In celebration of Disney+ Day, Disney+ not only premiered more than 25 new pieces of content, but also debuted dozens of first looks, new trailers and exclusive clips from The Walt Disney Company’s world-class studios that showcase the incredible breadth of content coming to the service in the years ahead. Additionally, this morning Disney+ subscribers were treated to a slate of all new content from each of its marquee brands: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and in international markets, Star.
“Two years ago, Disney+ exploded onto the scene, growing at an unprecedented rate and bringing high-quality, compelling films and series to audiences,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, adding, “Disney+ has become a cultural phenomenon. For Disney+ Day, we’re building on this excitement with a global celebration of our millions of subscribers in a way that only The Walt Disney Company can.”
Sean Bailey, President of Production, Walt Disney Motion Picture Productions, said “We want to tell stories that impact all audiences of all ages and around the world. To do that effectively, one has to embrace a diversity of perspectives both in front of and behind the camera.” To that end, Ayo Davis, President, Disney Branded Television added, “This is such an intentional effort that comes from the top of the Company down to all of us who develop the programming.”
Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios, added that through creating content for Disney+, “We’ve been able to surface talent in the Studio and give them opportunities like we’ve never been able to before.” Similarly, Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer, Pixar Animation Studios, said, “Disney+ has really allowed us to rethink the way we approach projects here.”
Today’s announcements coming from each of the Company’s content studios include:
Disney
Cheaper by the Dozen: Stars Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff announced that their reimagining of the hit family comedy will be coming to Disney+ in March 2022.
Disenchanted: Stars Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey shared that Disenchanted, the sequel to the hit film Enchanted (2007), will stream exclusively on Disney+ in Fall 2022.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Writer and producer Jeff Kinney revealed all-new key art for the animated adventure, premiering on Disney+ on December 3, 2021. In the film, Greg Heffley (voiced by Brady Noon) is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous—he just has to survive middle school first. To make matters worse, Greg’s lovable best friend, Rowley (voiced by Ethan William Childress), seems to coast through life and succeed at everything without even trying! As details of his hilarious—and often disastrous—attempts to fit in fill the pages of his journal, Greg learns to appreciate true friends and the satisfaction that comes from standing up for what’s right.
Rodrick Rules: Kinney announced that a second animated film from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series will be coming to Disney+. Rodrick Rules will premiere on Disney+ in 2022.
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers: John Mulaney and Andy Samberg, stars of the upcoming hybrid live-action/CG animated feature based on everyone’s favorite animated chipmunks, unveiled teaser art for the new movie streaming on Disney+ in Spring 2022.
The Beatles: Get Back: Watch a new clip from Peter Jackson’s upcoming docuseries, showing the legendary Beatles performing “I’ve Got a Feeling.” The three-night event will start streaming on Disney+ on November 25, 2021.
Better Nate Than Ever: Based on the book by Tim Federle, the film will premiere on Disney+ in Spring 2022. The comedy adventure stars Aria Brooks, Joshua Bassett, Michelle Federer and introduces Rueby Wood as Nate, with Norbert Leo Butz and Lisa Kudrow.
Hocus Pocus 2: Disney Legend Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy will run amok again as the Sanderson sisters in the sequel to Disney’s Halloween cult classic Hocus Pocus, premiering exclusively on Disney+ in Fall 2022.
Pinocchio: Inspired by Disney’s animated classic, this retelling, directed by Robert Zemeckis, combines live action and visual effects. Pinocchio stars Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans and features the voices of Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, and Lorraine Bracco. Pinocchio will premiere on Disney+ in Fall 2022.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild: Simon Pegg is back as Buck in an all-new movie, premiering January 28, 2022, on Disney+. The teaser trailer features Buck, Crash and Eddie—and a few new friends—as they go on a prehistoric mission to save the Lost World from dinosaur domination.
Sneakerella: Lace up and dream big with the new trailer for the Disney+ Original Movie Sneakerella. Set in the avant-garde street-sneaker subculture of New York City, the high-energy, music-driven movie puts a gender-flipped twist on the Cinderella fairy tale. Sneakerella premieres exclusively on Disney+ on February 18, 2022.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder: The new animated series, based on the Disney Channel series from the 2000s, starts streaming on Disney+ in February 2022. It picks up the story of its central character, Penny Proud, and features her madcap family and her loyal crew.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: Love is an open door outside the halls of East High. Season three of the show will follow its characters to sleepaway camp for a summer of campfires, romances, and curfew-free nights.
