D23 2026 came to an end this Sunday, August 16, after three days of presentations and major announcements involving some of the biggest franchises from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.
Held between August 14 and 16, 2026, the event featured trailers, teasers, new projects, and first looks at some of the most anticipated productions of the coming years.
Among the main highlights were Kingdom Hearts IV, the new Avengers: Doomsday, the official cast of the new X-Men, Frozen 3, Zootopia 3, The Incredibles 3, the second season of Ahsoka, and the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Tangled.
For video game fans, however, one of the biggest moments of the presentation was the reveal of new footage from Kingdom Hearts IV, including the world inspired by Coco and the confirmation of a new Kingdom Hearts animated series.
Kingdom Hearts IV Gets a Trailer Featuring the World of Coco
One of the biggest highlights of D23 2026 was the presentation of a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts IV. Square Enix and Disney revealed more details about Sora's next adventure, including a world inspired by the Pixar film Coco.
The new footage shows Sora entering the world of Coco, accompanied by Donald and Goofy. The characters receive new appearances adapted to the style of the Land of the Dead, while Sora also features a visual transformation inspired by the animation's aesthetic.
In addition to the new skins, the trailer showcases character interactions, exploration, combat, and different gameplay elements. The presentation also revealed a new Keyblade inspired by the world of Coco.
The footage also reinforces the importance of Quadratum, the city where Sora finds himself following the events of Kingdom Hearts III.
Franchise creator Tetsuya Nomura appeared during the presentation and discussed the integration between gameplay and the Disney and Pixar worlds.
The presentation also showed new mechanics, including segments starring Mickey Mouse, as well as the possibility of controlling Donald and Goofy at certain moments.
Kingdom Hearts IV is expected to arrive in late 2027.
Kingdom Hearts IV – extended trailer for the Coco world presented at D23 2026.
Kingdom Hearts Will Also Get an Animated Series
And the Kingdom Hearts news did not end with the fourth game's trailer. Disney also confirmed that the franchise will receive a new animated series.
The production is being developed for Disney Channel and Disney+ and will involve Tetsuya Nomura and the team associated with the development of Kingdom Hearts IV.
The project will feature an original story set within the Kingdom Hearts universe. An initial piece of artwork was presented during the event, showing Sora with his Keyblade.
Full details about the plot, characters, or release date have not yet been revealed. The production should therefore be considered a project in development at this point.
Avengers: Doomsday Showcases Doctor Doom's Power
Another major highlight of D23 2026 was Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel presented new footage from the highly anticipated film, placing Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom at the center of the threat.
Downey Jr.'s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes in a completely different role from Tony Stark. This time, the actor portrays Victor Von Doom, one of Marvel's greatest villains.
The new footage presented during D23 delves deeper into Doctor Doom's background, showing how a personal tragedy contributed to his transformation into a global-scale threat.
The trailer also demonstrates the character's immense power. In one of the most impressive scenes, Doctor Doom manages to stop an attack from Thor, while other footage shows the villain commanding a massive military threat involving the Sentinels.
The production will bring together characters from different corners of Marvel, including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, creating one of the biggest gatherings in MCU history.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
Material related to Avengers: Doomsday presented at Disney events.
Marvel Officially Confirms the New X-Men Cast
After weeks of speculation, Marvel finally confirmed the main cast of the new X-Men film during D23 2026. The announcement was led by Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, confirming several names that had already been rumored by fans in recent weeks.
- Sadie Sink — Jean Grey
- Kit Connor — Cyclops
- Christopher Abbott — Professor Xavier
- Samara Weaving — Emma Frost
- Inde Navarrette — Rogue
- Maya Boyd — Storm
- Adam Driver — Mr. Sinister
The presence of Sadie Sink as Jean Grey was already known, but D23 marked the actress's official presentation alongside the rest of the cast.
Among the biggest surprises was Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister, a character who is expected to play an important role in the new mutant story.
Actors Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott, Samara Weaving, Inde Navarrette, and Maya Boyd participated in the presentation related to the new film. Adam Driver was also confirmed as part of the cast.
