What Might We See at D23? Predictions for the Disney Entertainment Showcase
The world-class storytellers of The Walt Disney Company will once again take center stage at the Honda Center for the Disney Entertainment Showcase. Guests can expect surprise celebrity appearances, exclusive first looks at upcoming films and series, exciting announcements, and unforgettable musical performances. The star-studded presentation promises to celebrate the stories audiences already love while offering an exclusive preview of what's next across Disney's theatrical films, television, games, and live stage productions.
While the parks may traditionally dominate fan conversations, this presentation is an opportunity to remind audiences that Disney's storytelling reaches far beyond the theme parks. This year's showcase is also expanding its scope, with video games joining films, television, and Broadway-style productions as featured parts of the presentation. Disney has remained characteristically secretive about exactly what will be discussed, but there are enough clues to make some educated guesses about what fans may see when the lights go down.
Animation feels like the safest place to start. This year's Hexed is all but guaranteed to receive a significant spotlight, likely with new footage and appearances from its voice cast. Looking ahead, Pixar's Gatto and Walt Disney Animation Studios' Frozen III seem equally likely to receive their first substantial presentations. Both projects represent the future of Disney animation, and D23 has historically been the place where the company begins introducing audiences to these highly anticipated films. Pixar's Incredibles 3 also feels like a natural inclusion, even if it is still early in production, simply because of the enormous enthusiasm surrounding the return of the Parr family.
Beyond those officially announced projects, Disney could use the showcase to further flesh out the futures of some of its biggest franchises. Moana 2 and Zootopia 2 hinted that additional stories were already being considered. If those plans have progressed, D23 would be an ideal venue to officially acknowledge Moana 3 or Zootopia 3. Even if those films are still years away, planting those seeds would reinforce Disney's growing emphasis on building long-term franchises rather than standalone hits.
Marvel Studios presents a more interesting challenge. Kevin Feige and company recently generated plenty of headlines at San Diego Comic-Con with updates on Avengers: Doomsday, Ghost Rider, and Black Panther 3. However, that presentation largely focused on theatrical releases, leaving Disney+ almost entirely absent from the conversation. D23 would provide the perfect opportunity to shift that focus back toward streaming, particularly with VisionQuest on the horizon. Likewise, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day now in theaters, Marvel may finally feel comfortable sharing more concrete details about the long-awaited new class of X-Men.
Predicting Lucasfilm's portion of the presentation is perhaps the most difficult exercise. With Star Wars Celebration arriving next April, Disney may choose to hold back many of its biggest announcements. Even so, it would be surprising if the company didn't acknowledge the approaching 50th anniversary of Star Wars. That milestone deserves a celebration worthy of one of the most influential franchises in entertainment history, and D23 could begin laying the groundwork for how Disney plans to commemorate the occasion across film, television, publishing, consumer products, and the parks. While Star Wars: Starfighter will undoubtedly be a centerpiece of Celebration, D23 still feels like an appropriate place for another appearance from former Mouseketeer Ryan Gosling.
Another franchise that has been a bit quiet as of late is Avatar. While we are over three years away from the fourth film’s current release date, perhaps we might get a taste of what is to come. And while this is not the Disney Experiences presentation, we may also get more information about how that project will connect with the upcoming Avatar films. Let’s not forget that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was actually revealed during the Studios presentation and not Parks.
Television offers perhaps the widest range of possibilities. Disney Kids & Family has quietly assembled an intriguing slate, and several projects seem tailor-made for a D23 audience. A pilot for a revived The Mickey Mouse Club has reportedly already been filmed, making this an ideal venue to officially introduce the series if it moves forward. Likewise, Disney fans remain eager to learn whether The Muppet Show revival has a long-term future after its return.
The timing also aligns well for several Disney Channel and Disney+ projects. With Camp Rock 3 arriving on Disney+, perhaps audiences will receive their first glimpse at the Worlds Collide concert tour. Additional footage from Coven Academy and Zombies 5 also feels likely as Disney continues investing in franchises that resonate with younger audiences while maintaining strong nostalgic appeal for longtime fans.
Live stage productions remain one of the biggest unanswered questions from the previous D23. Last year's announcement of The Greatest Showman stage musical generated enormous excitement, but updates have been relatively scarce outside of its developmental run in the United Kingdom. D23 feels like the logical place to provide fans with a clearer roadmap for the production's future, whether that means a Broadway timeline or another international engagement. Likewise, Disney's previously announced Coco musical remains one of the company's most intriguing theatrical projects, and audiences are undoubtedly hoping for casting news, creative details, or even a first musical performance.
Video games will make their Disney Entertainment Showcase debut this year, and it will be fascinating to see just how prominent they become. Epic Games' ongoing partnership with Disney is expected to play a significant role as the companies continue building their ambitious shared entertainment universe. However, fans would appreciate a substantial update on Kingdom Hearts IV. With a dedicated Kingdom Hearts deep dive scheduled later during D23, the Entertainment Showcase could serve as the perfect stage for a taste before the more in-depth opportunity the following day.
Perhaps the project most likely to resonate with this particular audience, however, is Jon Favreau's upcoming Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series for Disney+. In many ways, the project represents a full-circle moment for The Walt Disney Company. One of Bob Iger's earliest signature accomplishments as CEO was negotiating the return of Oswald to Disney, restoring a character that had been absent from the company for nearly 80 years. Now, as Disney prepares to usher in its next creative era, Oswald is once again becoming a part of the company's future. There is perhaps no more fitting symbol of Disney honoring its past while embracing its future than seeing Walt Disney's original animated star return in a brand-new series from one of the company's most accomplished storytellers. If Favreau takes the stage to reveal more about the project, it could very well become one of the emotional highlights of the entire showcase
But in the end, we don’t truly know what will be revealed, what celebrities will attend, and what surprises are in store. While guessing is fun, watching the presentation unfold with all of its surprises and reveals is more fun when we get the unexpected. We shall see what happens.