Disney Announces Pixar's 2nd Movie Trilogy

Disney confirmed its second-ever Pixar franchise to get its own trilogy, which will happen in the next few years. Despite Disney and Pixar's successes over the last few decades, the studios have not expanded many of their hit stories beyond one movie into theatrical sequels. This trend is set to change over the next few years, with one of Pixar's most beloved franchises helping take the lead in that effort.

During Disney's D23 Entertainment Showcase, Pixar CCO Pete Docter reconfirmed that a third Incredibles movie is in development, complete with a new look at the movie's characters. The movie is set to be released on June 16, 2028, and it will "[round] out the trilogy," according to Docter:

"'Incredibles 3' is coming 2028, in the summer, rounding of the trilogy. The Parr family and Frozone are back." 

This will be only the second Pixar franchise to ever have three movies, joining Owen Wilson's Cars trilogy. Those three films were released in 2006, 2011, and 2017, showcasing Wilson's Lightning McQueen and his companions in a world featuring sentient cars and an epic story centered on the Piston Cup and other challenges.

While Toy Story was initially a trilogy as of 2010, it has since expanded into two more movies that were released in 2019 and 2026. Reportedly, there are also early story ideas floating around for two new sequels, although those have not been officially confirmed yet. Ahead are nine other franchises under Disney's purview that are expected or confirmed to become trilogies:

Disney Franchises Expected to Become Trilogies

Moana

While the live-action Moana became one of this year's biggest flops, its animated predecessors are two of Disney's best-performing princess-centric movies ever. Starring Auli'i Cravalho, the story follows the young Moana as she learns to lead her island and people, forms a friendship with Dwayne Johnson's Maui (a demigod of the wind and sea), finds her place in the world, and eventually becomes a demigod herself.

Johnson then confirmed that Moana 3 is in the works during a press conference for the live-action movie, setting up the story to be completed as a trilogy. While plot details have not been revealed, Moana is expected to have a confrontation with Nalo after the sequel's post-credits scene, as Nalo's influence could consume the entire ocean.

Zootopia

After the initial Zootopia movie was released in 2016, Zootopia 2 expanded on the story in 2025, both centering on Ginnifer Goodwin's Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman's Nick Wilde. This story explores the titular city and its population of anthropomorphic animals, with Judy working as a cop in the Zootopia Police Department and uncovering the city's long-held historical secrets (as the second movie became one of the ten highest-grossing films ever as well).

Disney then confirmed Zootopia 3 for development at D23, setting the stage for this story's next chapter. This time, Judy and Nick will deal with the influx of birds in this saga, putting the spotlight on the avian side of nature for what could be the final piece of this trilogy.

Inside Out

First introduced in 2015, Inside Out took a look inside the mind of a young girl and her emotions, showing how she dealt with feelings like anger, disgust, joy, and more behind a voice cast filled with A-listers. The 2024 sequel introduced new players like anxiety, envy, and embarrassment into the mix, which led to this movie joining Zootopia 2 as one of cinema's 10 highest-grossing movies ever.

Based on how successful the first two movies were, Inside Out is expected to get a third movie before long. If confirmed, it would likely look at Riley's growth from a middle-schooler to either a high-schooler or college student, introducing even more emotions that tie more closely to adulthood.

Monsters Inc

Monsters, Inc. first hit screens in 2001, showing John Goodman's James P. Sullivan ("Sully") and Billy Crystal's Mike Wazowski's wild adventure in Monstropolis when a human child ("Boo") threatens the safety of all monsters. Pixar then took a unique route by giving this movie a prequel in 2013, Monsters University, retconning Mike and Sully's origin stories, and having them meet in college with a rivalry brewing between them.

In March 2026, reports revealed that Pixar is now developing a third Monsters, Inc. movie, which has not been officially confirmed yet. This film will likely be more of a true sequel that follows Mike and Sully after taking over their company, but further plot details are still up in the air.

Princess Diaries

Disney brought Anne Hathaway into the spotlight alongside Dame Julie Andrews in 2001's The Princess Diaries, showing Mia Thermopolis' journey from awkward high-schooler to Princess of the fictional nation of Genovia. Three years later, the two teamed up again for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, in which Mia faced the tall order of marrying another royal to hold onto her position of power.

Further confirmed at D23, Disney announced that Hathaway will now return for The Princess Diaries 3; however, Andrews confirmed that she is retired from acting and will not reprise her role. Crazy Rich Asians director Adele Lim will direct the new movie, and no plot details have been announced yet.

Hocus Pocus

Long after its debut in 1993, Hocus Pocus became a cult classic, centered on the Sanderson sisters' reign of terror over the town of Salem in their return to life 300 years after they were hanged. In 2022, the sisters returned to action in Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+, interacting with a trio of young teenagers who resurrect them before they look for a way to achieve ultimate power, causing more havoc in Salem.

Less than a year later, Disney confirmed plans to develop Hocus Pocus 3 but did not announce any cast, director, writers, or release date. How the Sanderson sisters are brought back to life for a third time is still unclear, but they will surely cause plenty of chaos in Salem when they unite with potentially a third new cast of co-stars.

National Treasure

Nicolas Cage delivered one of his most beloved characters ever (Benjamin Franklin Gates) in 2004's National Treasure, in which he stole the Declaration of Independence to find a hidden map leading to a fortune hidden by the USA's founding fathers. 2007's National Treasure: Book of Secrets shows Gates traveling the Earth to clear his family's name, bringing his parents (played by Jon Voight and Dame Helen Mirren) in as major support for his quest to find the secret diary of the United States President.

After plenty of exciting but non-concrete updates, director Jon Turteltaub confirmed that National Treasure 3 is happening, likely with Cage returning to his role. As of writing, Disney has not officially announced the movie, and no plot details have been shared with the public.

Maleficent

In 2014, Angelina Jolie took on the leading role in Maleficent, retelling the story of the powerful antagonist from 1959's Sleeping Beauty from her perspective and showing the events that hardened her heart and led her to curse Princess Aurora. The 2019 sequel (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) shows Maleficent celebrating Aurora's wedding to Prince Phillip before meeting Aurora's future mother-in-law, a conniving queen who wants to destroy the land's fairies, leading Maleficent to try to stop her.

Jolie publicly stated that she was attached to Maleficent 3, which was in development as of 2023, and writer Linda Woolveton was added in 2025 to pen the script. However, there has been no official word on whether the movie will still be made or if it has been shelved.

Black Panther

First coming to the big screen in 2018, Black Panther became one of the MCU's most successful solo movies, showing the late Chadwick Boseman's King T'Challa navigating a civil war in Wakanda and dealing with Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger. The 2022 sequel (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) focused on Letitia Wright's Shuri after Boseman's death, telling a story of grief as she handled an attack from Namor the Sub-Mariner and his people of Talokan.

Now, director Ryan Coogler is confirmed to continue his work on the untitled Black Panther 3, which is set to hit theaters on December 15, 2028. Along with Wright's return and an undisclosed role for Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, David Jonsson will join the franchise as T'Challa's son from Wakanda Forever's post-credits scene, now an adult and set to become a power player in his own right.