride will be introduced in the park as well; the storyline set one year after the first movie.
According to the official D23 website, “Imagineers are working closely with Pixar Animation Studios to nod to the original film and its upcoming sequel, ‘Coco 2.’”
Disney also introduced Villains Land, which will include characters like Cruella de Vil, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent. A ride themed on the Magic Mirror from ‘Snow White’ has also been announced. The opening date of Villains Land is unknown.
Opening in 2027 at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios is “Monstropolis” — a park based on the Monsters Inc. movies. This area will also feature a song composed by Randy Newman called “Welcome to Monstropolis.”
Disney Cruise Line has also made a few announcements. The Disney Believe will set sail in 2027, and a new class of ships will come in 2029.
Many of the movies announced at this event are set to be released within the next few years. “Frozen 3” is set to release on Nov. 24, 2027. “Hexed” will come out on Nov 25. A new animated short called “Lilo and Scratch” will be included with theatrical screenings of “Hexed.” The live action “Lilo and Stitch” will be getting a second movie on May 28, 2028.
From the Marvel universe, “Avengers Doomsday” releases on Dec 18. This is the first big Avengers movie since the release of “Avengers Endgame” in 2019. A new “X-Men” is coming to theaters on May 5, 2028. The new cast of “X-Men” will include Adam Driver, Kit Conner, Christopher Abbott, Samara Weaving, Inde Navarrette, Maya Boyd, and Sadie Sink.
Work on “Zootopia 3” was announced with no official release date mentioned. A new Star Wars film will release May 28, 2027. “Star Wars: Starfighter” will feature Ryan Gosling as the main character Kade Auberon.
Disney also announced the continuination of several series; season two of “Ahsoka” is set to be released in Jan. 2027, the first season having been released in 2023. Season three of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is set to release on Disney+ on Nov 20. and is said to be the darkest season yet.
“Season 2 was coming out while we were filming Season 3, so we would get live updates on what people think we could do better, and we would just do it better,” titular actor Walker Scobell said.
The D23 convention is meant to celebrate the love that people have for the company. Showcasing their new projects is Disney’s way of showing their love for the fans.
“Events like this allow us to celebrate the incredible connection fans have with Disney while sharing our vision for the future and the stories, adventures, and memories we’re creating next,” Chairman of Disney Experiences Thomas Mazloum said.
Although held biannually in the US, Singapore’s D23 fan event is set for late June 2027.
Information on specific announcements and ticket purchasing can be found on the official D23 website.
Photo Caption: Disney’s D23 includes updates on parks.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons