Upcoming Disney Sequels You May Not Know Were In The Works

The freshest batch of Disney releases is always something to look forward to, and with the House of Mouse now owning the likes of Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures, their slate of upcoming movies is absolutely gargantuan. The wealth of material now available to them leaves them with seemingly endless choices — from beloved classics ripe for a long-awaited legacy revival to further installments in fan-favorite franchises.

One of the major events of the Disney calendar is the annual D23 expo, and it's here where it usually announces its upcoming releases, sometimes offering little more than a tease of an idea to whet fans' appetites. While original movies can give fans a glimpse of the direction the company might be moving in the future, it's the slate of sequels that is perhaps most telling. Nostalgia is a huge driving force in the movie business, and Disney knows this better than anyone. If you want guaranteed ticket sales or streaming numbers, your best bet is a sequel from an established brand or an existing franchise. 

So what sequels does Disney have in the pipeline? Strap in, as we explore just some of the upcoming Disney sequels that you might not know are in the works.

Believe it or not, body-swap comedy "Freaky Friday" celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 — we know, we feel old too — but that doesn't mean the sequel ship has sailed. In fact, it was in a New York Times feature celebrating the movie's milestone that a sequel was first mentioned, with both Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan keen to reprise their roles as Tess and Anna. In that same piece, Curtis said that the notion of a sequel hit her while she was touring another legacy sequel, "Halloween Ends." "Something really touched a chord," Curtis explained. "When I came back, I called my friends at Disney and said, 'It feels like there's a movie to be made.'" Speaking at D23 in August 2024, when the title "Freakier Friday" was confirmed, Lohan said, "It's more fun, it's more emotional, and it's all for you guys" (via Deadline). 

"Freaky Friday" certainly connected with audiences, and fans loved both the hilarious body-switching antics and the surprisingly touching mother-and-daughter dynamic between Curtis and Lohan. Alongside the returning pair, original cast members Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon, and Christina Vidal Michell will reprise their roles, with the likes of Julia Butters and Manny Jacinto signing on as new additions. Whether it will join the ranks of other must-watch body-swap movies remains to be seen, but there isn't too long to wait, as the sequel is slated for release in August 2025.

There were 28 years between the original "Tron" movie in 1982 and "Tron: Legacy" in 2010, but fortunately, fans won't have to wait as long for the third installment. "Tron: Ares," due to be released in 2025, will mix things up a little, with the characters from the videogame world dropping in to visit Earth instead of the other way round.

According to a press release from Disney, "TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings." Portraying Ares is Jared Leto, while Evan Peters is set to play the villain, Julian Dillinger. Filling out the cast is Gillian Anderson, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Sarah Desjardins, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, and Hasan Minhaj. If you're getting worried about the absence of Jeff Bridges in that list, don't worry, he is also due to return to the franchise, but it isn't clear in what capacity.

While "Tron: Ares" will feature some familiar aspects, newcomer to the franchise Joachim Rønning will be helming this third installment. Fans know that music is an important aspect of the "Tron" universe, and "Ares" will see Trent Reznor's band Nine Inch Nails providing the score, replacing Daft Punk, who provided the brilliant backdrop to "Tron: Legacy."

It's all happening in the "Predator" universe at the moment, with two new films on the way. One of these is still under wraps, but confirmed for 2025 is "Predator: Badlands," with director Dan Trachtenberg returning to the series following his work on the very well-received "Prey."

While still part of the wider "Predator" franchise, "Badlands" is reportedly a standalone film, according to Deadline, and Trachtenberg has teased something very interesting about its focus. Speaking to Empire, Trachtenberg said, "The creature is front and centre, leading the charge ... He's still badass, but there's something there that touches you emotionally, too."

The stripped-back approach to "Prey" was one of the many things that resonated with audiences, and the focus on Naru (Amber Midthunder) gave it some emotional depth as well. It sounds like the plan is to shoot for something similar, but switching the perspective to that of the Predator instead. Trachtenberg explained to Empire that he wanted to, "find another essential piece of cinema that does what 'Prey' did spiritually — pushing the franchise's boundaries, letting us root for a hero we rarely get to root for — but in a different way." That isn't to say the film does away with human characters completely — Elle Fanning has been cast as more than one character. Speaking about the characters she plays, Trachtenberg said, "She [Fanning] faced intense challenges on this movie — dramatically, physically, logistically." Well, color us intrigued about this one.

2016's "Zootopia" very much felt like the first film of a franchise, and so it was no surprise when a sequel was announced. Despite Disney pushing a lot of its releases straight to streaming, "Zootopia 2" will be getting the theater treatment and is currently scheduled for release in November 2025.

