Disney D23 Expo 2019 Announcements: Everything you need to know

Disney made quite a few announcements at their D23 Expo from films to theme parks & more.

Disney+

Disney gave us our first look at some of the exclusive content coming to their streaming service, Disney+ including The Mandalorian, High School Music: The Musical: The Series, Lady and the Tramp, The World According to Jeff Goldblum.

You can read more about all the upcoming Disney+ Originals here.

The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian follows the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

The 10-episode scripted series, set at the real-life East High, where the original movie was filmed, follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

In the timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.

Noelle

In the upcoming holiday comedy, Kris Kringle’s daughter is full of Christmas spirit and holiday fun, but wishes she could do something “important” like her beloved brother Nick (Bill Hader), who will take over from their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle (Anna Kendrick) suggests he take a break and get away…but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

Through Goldblum’s always inquisitive and highly entertaining mind, nothing is as it seems in this new 12-episode series.

Encore!

In the unscripted series, Encore! that brings together former castmates of high school musicals, tasking them with re-creating their original performance years after they last performed it, in a high school reunion like no other. 

In addition to the series mentioned above, Disney announced a few new series coming to Disney+:

Ewan McGregor will be reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a new Disney+ series from Lucasfilm. Production on the Obi-Wan Disney+ Series is to begin in 2020 but no release date has been announced.

Marvel is working on three new live-action Disney+ series including Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight and She-Hulk.

A new Lizzie McGuire sequel series is coming to Disney+ with Hilary Duff and original series creator Terri Minsky.

A new unscripted short-form series starring The Muppets called Muppets Now is coming Disney+ and will feature Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang.

Previously announced Disney+ Originals have been given release dates including Togo (coming in December 2019), Diary of a Female President (coming in January 2020), Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (coming early 2020) and Stargirl (coming early 2020).

A new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is set to premiere in February 2020 on Disney+.

Emily VanCamp will also be reprising her role as Sharon Carter in the upcoming The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, which is coming in Fall 2020.

Disney Live-Action Films

Disney also announced some details about their upcoming live-action and animated films.

Here’s the new poster for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. 

The film is set to be released on December 20th, 2019.

After announced their Phase 4 slate of films and shows at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel announced a release date for Black Panther 2 (working title). Writer-director Ryan Coogler will be returning for the sequel, it releases on May 6th, 2022.

Kit Harington (of Game of Thrones fame) will be joining Marvel’s The Eternals and will play Dane Whitman. The Eternals is set to be released on November 6th, 2020.

Disney also gave us a glimpse at the upcoming prequel film, Cruella with Emma Stone in the iconic role. Cruella is set to be released on May 28th, 2021.

Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios

Pete Docter’s upcoming Pixar film, Soul takes place From the streets of New York City to the never-before-seen cosmic realms and “The You Seminar,” the fantastical place where we all discover our unique personalities.

Soul stars Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz. Tina Fey will be voicing 22, who is a soul-in-training that has an unexpected encounter with Joe after he finds his way to “The You Seminar.” The film also stars Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Phylicia Rashad and Daveed Diggs.

Musician Jon Batiste will be writing original jazz music for the film and Oscar-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will be producing an original score for Soul. 

Soul opens in theatres on November 20th, 2020.

Coming in November 2020 is Disney Animation Studios’ next film called Raya and the Last Dragon which is about Raya, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra who teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world.

Awkwafina voices Sisu, the Last Dragon and Cassie Steele does the voice of Raya. The film is being directed by Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins (Big Hero 6, Frozen), produced by Osnat Shurer (Moana) and written by Adele Lam (Crazy Rich Asians).

Raya and the Last Dragon releases on March 12th, 2021.

Theme Parks

Disney made a couple of announcements and updates to some attractions coming to Disney Parks around the world.

The previously announced Marvel-themed lands coming to Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Paris is now called Avengers Campus.

Avengers Campus will feature a ride-through attraction that features everyone’s favourite web-slinger, Spider-Man. The attraction will give guests a feel for what it’s like to have superpowers and sling webs and help Spider-Man collect Spider-Bots.

A new E-Ticket attraction at Avengers Campus will have guests fly alongside the Avengers in an epic adventure to Wakanda. This attraction will open in Phase 2 of the Avengers Campus area.

There will also be the Pym Test Kitchen where Pym Technologies will use the latest innovation to grow and shrink food. Guests will also be able to have heroic encounters with Ant-Man and The Wasp, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Super Heroes from Wakanda and Asgard,
and Iron Man.

Meanwhile, at Disneyland Paris, a new hotel, Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel is set to open in Summer 2020 and will celebrate 80 years of Marvel art and artists.

Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser is the official name for the Star Wars-themed hotel that is coming to Walt Disney World. Guests will board the Halcyon and you’ll get stellar views into space and embark on a two-night adventure including special activities, dining and a “spaceport” day on Batuu at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Disney hasn’t said when Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser will open but work is currently underway.

Epcot

In addition, Epcot is currently underway with a “timeless transformation” across all parts of the park.

Changes and additions to World Showcase at Epcot will include, a new Mary Poppins theme attraction at the United Kingdom pavilion and bring Cherry Tree Lane to life.

HarmonioUS is a new nighttime spectacular that is the largest ever for a Disney park.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is set to open in Summer 2020 at the France pavilion along with a new restaurant called La Crêperie de Paris.

Also in the France pavilion is the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along coming in January 2020.

Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360 is set to be updated with new scenes and a new story in January 2020 at the Canada pavilion.

In the China pavilion will see the addition of Wondrous China which is a completely seamless 360-degree digital film that takes guests across China.

At the World Celebration section of Epcot, Spaceship Earth will be given new scenes that reflect the universal nature of the human experience with a new narration. This section of the park will also get a new area called Dreamers Point that will offer breathtaking views, lush gardens, a wishing tree, new interactive fountain and a statue celebrating Walt Disney.

In the new World Nature section of Epcot, a new Moana-based attraction called Journey of Water will feature a lush exploration trail where guests can meet and play with magical, living water.

Awesome Planet is a new film for The Land pavilion that will debut in January 2020.

In the World Discovery section of Epcot, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind rollercoaster will tell a never-before-seen story.

The space-themed restaurant called Space 220 will open later his year and feature an “out-of-this-world” culinary experience with daytime and nighttime views of Earth.

Opening in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World in 2021, the PLAY! pavilion will feature an interactive metropolis with games, activities and more.

A new Zootopic-theme land is coming to Shanghai Disney Resort. It will feature a new attraction that blends storytelling and state-of-the-art technology.

Source: Disney, (2), (3)