On Monday, April 27, in celebration of National Deaf History Month, Disney+ will proudly debut Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language, three animated musical sequences from recent Walt Disney Animation Studios features, newly reimagined and animated in American Sign Language (ASL).

Directed by veteran Disney animator/director Hyrum Osmond, the featured songs are “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen 2, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto, and “Beyond” from Moana 2. Osmond, along with producers Heather Blodget and Christina Chen, worked in collaboration with artistic director DJ Kurs and the team at Los Angeles’ Tony^® Award-winning Deaf West Theatre to create the new versions of these beloved songs. A special behind-the-scenes featurette will accompany the songs, taking viewers into the collaboration that made these reimagined songs possible.

Osmond led a team of more than 20 animators who worked with sign language reference expressly created for Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language. Kurs, artistic director for Deaf West Theatre, working with sign language reference choreographer Catalene Sacchetti, and a group of eight performers from Deaf West Theatre, carefully reimagined and choreographed lyrics into ASL by focusing on concepts and emotion instead of a word-for-word transcription.

“In the majority of cases, we created entirely new animation,” Osmond said. “There were a lot of adjustments that we had to do within the animation to be true to the original intention.”

Osmond, whose father is Deaf, cited two important reasons for wanting to do this project.

“One, sign language is one of the most beautiful ways of communication on Earth. If ever there was a medium to showcase sign language, it was animation,” Osmond said. “The other big reason for doing this project is to connect with the Deaf community. Growing up, I never learned sign language, and that barrier prevented me from really connecting with my dad. This reimagining of Disney Animation musical numbers helps bring down barriers and allows us to connect in a special way with our audiences in the Deaf community. I’m grateful that the Studio got behind making something so impactful.”

Kurs said, “When Hyrum approached me with a potential collaboration involving the integration of ASL into the fabric of Disney storytelling, it was an immediate ‘yes’ for us. Disney stories are the universal language of childhood. The chance to bring our language into that world was a historic opportunity to reach a global audience. Working on this project was very emotional. For so long, we have known and loved the artistic medium of Disney Animation. Here, the art form was adapting to us. I hope this unlocks possibilities in the minds and hearts of Deaf children, and that this all leads to more down the road.”

The world can’t get enough of Zootopia.

Released theatrically in November 2025, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 — starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, and Ke Huy Quan; written and directed by Jared Bush; directed by Byron Howard; and produced by Yvett Merino — broke multiple box office records in its opening weekend. It went on to become the No. 1 domestic and international release of the year and the highest-grossing animated MPA film of all time. Beloved by audiences and critics alike, it is now nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards^®.

“It’s a great honor to be nominated,” said Howard. “It sounds cliché to say, but to be a part of the conversation is really great. It’s also been nice to get a chance to meet the other filmmakers from around the world and celebrate really great storytelling from a bunch of different, diverse sources.”

Getting to talk shop with living legends — as Merino did when she was sandwiched in between Steven Spielberg and Chloé Zhao during the 98th Oscars “Class Photo” last month — has been the cherry on top of a fruitful and promising awards season run. “I wanted to go out and buy a lottery ticket, because it was my lucky day!” Merino said. “It was such an honor to talk with them about their films, and for them to talk about our film.”

Outside of industry events, Merino said, “One of my favorite things is to get a text from a friend that says, ‘I just saw the movie! I loved it. It was so funny. It meant so much to me.’ Hearing from so many different people who’ve connected with the film has been amazing.”

In the Q&A below, Howard and Merino open up about their Zootopia 2 experience.

Before Zootopia 2 was released last year, you spoke about how you hoped audiences would receive the movie. Zootopia 2 just won a BAFTA Award and became the top-grossing movie of 2025 — and the Oscars are weeks away. How are you feeling now?

Byron Howard: The Oscars will be a big, glittery wrap-up for us on this wild Zootopia 2 journey. It’s been a joy doing this with Yvett and Jared; I absolutely love working with them.

What made seeing Zootopia 2 in theaters such an important communal experience?

Yvett Merino: The magic of the world of Zootopia is that it reflects our human world, but it’s not our human word; it’s the animal world. That allows people to come in with a sense of openness. Knowing that some people have seen this movie over and over again has been amazing, because they’ve built a community. People are seeing it in full theaters, and maybe they haven’t had that experience before. For some kids, this movie was the first time they’ve ever been inside a movie theater. Being able to laugh together with strangers — having that shared experience — is something truly magical that you only get in theaters.

