Disney expects box office rebound based on sequels, prequels and pixie dust

When Disney On Friday night, when Chief Executive Bob Iger took the stage at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, the crowd erupted. Some 12,000 Disney fans stood and applauded, while the 73-year-old executive smiled widely as he tried to calm them down.

“I was going to say good night and thank you for that warm welcome, but it was more than a warm welcome,” Iger told those gathered for Disney's first presentation at its biannual D23 Expo.

It is the first time in five years that Iger has attended the showcase event for Disney's biggest fans, having briefly stepped down from his role as CEO for nearly two years before returning to the helm in November 2022.

His absence coincided with a slump in Disney’s theatrical business, which, like other studios, was hurt by pandemic shutdowns and labor strikes in Hollywood. However, the company’s post-pandemic box office was also hurt by executive decisions to ramp up content production to bolster its fledgling Disney+ streaming service. Iger himself has admitted on numerous occasions that Disney sacrificed quality for quantity and that his goal in returning was to right the ship.

On Friday, he kicked off an explosive (sometimes literally, as Disney loves to use pyrotechnics) three-hour presentation detailing a slew of theatrical films, television series and stage productions coming out in the coming years.

In its quest to rebuild its reputation and recapture the magic of the box office, the company is leaning heavily on existing, much-loved franchises. And when it ventures into new territory, it turns to tried-and-true talent in front of and behind the camera.

Heading into D23, Disney had two big blockbusters under its belt from two major franchises.

His latest Pixar film, “Inside Out 2,” is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time, surpassing $1.5 billion at the global box office. His first R-rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Deadpool & Wolverine,” broke opening weekend records for an R-rated film and is projected to surpass the $1 billion mark this weekend.

To open Friday's entertainment showcase, Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson joined a group of Polynesian dancers and drummers to perform a song from the upcoming “Moana 2.” The highly anticipated sequel to 2016's “Moana” hits theaters over the Thanksgiving holiday and is expected to become Disney's third billion-dollar film released in 2024, according to box office analysts.

While the first film generated just under $700 million at the global box office, audiences' fervor for more “Moana” content is expected to boost ticket sales in November. After all, it was the most-streamed movie of 2023.

Sequels and prequels are a recurring theme at Disney and in Hollywood. While Iger has warned investors in the past that the company will be more selective about which past stories it continues to explore, its entertainment catalog included numerous additions to popular franchises.

This was particularly evident at Disney's two animation studios. Of the seven titles Disney unveiled at Friday's presentation, five were from existing franchises: “Moana 2,” “Toy Story 5,” “Zootopia 2,” “Frozen III” and “Incredibles 3.”

It's no surprise that Disney is getting back on track with these films. The Toy Story franchise has generated $3.2 billion at the global box office, the two Frozen films have grossed more than $2.7 billion worldwide, the two Incredibles films have grossed $1.8 billion worldwide and “Zootopia” hit $1 billion worldwide during its 2016 run.

Fans were treated to a few details from Disney's two original titles, “Elio” and “Hoppers,” which had two drastically different tones. One follows a boy who travels to outer space and is mistaken for Earth's leader; the other centers on a girl who “hops” inside the body of a robotic beaver to infiltrate the animal world.

Of course, there are stars behind these titles. “Elio” is directed by Adrian Molina, who co-wrote “Coco” in 2017, and will feature Zoe Saldana (“Avatar,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”) as part of the voice cast. “Hoppers” has Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”) and Bobby Moynihan (“Saturday Night Live”) lending their voices to the characters.

It's clear that Disney's strategy across all of its studios is to offer audiences a selection of their usual favorites along with a handful of new entrants.

At Lucasfilm, its first Star Wars movie since 2019's “The Rise of Skywalker” is coming in 2026 and is titled “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The film will follow the much-loved duo from “The Mandalorian.” Footage from Friday's panel showed Mando and Grogu on an ice planet battling stormtroopers and AT-ATs.

Lucasfilm is also set to release a second season of “Andor,” a series that takes place before “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and follows reluctant hero Cassian Andor as he traverses a world under siege by the Galactic Empire.

Among these popular stories is “Skeleton Crew,” which has been promoted as a “Goonies”-style adventure series. It stars Jude Law and a cast of four kids who accidentally launch themselves into space and become lost among the stars.

There are two more Star Wars films on the calendar, scheduled for release in December 2026 and December 2027, but it's unclear who will direct them or what storyline Disney will focus on. Star Wars remains one of the highest-grossing franchises in the world, having generated more than $10 billion in ticket sales since 1977's “A New Hope” hit theaters.

Other sequels Disney is bringing to the big screen in the coming years include a third Avatar film titled “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” a sequel to “Freaky Friday” called “Freakier Friday” and a third “Tron” film called “Tron: Ares.” There will also be a live-action remake of “Snow White” hitting theaters in March and a live-action “Lilo and Stitch” movie coming later in 2025.

Marvel Studios is undergoing a shakeup. The studio is in the process of balancing stories centered around its existing characters while trying to bring in new heroes (and villains).

It was always going to be tough for Marvel to move forward after “Avengers: Endgame,” but few foresaw the precipitous fall that the beloved studio would take. In the wake of Thanos’ defeat, Disney released 10 TV series (some with multiple seasons) and a dozen theatrical films. The overabundance of content felt like a chore for audiences who once embraced all things Marvel — and, worse, much of what was being released wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's nadir came with 2023's “The Marvels,” which generated the lowest domestic opening ($46.1 million) and lowest global box office gross ($200 million) for the franchise in history.

Looking ahead, the studio appears to be limiting the number of series it produces for Disney+ and keeping its focus on the big screen. While Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige surprised audiences at San Diego Comic Con just a few weeks ago with the reveal of new movie titles and the jaw-dropping announcement that Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., would be reprising his role as Doctor Doom, he still had a few things to share with the D23 crowd.

In addition to “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts*,” “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” “Blade,” “Avengers: Judgment Day” (formerly titled “Avengers: Kang Dynasty) and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” Marvel has three television series coming to Disney+ in the coming years.

“Agatha All Along” is set to premiere in September and centers on villain Agatha Harkness from 2021’s “Wandavision,” who seeks to regain her powers alongside a coven of other witches. Kathryn Hahn reprises her role as the titular Agatha and joins a cast that includes Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone.

“Ironheart,” starring the character Riri Williams who appeared in 2022's “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” is set to premiere in 2025 alongside a remake of “Daredevil: Born Again.” Notably, the Daredevil series features the entire main cast who starred in the Netflix series “Daredevil.”

The D23 audience cheered Marvel's announcements, a sign that interest in the superhero genre has not waned. This fervor combined with the studios' new strategy could put the MCU back on track.

Of course, Ryan Reynolds might want some credit considering the recent performance of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” In a pre-recorded video for Friday’s presentation, Reynolds thanked Disney and Marvel for allowing the film to poke fun at the studio.

“It's my way of showing love,” he said. “And, of course, saving the studio.”

Since the first MCU film was released in 2008, the franchise has generated over $30 billion at the box office. The MCU is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time and one of the most consistent ticket sales drivers in cinema history.

“There's nothing we love more than to entertain you, to thrill you, to surprise you and to fill your hearts with joy and wonder,” Iger said Friday. “And we know that when we do all of those things, we're doing our job right.”