Bunny cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her partner-in-crime-solving Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) will — according to the synopsis — "team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers" (via Variety). Fan-favorite characters — including the scene-stealing Flash the Sloth (voiced by Raymond S. Persi) — are set to return, with a host of new animals joining the mix. Among them is Gary the snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, and as this is our first introduction to reptiles in the world of "Zootopia," it is likely that Gary will play a significant part in the sequel's story. A clip shown at D23 saw Judy and Nick enquiring about Gary's whereabouts, but it isn't yet clear whether he is a villain or a key witness they need to speak to in order to solve the case. It will be directed by Jared Bush, who previously co-directed the first movie along with Rich Moore.

You can expect a lot more of the "Avatar" series going forward with director James Cameron (so far) planning five movies. Following 2009's "Avatar" and 2022's "Avatar: The Way of Water" will be "Avatar: Fire and Ash," which is due to premiere December 19, 2025. The sequels so far have taken on the name of one of the four traditional elements of nature, so perhaps we can expect an earth or air "Avatar" movie going forward. For now, let's take a look at what we know about "Fire and Ash."

At D23 in Brazil in November, we got our first glimpse of what the movie might look like thanks to some beautiful concept art from a trio of talented artists. D23 also shared one of these on their X account with the promise that we will "see Pandora like never before." This was something that Cameron emphasized at the D23 event in Anaheim, also adding that "it's an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it's also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before" (via Variety).

"Fire and Ash" will see Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) facing new challenges, this time with the Ash People. Variety reports that Oona Chaplin will play their leader, and David Thewlis and Michelle Yeoh will also be portraying new characters. While it had been rumored that Cameron might not direct all of the "Avatar" series, he quashed that when he spoke to The Hollywood Reporter saying he'll direct them unless he gets "hit by a bus."

Even though Robert Downey Jr. had hinted that he would be happy to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, nobody suspected the bombshell that dropped at San Diego Comic Con in 2024. He would indeed be returning, not as Iron Man, but as the villainous Doctor Doom in the Russo Brothers-directed "Avengers: Doomsday."

After the plans for "Avengers: Kang Dynasty" fell through, a major rethink was needed for the future of the MCU and the Russo Brothers decided to re-hire an old faithful. Already a hotly anticipated installment of the MCU, "Avengers: Doomsday" is now the event that many fans are looking forward to, and it is due to arrive in theaters in 2026.

Speaking with GamesRadar following the Comic Con announcement, the Russo Brothers teased an exciting storyline saying, "Why would we come back if we didn't feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame' unless there's a kernel there for an idea that's really explosive?" The events of "Doomsday" are under wraps for now, but we do know that the Russos are also directing the next "Avengers" installment, titled "Secret Wars." That movie is even further away, but "Doomsday" is due to start filming in Spring 2025 (per Collider).

The "Toy Story" franchise has been delighting audiences since 1995, and over 30 years after the original movie, the fifth installment will be arriving in theaters in 2026. The first three films focus on Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of the toy gang as their owner, Andy, grows up. The third movie sees the toys being passed onto the next generation, and since then they have been exploring some interesting ideas. "Toy Story 4" had us questioning whether trash can become a toy if you just stick some googly eyes on it, and it seems "Toy Story 5" will be bringing things right up to date, looking at how technology has overtaken toys.

In the teaser image revealed at D23, we can see the gang staring at a kid, but the kid is staring at a tablet screen instead of playing with them. Pixar's website explains, "the gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head to head with this all new threat to playtime."

Beyond that, not much is known about "Toy Story 5" yet, but it will be directed by Andrew Stanton according to the official website. The company have also been keen to stress that it "opens only in theaters on June 19, 2026," meaning it will definitely not be heading straight for Disney+.

In their acquisition of 20th Century Animation, Disney also gained another established animated franchise: "Ice Age." Currently there are five feature films — plus a 2022 spin-off movie, "The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild" — but there are no signs of stopping yet. Disney recently announced that an unnamed "Star Wars" movie was being dropped from their 2026 line-up, and in its place would be "Ice Age 6" with a reported December 2026 release date (per Variety).

"Ice Age 6" had been announced just before this schedule shake-up, with cast members Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, and Simon Pegg all returning to reprise their roles. Aside from the first installment, the movies in the "Ice Age" franchise have not performed well with critics, but audience opinion has ensured its longevity.