Byron Howard: Yvett mentioned standing next to Steven Spielberg, and I’m so jealous of her, because growing up, Jared and I were really influenced by Amblin films — those great Spielberg films from way back when. Whether it was E.T., or one of the Indiana Jones films, or Close Encounters, you would go to the theater and experience those movies together. They gave you something to share and to talk about. Once home video became available, you had a way to experience it again and again. Movies are a way to bring people together.

Yvett and I were in Santa Barbara a couple of weeks ago, and they had 2,000 kids in a packed theater watching Zootopia 2, and their reactions made me cry. It was so amazing to see an audience so deeply invested in the movie and enjoying it so much. Those kids, who are probably 10 or 11, will have that for the rest of their lives to talk about. They will remember when they went and experienced that together. That’s amazing to be a part of.

With Zootopia 2 now available on digital and streaming March 11 on Disney+, fans can really take the time to appreciate some of the movie’s finer details. Which elements do you believe deserve a closer look?

Yvett Merino: We have no real-life reference for a place like the Marsh Market; that all comes from our artists and their imaginations. If you pause and look at the bite marks, for example, you’ll see how much work and thought went into creating that environment to make it look and feel like it’s been lived in for years. It’s just incredible to see all that detail.

Byron Howard: I just learned about Merino’s Café — yes, Yvett’s got a café in Marsh Market! The film is the most detail-packed movie that we’ve ever made, and the fact that people can now watch it in their homes, pause it, and walk up to the screen to look at the tiny details of this world is really, really remarkable. It is an incredibly immersive world, with thousands of characters and amazing environments. No matter where you put a camera, there’s a new story. I’m excited to hear from the public and see what else they might notice.

Zootopia is a world within a city. It’s an amazingly tempting challenge to show more of it, because the potential is endless. I think that’s why audiences love going back to it. To Yvett’s point, the detail and thought that our designers, technicians, filmmakers, and animators put into this movie is really unprecedented. They’re all giving 150%, all the time.

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT from the Dolby^® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

Zootopia 2 is now the highest-grossing animated Motion Picture Association (MPA) film of all time, having just surpassed Inside Out 2. This milestone also makes Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 the #9 biggest film in history worldwide.

“This milestone belongs first and foremost to the fans around the world whose enthusiasm made it possible. We’re incredibly proud of our filmmakers Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Yvett Merino and the entire team at Walt Disney Animation Studios for creating a film that connects so deeply with audiences everywhere. Zootopia 2 is an extraordinary achievement, and we’re grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life,” said Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment.

Additional Highlights:

• $1.703 billion global gross to date ($390 million domestic / $1.313 billion international)
• #1 global MPA release of 2025
• #1 global MPA release of all time in China ($619 million to date)
• #1 international MPA release of 2025
• #9 global film of all time
• The Walt Disney Studios have released the top three animated MPA releases with Zootopia 2 (#1), Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (#2) and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen 2 (#3)
• The two Zootopia films have delivered a combined global box office total exceeding $2.73 billion to date
• “Verified Hot” Rotten Tomatoes 96% Audience Score and an A “Cinema Score”
• Opened on November 26, 2025 to a record-breaking $559.5 million in five days, becoming the highest global animated opening of all time, the highest global debut of 2025, and the highest global opening for any animated film in Disney history
• Fastest animated MPA — and fastest PG-rated — film to reach $1 billion

Zootopia 2 continues its theatrical run in theaters worldwide.

About Zootopia 2

In Zootopia 2, rookie cops Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake (voice of Academy Award® winner Ke Huy Quan) arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. The Oscar®-winning team of Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer) are the principal filmmakers.

When Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia was released in 2016, the comedy-adventure welcomed audiences to a modern mammal metropolis where an optimistic bunny and a sly fox proved that with perseverance and teamwork, anyone can be anything. The film went on to become a box office phenomenon, grossing over $1 billion worldwide and winning the Oscar^® for Best Animated Feature, in addition to other industry accolades.

Zootopia 2, which opened this past weekend to record box office numbers, builds upon the hopeful and relatable message of its predecessor. The sequel picks up directly after the conclusion of the first film, with rookie cops Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) willing to “try everything” to make their new partnership work.

Jared Bush — the co-director/co-writer of Zootopia — returns for the sequel as both its screenwriter and director (directing alongside Byron Howard). He has been with Disney Animation since 2011, receiving the Academy Award^® in 2022 for Encanto, for which he was both director and a writer, in the same year in which he was executive producer for the Oscar-nominated Raya and the Last Dragon. Bush was also wrote Moana (2016) and Moana 2 (2024), the latter of which he also executive produced, and won an Emmy^® for Zootopia+.