The Spiderwick Chronicles: Disney+ announced a new live-action series, The Spiderwick Chronicles, a modern coming-of-age story combined with fantasy adventure from Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television, one of the Disney Television Studios. The series, based on the beloved, best-selling books, will follow the Grace Family—twin brothers Jared and Simon; their sister, Mallory; and their mother, Helen—as they move into their dilapidated ancestral home. They begin to unravel a dark mystery about their great-great Uncle, who once discovered the secret and sometimes dangerous faerie world.
Baymax: Check in with everyone’s favorite healthcare companion in a trailer for his new Disney+ Original Series. Created by Don Hall, the Academy Award®-winning director of Big Hero 6, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first-ever animated series will take place in the fantastical city of San Fransokyo and will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in Summer 2022.
Zootopia+: Go back to the fast-paced mammal metropolis of Zootopia with new art from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia+, a short-form series coming to Disney+ in 2022.
Tiana: Walt Disney Animation Studios announced that Stella Meghie will be director and writer of the new long-form musical series Tiana, coming to Disney+ in 2023. In the series, Tiana sets off for a grand new adventure as the newly crowned Princess of Maldonia… but a calling to her New Orleans past isn’t far behind!
Disney Intertwined (Entrelazados): The first Disney+ Original Series produced in Latin America, Disney Intertwined (Entrelazados) is now available on the streaming service. In the series, Allegra (Carolina Domenech) is ready to change the past in order to reach her dream.
Pixar
Watch the Pixar 2021 Disney+ Day Special on Disney+ to see Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer, Pixar Animation Studios, take fans behind the scenes of Pixar Animation Studios to look at some of their upcoming projects for Disney+. Docter also announced a peek behind the curtains of Pixar in two new documentaries coming to Disney+ in 2022 that explore the making of both Turning Red and Lightyear. Some of Pixar’s new upcoming projects include:
Cars on the Road: Larry the Cable Guy revealed the title of Pixar’s upcoming Cars series: Cars on the Road. Join Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) and Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) in this fun-filled cross-country road trip, streaming on Disney+ in 2022.
Win or Lose: Directors Michael Yates and Carrie Hobson revealed concept art for Pixar’s first-ever original long-form animated series, coming to Disney+ in 2023. Each 20-minute episode will highlight the perspective of a different character as a middle school coed softball team prepares for their championship game.
Marvel
As a celebration of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) on Disney+, Marvel Studios’ 2021 Disney+ Day Special is now streaming on Disney+, where subscribers can see sneak peeks of the next Marvel Studios series coming to the service. Some of the titles featured include:
Hawkeye: Set in post-blip New York City, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with 22-year-old skilled archer Kate Bishop to unravel a criminal conspiracy. The series stars Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton and newcomer Alaqua Cox. Episodes are directed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie. Executive producer Jonathan Igla is head writer. The series will premiere on November 24, 2021, on Disney+.
Moon Knight: Get a first look at Moon Knight, a new globetrotting action-adventure series starring Oscar Isaac as a complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities who live inside him find themselves thrust into a deadly war of the gods against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt. Moon Knight is directed by executive producer Mohamed Diab; Jeremy Slater is head writer. The series will premiere on Disney+ in 2022.
She-Hulk: See Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. She-Hulk will welcome a host of Marvel characters to the series, including the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the Abomination (Tim Roth). The new comedy series coming to Disney+ in 2022 is directed by executive producer Kat Coiro with Anu Valia also directing. Executive producer Jessica Gao serves as head writer.
Ms. Marvel: Meet Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani American from Jersey City. An aspiring artist, an avid gamer, and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, she is a huge fan of the Avengers—Captain Marvel in particular. But Kamala has always struggled to find her place in the world… that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. The series is directed by executive producers Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, with executive producer Bisha K. Ali serving as head writer. Ms. Marvel premieres on Disney+ in Summer 2022.
Marvel Studios announced new projects and unveiled logos for its future series, including:
- Echo: A series starring Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, who will be introduced in Hawkeye
- Ironheart: A series starring Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man
- Agatha: House of Harkness: A series starring Kathryn Hahn as her character from WandaVision. Jac Schaefer returns as executive producer and head writer.
- Secret Invasion: A series starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos—characters who first met in Captain Marvel. The crossover comic event series showcases a faction of shape-shifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.
- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special: A special written and directed by Guardians of the Galaxy veteran James Gunn
- X-MEN ’97: an animated series that explores new stories in the iconic ’90s timeline of the original series. Beau DeMayo is executive producer and head writer.
- What If…?: The second season of the fan-favorite animated series. After enlisting the Guardians of the Multiverse to stop Infinity Ultron, The Watcher returns to meet new heroes and explore more strange new worlds in the MCU’s ever-expanding Multiverse. What If…? is directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews with executive producer AC Bradley serving as head writer.
