Disney pulled back the curtain on its upcoming animation lineup during this year's Destination D23 celebration in Florida. The studio revealed new films set for release across 2025 and 2026, giving fans an early look at the next wave of magical storytelling. The announcements came as part of a weekend packed with major reveals, and a few films were added to an already stacked list coming from Disney Animation.
In recent years, both Disney Animation and Pixar have seen dramatic highs and lows. Disney Animation scored billion-dollar success with Frozen II and Moana 2, while also delivering cultural touchstones like Encanto, yet projects such as Strange World and Wish struggled at the box office.
Pixar faced a similar trajectory: after pandemic-era films like Soul and Turning Red bypassed theaters, the studio stumbled with Lightyear before roaring back with Inside Out 2, taking a risk with its streaming release and shattering records.
Together, the two divisions still have the potential to deliver some of Disney's most profitable projects in the years ahead, but titles like the delayed Elio underscore the risks that continue to hang over even its most trusted brands.
Despite the shaky surface, there's plenty for both Disney and fans to be excited about with a mix of box office juggernaut sequels and new ideas coming soon.
Zootopia 2
At Destination D23, Disney Animation confirmed that Zootopia 2 will hit theaters on November 26, 2025, positioning it as one of Disney's biggest box office hopefuls of the year.
The original Zootopia grossed over $1 billion worldwide in 2016, and the sequel is expected to attract similar attention thanks to its established fanbase and holiday release window. Jared Bush, who is writing and directing alongside Byron Howard, revealed new casting additions, including Yvette Nicole Brown as The Bearoness and EMT Otter, plus Patrick Warburton as Mayor Winddancer, a lovable stallion.
Fans in attendance were also treated to exclusive clips from the film and an appearance by Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Clawhauser onstage.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Last Straw
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, an all-new animated film in the Wimpy Kid franchise, will premiere on Disney+ on December 5. Creator Jeff Kinney introduced the project at Destination D23 via a special message, revealing it adapts the third book in the series and follows Greg Heffley's clashes with his dad's expectations.
This marks the fourth entry in the animated reboot of the series, which Disney redeveloped after acquiring 21st Century Fox.
The first film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021), re-adapted the original book and reintroduced fans to the Heffleys with character designs faithful to Kinney's art style. A year later, Disney+ released Rodrick Rules (2022), followed by Cabin Fever (2023), a Christmas-themed installment featured on a special Disney+ playlist last holiday season.
With The Last Straw continuing the tradition of holiday releases, the animated franchise has become a reliable annual feature for Disney+.
Hoppers
Pixar shared a sneak peek at its original comedy Hoppers, set to release in theaters on March 6, 2026. Director Daniel Chong also presented exclusive clips alongside voice stars Piper Curda (Mabel) and Bobby Moynihan (King George).
While the reaction was strong, noting the humor, the film faces an uphill battle at the box office, as Pixar has struggled to turn original stories into major theatrical hits over the past five years.
Toy Story 5
Also at Destination D23, Pixar unveiled the first footage from Toy Story 5, coming alive in theaters on June 19, 2026, about seven years after Toy Story 4. At the event, fans learned that Conan O'Brien has joined the voice cast as a new character named Smarty Pants, and were shown the first three minutes of the film.
Unlike Pixar's original projects, such as Hoppers, this sequel comes with near-guaranteed box office success thanks to the franchise's long track record as one of Disney's most reliable earners. Every mainline Toy Story installment has grossed hundreds of millions worldwide, with Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4 both topping $1 billion.
Hexed
As one of the biggest surprises, Disney Animation announced Hexed, an original feature opening in November 2026. Chief creative officer Jared Bush introduced the project, which follows an awkward teenage boy and his Type-A mom as they discover his magical powers and stumble into a hidden world of magic.
The first look at the concept art and the animated title sequence teased a colorful, magical aesthetic, and fans quickly drew parallels to Disney favorites like Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon.