In the Q&A below, Bush — who was named the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios in September 2024 — reflects on the Zootopia franchise’s global appeal, sets up Judy and Nick’s journey in the sequel, and teases what’s next for the studio.

After Zootopia was released in 2016, it earned more than $1 billion at the global box office. Why do you think this particular franchise has such a strong, universal appeal?

There’s something about animals that people can relate to. That’s one of the really fun things about Zootopia: you can identify with an animal. That’s you, that’s your friend, that’s your teacher, that’s a guy you saw at the DMV. There’s something very universal about that.

I also think that the themes we talk about [across the entire Zootopia franchise] are real human themes: “How do we get along with one another?” “Are our differences too much?”

No matter who you are or where you are in the world, you can see your story onscreen.

The world fell in love with Judy and Nick in the first film, and their adventures continued over the years through Disney’s theme parks, cruise ships, and consumer products. What inspired you to expand their story even further onscreen in Zootopia 2?

I know Judy and Nick as characters; I know them really well. And in the first film, they only really got to hang out for about 48 hours. Stepping into the next story, the big question was: “What happens to them next?” As a storyteller, that’s really exciting to think about.

We spent a lot of time looking into Judy and Nick’s pasts and [imagined] what they would do moving forward: Will they actually make a good team, or are they a one-hit wonder? Judy and Nick are always our true north. More than anything else, with all of Zootopia’s bells and whistles, what you really care about is this duo and what’s going to happen next.

What makes Zootopia 2 a must-see in theaters?

In 100 years, it’s our most ambitious film that we’ve ever created at Disney Animation. And it is the most immersive environment you can imagine; the cinematography takes you to places we have never put onscreen before. But, more than that, it is filled with absolute joy.

It’s been 14 months since you were named Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation. From Hexed to the Frozen sequels, what are you most excited for in the coming years?

It takes about five years to make one of our films, so we have to have ideas that we are so passionate about — ideas that we want to stick with as they’re going through all of their different iterations. I know what the next 10 years of Disney Animation looks like, and it’s really exciting. The variety is honestly spectacular, and it all comes from filmmaker passion.

The world of Zootopia returned in spectacular fashion this weekend as Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2 delivered a $559.5 million global opening, including $158 million domestically over five days and $401.5 million internationally.

This milestone cements the film as a global phenomenon and underscores Disney’s leadership in animated creativity and storytelling.

“The incredible response to Zootopia 2 reflects both its worldwide appeal and the remarkable work of our filmmakers and cast,” Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, said. “It’s a proud moment for Disney Animation and all of us at Disney, not to mention a great way to start the holiday season.”

Zootopia 2, which includes the voice talents of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Ke Huy Quan, and a slew of celebrities in cameo roles, represents the fourth highest global opening of all time, the biggest global debut of 2025, and the largest global animated film opening ever at current rates and same suite of markets (The Walt Disney Company holds the top three and four of the top five).

“There’s something about animals that people can read themselves into,” Jared Bush, the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios and the writer and director of Zootopia 2, said. “The real fun thing about Zootopia is that you can identify with an animal. That’s you, that’s your friend, that’s your teacher, that’s a guy you saw at the DMV. There’s something very universal about that.”

The film, which was also directed by Byron Howard, achieved the highest global opening for any animated title in Disney history, 6th highest opening of all-time in China, and set a new benchmark with the largest animated non-local debut ever in China. Additionally, it ranks as the second-biggest non-local film opening of all time in China, trailing only Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame in 2019.

Building on the success of the original film — which earned over $1 billion globally in 2016 and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature — Zootopia 2 surged to a global opening 239% ahead of its predecessor. This performance underscores the enduring strength of the franchise and the universal popularity of its characters and world, which extends across multiple segments of Disney’s business, including Experiences and consumer products.

Zootopia 2’s record-breaking debut now anchors the holiday theatrical season, setting the stage for an unforgettable finish to 2025. With Avatar: Fire & Ash from 20th Century Studios arriving on December 19, Disney is positioned for a powerful one-two punch to close out the year.

What was once a place built by animals, for animals, has become so much more.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award^®-winning film Zootopia (2016) is set in a modern mammal metropolis where, as one young bunny put it, “Predator and prey live in harmony.” That young bunny, Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin), grew up to become the city’s first rabbit police officer, sworn to protect the citizens of its districts: Bunnyburrow, Little Rodentia, the Rainforest District, Sahara Square, Savanna Central, and Tundratown. But after a few citizens “go savage,” Judy reluctantly teams up with a con artist fox named Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), who shows her corners of Zootopia she never knew existed — and, along the way, helps her realize “we all have a lot in common.”

