Disney D23 2026: Marvel, Star Wars, and Square Enix unveil slate of new projects
The annual Disney fan event revealed significant updates across Marvel Studios, Star Wars, and gaming divisions, setting release dates for major film and television properties while teasing new hardware support for long-running franchises.
Disney’s D23 2026 event, held in Anaheim on Friday, provided a comprehensive look at the studio’s upcoming content pipeline, with Marvel Studios taking centre stage. Following the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which introduced Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, the studio officially welcomed the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. An untitled X-Men film is scheduled for theatrical release on May 5, 2028, with a cast that includes Sink, Kit Connor as Scott Summers, Christopher Abbott as Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Maya Boyd as Storm, and Inde Navarrette as Rogue. Adam Driver has been cast as the villain Nathaniel Milbury, also known as Mister Sinister.
The event also featured a new trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, presented by Kevin Feige alongside Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Hayley Atwell. The film is set for release on December 18. On the streaming front, Disney+ announced VisionQuest, which premieres on October 14. The series serves as the conclusion to the trilogy that began with WandaVision. The plot follows the titular hero as he wrestles with his identity, interacts with Ultron in human avatar form, and searches for a potential son.
Star Wars updates included a teaser trailer for the second season of Ahsoka and a special look at Star Wars: Starfighter, which features an appearance by Ryan Gosling. The event also touched upon other properties, with mentions of new developments for Pixar, The Simpsons, and Bluey, though specific details for these titles were not elaborated upon in the primary announcements.
In the gaming sector, Square Enix teased Kingdom Hearts IV, marking the first all-new entry in the series since Kingdom Hearts III in 2019. The title is confirmed for release on Switch 2, PS5, Xbox, and PC, although no specific release date has been provided. A commemorative RPG session is scheduled for August 15 at 7:30 PM ET to mark the franchise’s 25th anniversary, featuring insights from the creative team and voice actors.
Additionally, Square Enix announced a compilation of the first three Kingdom Hearts titles for the Switch 2, releasing on October 8. A demo of Kingdom Hearts III is currently available for players. The event also noted the announcement of an original Kingdom Hearts anime series for Disney+ and Disney Channel, with a teaser showing a keyblade wielder, though plot details and the identity of the central figure remain unconfirmed by Disney.