- Spider-Man: Freshman Year: An animated series that follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we’ve ever seen and a style that celebrates the character’s early comic book roots. Executive producer Jeff Trammel serves as head writer.
- I Am Groot: A series of original shorts exploring Baby Groot’s glory days growing up, and getting into trouble, among the stars. I Am Groot is directed by executive producer Kirsten Lepore.
- Marvel Zombies: An animated series from Marvel Studios that reimagines the Marvel Universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge. Marvel Zombies is directed by executive producer Bryan Andrews.
Lucasfilm
Willow: From the set of the upcoming Lucasfilm series Willow, Warwick Davis introduced the supporting cast, including Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Amar Chadha Patel and Dempsey Bryk. Willow will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in 2022.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Star Ewan McGregor and director Deborah Chow shared an exclusive look at the series with behind-the-scenes footage and concept art. The Disney+ Original Series Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney+ in 2022.
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett: Celebrate the origins and legacy of Star Wars’ legendary bounty hunter, Boba Fett, in a special look at Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett, now streaming on Disney+.
National Geographic
Welcome to Earth: The visually stunning series will follow Will Smith on an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime adventure around the world to explore Earth’s greatest wonders and reveal its most hidden secrets. Combining breathtaking cinematography with Smith’s boundless curiosity and enthusiasm, this epic six-part series, premiering on Disney+ on December 8, 2021, is an exciting, multisensory ride through Earth’s mind-bending portals.
America the Beautiful: Visit the spacious skies, the amber waves of grain, and the purple mountain majesties in the new trailer for America the Beautiful, a six-part series streaming on Disney+ in 2022.
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth: See Chris Hemsworth discover the full potential of the human body in the trailer debut for Limitless with Chris Hemsworth. The six-part Disney+ Original Series from National Geographic starts streaming in 2022. Watch as Hemsworth trains for six extraordinary challenges, showing how to fight aging at every stage of life—and, in doing so, discovers how we can all live healthier, smarter and longer lives. Each episode will tackle a different way we can live better for longer: regenerating damage, maximizing strength, building resilience, shocking the body, supercharging memory, and confronting mortality. Hemsworth will meet with leading longevity scientists who believe that the key to staying young lies in rooting out and reversing the ravages of time before they take hold, and he learns secrets from people who demonstrate the mind-blowing extent of human potential. Hemsworth will also come face-to-face with his own mortality, testing all-new ways to extend his healthy life in challenges that stretch his physical and mental abilities.
Star (International)
The following titles from 20th Century Studios will debut in 2022 on Disney+ in international markets under the Star brand, on Hulu in the U.S., and Star+ in Latin America.
Rosaline: A fresh comedic twist on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in which the classic love story is told from the perspective of Juliet’s cousin Rosaline… who just happens to be Romeo’s ex-girlfriend. Starring Kaitlyn Dever and directed by Karen Maine, the movie will premiere in 2022.
The Princess: In this irreverent action movie set in a fairy tale world, Joey King stars as a young royal who is more comfortable with a sword than a tiara and must save her kingdom from ruthless mercenaries. Directed by Le-Van Kiet, the movie will premiere Summer 2022.
Prey: An all-new entry in the Predator franchise, Prey will premiere in Summer 2022. Set in the world of the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, the action-thriller follows Naru, the skilled warrior who fiercely protects her tribe against a highly evolved alien predator. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film will premiere Summer 2022.
No Exit: This harrowing suspense-thriller follows Darby Thorne (Havana Rose Liu), a young woman who is stranded by a blizzard and forced to find shelter at a highway rest area with a group of strangers. No Exit will premiere in 2022.
Disney’s Commitment to Children’s Hospitals
To further celebrate Disney+ Day, The Walt Disney Company will build on its commitment to children’s hospitals by expanding access to Disney+ to help ease the fear and anxiety of a hospital visit into over 30 countries worldwide beginning in 2022. In 2018, The Walt Disney Company continued its longstanding support of children’s hospitals and places of care, committing $100 million to reimagine the patient journey. “For decades, Disney’s characters, stories, and worlds have lifted the spirits of families, resonating with fans and helping bring joy to those during difficult times. It is because of this impact that The Walt Disney Company has long supported children’s hospitals, creating immersive experiences and personal moments that deliver comfort and inspiration,” said Daniel. “Today, in celebration of Disney+ Day, we are thrilled to announce the next phase of this journey: a commitment to make Disney+ accessible in hospitals around the world.”