Because fans couldn’t get enough of the original film’s wildly imaginative characters and environments, a series of six shorts, titled Zootopia+, premiered in 2022 on Disney+. Meanwhile, Walt Disney Imagineering was busy building the world’s first Zootopia-themed land — a celebration of new heights reached in storytelling made possible only through Disney’s groundbreaking creativity and innovation. It opened in 2023 at Shanghai Disney Resort, after animators and Imagineers from around the world spent years collaborating to construct a dynamic land that immerses guests in a holistic experience at every touchpoint.

“One of the most exciting things, to me, is that about 70% of what you see in that land is taken from the film; the other 30% comes from the incredible Imagineers who ran with their own ideas and created new places and characters that felt like they would fit within the world,” Jared Bush, the writer and co-director of Zootopia, said. “To visit a part of Zootopia that wasn’t in the film — but feels 100% like it could be — is incredibly exciting.”

Bigger and Better

The world of Zootopia is constantly growing.

Zootopia 2 continues the adventures of rookie cops Judy and Nick as they get twisted up in a mystery involving Gary De’Snake (voiced by Oscar^® winner Ke Huy Quan), whose sudden arrival in Zootopia turns the city upside down. Bush wrote and, along with Byron Howard, directed the highly anticipated sequel, opening in theaters on Wednesday, November 26.

“With any new environment, it’s always fun to meet new characters,” producer Yvett Merino said. “Gary has such an innocence to him. He really, truly believes that the world can be a better place and that he can right the wrongs of the past. And he grounds Judy.” That’s because Quan brings a natural “heart and optimism” to his role, Howard said: “We often say that Gary is more of an optimist than Judy. So, he’s a great character to mix up Judy and Nick’s dynamics as they try figure out what this world of reptiles is really about.”

Zootopia 2 features 178 unique characters representing 67 different species — and naturally, a bigger story necessitates a bigger cast. In addition to Goodwin and Bateman, Idris Elba, Nate Torrence, and Shakira reprise their roles as Chief Bogo, Clawhauser, and Gazelle, respectively (among others). New additions include Fortune Feimster as Nibbles Maplestick, Andy Samberg as Pawbert Lynxley, Patrick Warburton as Mayor Winddancer, and Quinta Brunson as Dr. Fuzzby. And several members of the Disney Animation family — including Disney Legends Josh Gad and Anika Noni Rose — make scene-stealing cameos.

“Zootopia is close to our world, but it’s not our world, so we had the ability to do anything,” Merino said. “We asked ourselves, ‘Who are the actors and musicians that we would love to work with?’ Danny Trejo is someone I personally wanted, and I love that we were able to bring in such an icon to come in and play one of our new characters [Jesús, a basilisk lizard].”

With new characters and a new mystery, filmmakers seized the opportunity to expand the bustling metropolis to include all-new environments. One such example is Marsh Market, where Zootopia’s semi-aquatic animals reside and reptiles are rumored to hide out. “We want to give audiences something new to get excited about. A new environment like Marsh Market, along with the kind of animals who live there, satisfies that,” Carrie Liao, head of story, said. “How do these new characters fit into this world that we already know?”

Liao continued, “The first movie was already so full, but you only got a glimpse. Zootopia is rich for that kind of expansion. You can’t help but think, ‘We saw these neighborhoods, but what about all the others? What about the other species? Where do they live — and how?”

In hindsight, Goodwin admitted, “I didn’t even realize that we weren’t covering the entire animal kingdom… I never sat back to [ask], ‘Where are the reptiles? Where are the bugs and the birds?’ The movie’s fabric supports endless world-building in a way that’s not contrived. We are never going to have to force this; there are endless opportunities here.”

“Zootopia thrives because it’s built on diversity,” Quan added. “It’s built on a happy community — on everybody being included, coming together, and embracing each other.”

Full Circle

Zootopia 2 also draws inspiration from the Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort. “It’s so immersive, and the Imagineers were so brilliant that we took some of those ideas from the park and put them in the film,” Howard said. “You’ll see little Easter eggs and shops represented in the Imagineers’ theme park designs that made it into Zootopia 2.”

And, thanks to a comprehensive creative synergy with Disney Animation, Shanghai Disney Resort recently turned its one-of-a-kind Zootopia land into a living extension of the sequel, producing imaginative, immersive, and tangible experiences through film-inspired décor and embedded details, reimagined entertainment, and other limited-time offerings.

