By C. J. De Mel, Jadetimes News
Disney spoke at the highly anticipated D23 event in California, appeasing fans with a number of major announcements, particularly the very highly anticipated titles of new films and exciting updates to much loved franchises. Among the biggest updates shared were James Cameron's third Avatar, a new Star Wars movie, and a Freaky Friday sequel to one of its cult favorites.
James Cameron Teases Avatar: Fire And Ash
In a surprise appearance, James Cameron, director of Avatar, surprised the audience of 12,000 plus with the announcement of Avatar: Fire And Ash, the third chapter in his blockbuster franchise. With a December 19, 2025 release date, Cameron promised that the new movie will be "not what you expect, definitely what you want." Although he didn't say too much yet, he couldn't help but share footage on how development is going—that is, by way of its very special concept art. Showcasing characters in dazzling new biomes full of fire and sky elements, it was sure that Avatar 2 wasn't anything of the past. All of whom he gave vague hints, pointing to new cultures, creatures, and settings on Pandora, expanding the universe in ways never before realized.
A New Chapter in Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
It was a good day at the office for fans of the Star Wars saga, too, as Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni sprung a surprise with their announcement of a brand-new film, The Mandalorian And Grogu, starring Pedro Pascal. Production has just commenced for the film, due to return Star Wars to the big screen in May 2026. This new addition will further cement the bond between the titular Mandalorian and lovable Grogu as it whisks them through adventures in a galaxy far, far away.
Standing ovation: Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis rejoin in Freakier Friday
Also reunited on stage to a standing ovation Wednesday were Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, promoting their upcoming movie Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 comedy Freaky Friday. Slated for release in 2025, Curtis called the film "more fun and more emotional" than the original, while Lohan expressed the pleasure of revisiting her role alongside Curtis. Now to be seen playing Anna Coleman, a mom herself, Lohan's character is in for a whole new tricky misadventure of body-switching, with familiar faces Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon returning to join in.
More Blockbusters in the Pipeline: Frozen, The Incredibles, and Toy Story
If that was not enough, a spate of announcements about beloved animated franchises made fans swoon. Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter disclosed that The Incredibles 3 is greenlit at last, along with the returning Brad Bird attached as writer and director. On the other hand, Jennifer Lee, a director from Frozen, hinted that not one but two new Frozen films are currently underway to set right unanswered questions from its second installment. They also shared some concept art from Frozen 3, which comes out in 2027.
In other news, Lin-Manuel Miranda offered a preview of a new song called I Always Wanted a Brother as part of the upcoming Lion King prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King. Already elated to work with an Academy Award-winning director like Barry Jenkins, and now that anticipation for the movie is at all-time highs, he did his best to raise expectations even more.
The event was capped off by Toy Story star Tom Hanks, who sat on a panel with some of the original creators of the franchise in celebration of a legacy left behind. Fans were also given a nostalgic look back at the franchise, including one handwritten list of possible Woody dialogue lines circa 1993. One of the three phrases noted was Hanks's iconic "there's a snake in my boot," revealing the ever-enduring charm of the Toy Story franchise, to see its next installment in 2026.
The event once more turned out to be a treasure trove of announcements, thus fanning the excitement and anticipation among Disney fans across the globe in waiting for these new cinematic adventures.
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