Photo from FandomWire

Disney has made some very popular movies in the past but are planning to release more movies that may get even more attention in the years to come. With sequels to popular movies, Zootopia 2, Moana 2, Toy Story 5 and live action adaptations including Lilo & Stitch and Snow White being released, Disney is sure to have a busy year. They have also announced the filming of Elio, Tron: Ares, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Mufasa: The Lion King. While there are rumors for other films to come out, these films are the only ones that have been confirmed to release in the years of 2024-2026.

One of the first movies that people are talking about is the sequel of Moana, called Moana 2. This film is set to release in theaters on November 27, 2024 with the same voice actors as the first movie. These famous voices are Auli’i Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui. This movie is going to follow up with the story from the first Moana with new adventures in the Seas of Oceania. In an interview with Saugus High School tennis coach and English teacher, Mrs. Sindle, she says “Based on what I’ve seen in the trailer for Moana 2, it looks like there will be even more adventure with the same level of heart that the first one had. I love that there are returning and new characters!” This seemingly reflects the emotions of Moana lovers worldwide in response to Moana 2. There is also rumored to be a live action Moana movie in the works, but Disney has released no statement or confirmation on the matter.

Another sequel that has caught the attention of many is Zootopia 2. The first Zootopia film follows a rabbit named Judy Hopps voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin and a fox named Nick Wilde voiced by Jason Bateman. Police officer Judy Hopps works on a case and Nick Wilde had to join in, although he just makes her job even harder. There isn’t much information about what is going to happen in Zootopia 2, but due to the characters’ loving and relatable personalities, the sequel has gained interest from a variety of different audiences.

One of the most anticipated sequels that Disney has recently announced is Toy Story 5 set to release in 2026. The Toy Story franchise, which began in 1995, follows the journey of a boy named Andy’s toys. These toys include a space ranger action figure named Buzz Lightyear voiced by Tim Allen and a cowboy doll named Woody voiced by Tom Hanks. Following the incredible success of the first film, the storyline has already continued with three sequels, Toy Story 2 (1999), Toy Story 3 (2010), and Toy Story 4 (2019) leading Andy’s toys on new adventures, owners, and challenges. Toy Story 5 will follow the toys and the new obstacles of modern age technology.

With technological advances happening in the film industry, as well as the Pixar world of Toy Story, Disney has begun to remake fan-favorite films into live action adaptations. With the help of CGI, Disney has been able to understand and improve the quality of their live action films, including Aladdin, Peter Pan & Wendy, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan, and most recently The Little Mermaid. There are two major live action films that are set to be released in coming years: Snow White and Lilo & Stitch. The live action Snow White is an adaptation of the classic animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It is said to release on March 21st of 2025, starring Rachel Zefler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. This film is going to be a mix of a musical and a fantasy/romance movie, keeping key elements from the original Snow White animated film. The other live action movie, Lilo & Stitch does not yet have an official date of release but is expected to come out in 2025. In an interview with Saugus High School sophomore, Isabelle Russell she expresses that, “the live action Lilo and Stitch is going to be amazing because I’ve always wondered what Disney would do [with Stitch] if they made it live action!” Although there haven’t been many details about the movie, there have been pictures of production happening and also a movie poster showing how Stitch might look in the film!