Not much is known about the sixth "Ice Age" movie yet, but it won't be coming from animation house, Blue Sky Studios, the team behind the first five "Ice Age" movies. Disney closed the studios down in 2021, citing the need to make some budget cuts following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Disney still owns the "Ice Age" brand, so they have the green light for the next movie — or perhaps it will be movies – in the series, even without Blue Sky Studios.

Following the success of the first two movies, "Frozen 3" was an inevitability, and in fact it has been on the cards for Disney since CEO Bob Iger confirmed it in an earnings call in early 2023 (per Deadline). It was on this same call that Iger confirmed further installments of the "Toy Story" and "Zootopia" franchises, saying, "We'll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we're leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises."

"Frozen 2" left us with an intriguing ending that is ripe for further exploration. Elsa (Idina Menzel), now no longer the Queen of Arendelle, has left to protect the Enchanted Forest after learning the extent of her power and her true calling. This leaves her sister, Anna (Kristen Bell), to take charge of the kingdom. Both Menzel and Bell are on board to return, with the latter hilariously blurting out that a third movie would be coming before anything was officially confirmed.

Now we know it is definitely happening, and it will reportedly have a November 2027 release. We don't know much more than that, but one place to head for possible ideas is the "Frozen" podcast. Designed to bridge the gap between "Frozen 2" and "Frozen 3," this limited series introduces us to some new characters who may or may not also make an appearance in the third movie. Only time will tell.

Picking up exactly where the first one left off, it was almost as if no time had passed between "Incredibles 2" and "The Incredibles." It had, however, been 14 years, but hopefully fans won't have to wait as long for the third movie. Pixar boss Pete Docter took to the stage at D23 in August 2024 to make the big announcement: "Incredibles 3" is happening. And it really was just that, an announcement. We know it is coming but we don't know when, what, or who will be involved — though of course we can make some educated guesses.

One thing we do know is that Brad Bird will be back to direct, and hopefully to voice the iconic Edna Mode once again. In terms of a release date, you have to do a bit of sleuthing and look at what other Pixar movies are on the way — both rumored and confirmed. It is unlikely that Pixar would want to have two major competing IPs in the same year, and with "Toy Story 5" confirmed for 2026, we have to look a little further than that. 2027 is a distinct possibility, but it could stretch into 2028 as well. This would take us to 10 years since "Incredibles 2" — and we know how much Disney loves to celebrate a milestone or anniversary.

If you're wondering what happened to the cast of "The Princess Diaries," they've been keeping pretty busy since the second movie was released in 2004. Anne Hathaway won an Oscar for her performance in "Les Misérables," and most recently, Julie Andrews has found legions of new fans as the voice of Lady Whistledown in "Bridgerton." Fortunately, a return to Genovia is also in the cards — at least for some of the cast — with a third movie due to start filming in 2025.

Hathaway will certainly be back as Mia Thermopolis, with the actor confirming her return in an Instagram reel. It also has a director attached in Adele Lim. This was a dream come true for the "Crazy Rich Asians" writer who said, "As a diehard fan of the original 'Princess Diaries,' I'm beyond excited to be a part of bringing the third iteration of this beloved franchise to life" (per Variety).

Beyond that, we don't know much more about "Princess Diaries 3" at the moment — it is not even certain if Julie Andrews will return to her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi. The British actress will turn 90 in 2025, but there is hope that she will still make an appearance in the movie — even if only in a limited capacity. Consider us incredibly excited, either way.

Take a deep breath before reading this next bit: It has been 31 years since "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" was released, and you can throw an extra year on top of that since the original "Sister Act" graced our screens. We know ... it feels like yesterday to us too. But if there's one thing Disney loves, it's reviving its long-dormant franchises, and particularly so when the original stars are up for the challenge.

The idea for a third "Sister Act" movie has actually been kicking around for almost four years, with Variety first reporting that it had been green-lit back in 2020, with Tyler Perry producing. Since then, a director and writer have been drafted in with Tim Federle poised to direct and Madhuri Shekar on script duties.

It is hoped that many of the previous cast members will be able to return to their roles alongside Whoopi Goldberg, although the actor admitted that some adjustments had to be made after the passing of Maggie Smith. Speaking on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Goldberg said, "We will get it done. It just is a shift" (per Deadline). Goldberg has also spoken out about her dream cast which includes the likes of Keke Palmer, Lizzo, and Nicki Minaj (per Variety). There is no confirmed release date yet, but it's likely "Sister Act 3" will take the same route as "Hocus Pocus 2" in 2022, skipping the theaters and going straight to Disney+.