Disney+ Sizzle Reel

Some days it seems like there isn’t a lot going on in the entertainment world, and then there’s today.

First Taylor Swift announced she was releasing evermore, the “sister album” to the recently-dropped folklore tonight at midnight, which would have been pretty big news had it not been swept away by the cavalcade of announcements issued today at the Disney Investors Day presentation.

Ten Marvel series, ten Star Wars series, fifteen Disney live-action, Disney Animation, and Pixar series, and fifteen all-new Disney live-action, Disney Animation, and Pixar features are all coming to Disney+ in the next few years.

That’s a head-spinning amount of new programming. And it may explain why the channel will increase its monthly fee to $7.99 next year.

STREAMING SERIES

Star Wars fans were particularly blessed, getting not one but two spinoffs from The Mandalorian, including one with Ahsoka Tano. The character first showed up in the animated Clone Wars series and has since appeared on the hit show The Mandalorian in the form of Rosario Dawson, who is returning to the series.

Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the masterminds behind The Mandalorian, are co-producing Ahsoka and an additional series exclusively for Disney+ — The Rangers of the New Republic.

As previously announced, Andor is coming to Disney+ in 2022. The 12 episode show follows K-2SO and Cassian Andor from Rogue One and is being called a spy thriller. A sizzle reel from the series was released today.

Andor preview from Disney+

Obi-Wan Kenobi, to be lensed by Deborah Chow, is set 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Kathleen Kennedy, the head of Lucasfilm, announced Thursday that Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as young Darth Vader alongside Ewan McGregor in the title role.

Lando, a limited series following Lando Calrissian, is in pre-production and is rumored to bring back Donald Glover as the smooth-talking smuggler. There will also be a show called The Acolyte which takes place during the final days of the High Republic. It is being sold as a mystery-thriller.

Lando image courtesy Disney+

Kennedy also showed footage from Star Wars: The Bad Batch, a show that centers around characters from a group of clone troopers known as Clone Force 99, or the Bad Batch, from the acclaimed Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. 

Outside of the Star Wars universe, Lucasfilm is also creating a series based on the Jim Henson film Willow starring Warwick Davis.

From the Marvel division comes new shows The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ms. Marvel, the Avengers-heavy animated What If?, WandaVision, Loki, Ironheart and the story of the Skull infiltration, Secret Invasion.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier from Disney+

Disney+ has opted to make new series based on older Disney properties including both The Mighty Ducks and Turner and Hooch.

There will also be series featuring Baymax from Big Hero Six, one based on characters from Zootopia as well as multiple musical comedy series, based on both Princess and the Frog and Moana.

From Pixar, there will be series based on Up and Cars as well as it’s first long-form animated original series called Win or Lose.

FEATURE FILMS

Lucasfilm will bring the final Indiana Jones film to the big screen in 2022. The film is set to be shot during spring 2021. As well as filming an adaptation of Children of the Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

Kennedy announced that Patty Jenkins would be entering the director’s chair to helm a Star Wars film due out Christmas 2023. The film will be called Rogue Squadron, about a group of fighter pilots as they band together through thick and thin to defend good against evil.. This marks the first time a woman has directed a Star Wars movie.

Rogue Squadron Image Courtesy Disney+

Marvel Studios head Kevin Fiege also announced that the company will be making a Fantastic Four film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Live-action versions of Pinocchio and Peter Pan and Wendy are being produced exclusively for the streaming service. Disenchanted, a sequel to the hit film Enchanted, will bring back Amy Adams as Giselle and stream exclusively on Disney+.

John Mulaney and Andy Samberg will star in a hybrid live-action/animated feature based on the classic Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers cartoon series.

Pixar will have two new movies coming in 2022. First is Turning Red, a movie about a young teenager that turns into a giant red panda every time she gets excited. The second is Lightyear, the story of Buzz Lightyear, the character, not the Tim Allen’s portrayal of the toy from Toy Story. Chris Evans stars as this new Buzz Lightyear.

Jungle Cruise, which was postponed from 2020 will arrive in theaters in July 2021. It stars Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson and is based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name.

Disney also announced that Raya and the Last Dragon will debut on Disney Plus as a Premier Access title the same day it hits theaters in May of 2021.

All these titles (and more) are either in production or will debut in 2021, and we will bring you more information on them as their launch date approaches.