The new X-Men film will be directed by Jake Schreier and is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.
Frozen 3 Gets Its First Major Look
Among the productions from Disney Animation, Frozen 3 received special attention during D23 2026.
The footage presented showed Anna and Kristoff preparing for their wedding, while Elsa and Olaf also appear in the new adventure.
The first look also introduced a mysterious new character who may be connected to the story's central conflict. The character's identity and true role have not yet been fully revealed.
The event also featured Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, and Josh Gad, who return as Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. The actors performed new songs from the film for the D23 audience.
Frozen 3 is scheduled to be released on November 24, 2027.
Sequels Announced: Zootopia 3, The Incredibles 3, and Coco 2
D23 2026 was also marked by a true wave of sequels. Unlike Frozen 3, which received more attention, other productions were only given brief announcements or short teasers.
Zootopia 3
Disney officially confirmed Zootopia 3, continuing the franchise starring Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Few details about the story were revealed during the event.
The Incredibles 3
Pixar also confirmed The Incredibles 3. The new production will continue following the Parr family and is expected to give greater attention to Bob and Helen's children as they take on increasingly prominent roles as young superheroes.
Camp Rock 3
D23 2026 also brought a surprise for fans who grew up watching the biggest hits of the Disney Channel: the return of Camp Rock. The new production brings back the musical franchise that captivated a generation with the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, using nostalgia for the original films to introduce a new story and a new generation of performers dreaming of stardom.
Coco 2
Pixar also confirmed Coco 2, scheduled for 2029.
The sequel will once again follow Miguel, now a teenager, and will feature the return of Ernesto de la Cruz.
The world of Coco will also continue on the big screen with Coco 2.
Ahsoka Returns for a Second Season
Star Wars fans also received news during D23. Disney presented the first teaser for the second season of Ahsoka.
The new season will continue the story involving Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and Grand Admiral Thrawn, expanding on the conflict introduced in the first season.
The teaser also shows the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker and introduces Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll, taking over the role previously played by Ray Stevenson.
The second season of Ahsoka will premiere on Disney+ on January 20, 2027.
Ahsoka – Season 2: teaser presented at D23 2026.
Tangled Gets a Live-Action Adaptation
Another announcement that caught attention was the first look at the live-action adaptation of Tangled. The production will star Teagan Croft as Rapunzel, Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider, and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel.
The footage presented during D23 showed the characters' first looks and costumes, aiming to preserve recognizable elements from the original animated film.
The film will be directed by Michael Gracey and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on March 31, 2028.
A D23 Dominated by Major Franchises
D23 2026 made it clear that Disney will continue to invest heavily in its biggest franchises over the coming years.
For video game fans, Kingdom Hearts IV was probably one of the biggest highlights of the entire event. The confirmation of the Coco world, along with new gameplay footage, showed that the partnership between Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix continues to push the franchise's boundaries.
The confirmation of a Kingdom Hearts animated series makes the moment even more significant. The franchise, which began as a video game series in 2002, will now have the opportunity to explore new stories through animation as well.
In theaters, Avengers: Doomsday promises to be one of Marvel's biggest events, particularly because of Robert Downey Jr.'s transformation into Doctor Doom and the reunion of different teams and generations from the MCU.
The X-Men, meanwhile, finally received an official cast for their new phase within the MCU. Although many of the names had already been rumored, the confirmation of Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott, Samara Weaving, Inde Navarrette, Maya Boyd, and Adam Driver puts an end to months of speculation and introduces a casting lineup worthy of the X-Men characters.
Meanwhile, Frozen 3, Zootopia 3, The Incredibles 3, Coco 2, Ahsoka 2, and Tangled show that Disney intends to continue investing in established properties while also introducing new stories.
Among all the announcements, however, Kingdom Hearts IV stands out especially for video game fans. The combination of Coco, new gameplay mechanics, and a future animated series turned the franchise into one of the major talking points of D23 2026.
And what was the biggest announcement of D23 2026 for you? Kingdom Hearts IV, Avengers: Doomsday, the new X-Men, Frozen 3, or one of the other productions presented?
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