Summary

• Disney continues to dominate the movie industry with upcoming releases, including sequels and live-action adaptations.
• The content of new releases from Disney ranges from popular franchises like Frozen and Moana to remakes of classics like Snow White.
• With acquisitions like 20th Century Fox, Disney's reach expands to include diverse genres like horror and sci-fi, promising a varied slate of upcoming movies.

Disney is considered the most successful movie studio of all time, with everything from original animated films to IPs it acquired, and there are many upcoming Disney movies up to 2029 and beyond. Disney has seen considerable success with live-action remakes like Cruella and Maleficent, as well as animated properties like Frozen II, and they're continuing to push the envelope into the 2020s with more in the Frozen series, another Inside Out movie, and two new live-action adaptations.

The studio has also continued releasing new movies directly to Disney+, including Pixar features. What the future holds now that Disney is steadily releasing several of the films from its acquisition of 20th Century Fox remains to be seen. Suffice it to say that movies released by Disney no longer adhere to such a close definition as they once did, given all the studios that operate under the entertainment giant's purview. But the upcoming release slate certainly includes a number of films that fit into that category. Here's a rundown of all upcoming Disney movies until 2027.

Inside Out 2 - June 14, 2024

Directed By Kelsey Mann

The first Pixar movie to release in 2024 is also the most anticipated, perhaps even among the wider list of upcoming Disney movies. After years of being a standalone movie, Inside Out finally has a sequel in the form of Inside Out 2, which was announced at D23 Expo and is scheduled for release on June 14, 2024. Already some details of this upcoming Pixar movie have come through about the plot, including that it will introduce new emotions, including Anxiety (Maya Hawke).

Amy Poehler will return as Joy, with Phyllis Smith becoming Sadness once again. Lewis Black is also back as Anger. Sadly, however, Mindy Kaling (Disgust) and Bill Hader (Fear) will not return for Inside Out 2. 2015's Inside Out was a high point for Pixar, so after the disappointing returns of Lightyear, it's understandable they'd want to return to what's seen as a safe bet. That being said, Pixar has spent the last few years balancing original content with sequels, so the success of Inside Out 2 will likely inform where Disney and Pixar keep their focus in future years.

Moana 2 - November 27, 2024

Directed By David G. Derrick

One of the greater surprises of 2024 is the news that the long-anticipated Moana Disney+ series has been reformatted into a full-feature movie, and Moana 2 will get a theatrical release on November 27, 2024. According to Disney CEO Bob Iger, the footage for Moana's continued story was just too good to leave only to streaming, so the decision was made to change gears fairly late in the game. Though there are certainly some risks associated with this, the idea of a Moana 2 is certainly exciting, especially considering the massive success that was the first film.

Moana 2 will see the return of Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced the titular princess in the 2016 movie. Additionally, Dwayne Johnson will again lend his voice to the larger-than-life demi-god, Maui. The animated sequel will come only seven months before the live-action remake of Moana (which was announced first) hits theaters in June 2025, so Johnson will be steeped in Moana work for the next couple of years.

Disney announced that Moana was the most streamed movie on Disney+, which is likely why the planned TV series was turned into Moana 2 instead.

Mufasa: The Lion King - December 20, 2024

Directed By Barry Jenkins

Among the upcoming Disney movies arriving in 2024 is Disney's Lion King prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King. The only known plot detail so far is that Mufasa is going to be an orphan and that Timon and Pumbaa will narrate. Barry Jenkins is directing Disney's Mufasa prequel, and it will no doubt show his life story, his history with Scar, and how he became king of the Pride Lands. Mufasa: The Lion King will have a theatrical release rather than stream directly to Disney+.

Mufasa: The Lion King will be a prequel to the 2019 CGI photorealistic The Lion King remake.

ELIO - June 13, 2025

Directed By Adrian Molina