“The Zootopia land in Shanghai is incredible,” Quan raved. “When I was there, on a regular day in the park, the line for [Zootopia: Hot Pursuit] was around the block. And there were cosplayers dressed up as Judy Hopps! That’s how I knew how much this movie is beloved.”

Fans can experience Zootopia in myriad other ways, from Jumbeaux’s Sweets aboard the Disney Treasure cruise ship to Zootopia: Better Zoogether! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, in addition to a robust line of consumer products.

For more than a century, The Walt Disney Company has been entertaining and inspiring audiences and guests through storytelling that transcends generations and geographies. Zootopia, and all that is has inspired, is just one example of something only Disney can do.

“One of the great things about working at Disney Animation is that we have so many different areas where our characters can live,” Merino said. “We love partnering with the different parts of the company to bring these characters to life. We’re creating this film, these characters, and this world, but they’re actually bringing them out into the real world.”

Once the Disney Destiny officially sets sail as the next member of the legendary Disney Cruise Line fleet, a new wave of immersive entertainment is poised to redefine what it means to bring beloved animated characters to life.

At the heart of this innovation is the collaboration between Disney Live Entertainment and Walt Disney Animation Studios — two creative powerhouses working in tandem to transform iconic stories into unforgettable experiences at sea. And that goes well beyond the Broadway-style shows staged inside the Walt Disney Theater aboard the ship.

“When [we’re] developing new entertainment for Disney Cruise Line, we really view the entire ship as our stage,” Denise Case, Director of Entertainment Creative with Disney Live Entertainment, said. “This allows us to look beyond the theater setting and bring entertainment to the other immersive venues on board.”

As part of that entertainment, guests on the heroes- and villains-themed ship can expect to encounter some of their favorite animated stories brought to life in new and exciting ways, in theatrical productions like Disney Hercules and Frozen, A Musical Spectacular; via dining experiences like “Pride Lands: The Feast of the Lion King;” and through character interactions with the likes of Hero Minnie, Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, and others.

A Ship-Wide Stage for Storytelling

From Broadway-caliber stage shows to multi-sensory dining adventures, the Disney Destiny promises to be a showcase of storytelling that engages guests in ways no other cruise line can replicate.

This includes experiences like “Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King,” where guests are able to experience the powerful songs and storytelling of the iconic 1994 Disney Animation classic right from their table in a restaurant inspired by the African savanna.

“The dining experience is just one of the ways we are continuing to push the boundaries of what cruise ship entertainment means,” Case added.

In this first-of-its-kind dining experience, while families dine, they’ll be treated to a colorful ensemble of live performers taking the stage to present a musical journey through the award-winning soundtrack of Disney Animation’s The Lion King.

The immersion doesn’t stop at the performances, as the dinner food menu will balance the wide-ranging flavors of African cuisines with familiar fare that will satisfy the whole family. Diners will be able to expand their horizons with traditional dishes from across the continent and discover new spins on Disney Cruise Line guest-favorite dishes that incorporate authentic spice blends, regional sauces, and customary grains and produce.

And for slightly more adult fare, De Vil’s piano bar — named for the wickedly stylish Cruella de Vil of One Hundred and One Dalmatians — allows guests to wind down with an avant-garde selection of designer drinks inspired by Cruella herself and other icons from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ history.

Hear from Roger Gould, Creative Director, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Innovation in Scale and Technology

Among the most anticipated productions aboard the Disney Destiny is Disney Hercules, a show exclusive to the ship that promises to push the boundaries of scale and spectacle.

“Disney Hercules is really going to blow people away,” Case noted. “The show features massive Titan puppets that our team designed using new technology developed by Walt Disney Imagineering. These giants literally tower over our Hercules performer as they battle him. They are even packed with special effects like fog.”

And, while Disney has a long tradition of adapting its animated classics for the stage, doing so aboard a cruise ship presents unique challenges.

“Translating a beloved story to the stage is never an easy task, and we definitely face some unique challenges at sea that most people may not think of,” Case explained. “One of our biggest hurdles that we need to figure out early on in the show development process is space. The Walt Disney Theatre rotates through three shows with massive set pieces each sailing. Fitting all of these sets, costumes, and props backstage in a way that allows us to transform the theater each night is like a giant puzzle.”

This logistical complexity is met with ingenuity and precision, ensuring that each performance feels seamless to guests while backstage teams orchestrate nightly transformations.

Bringing these productions to life requires a symphony of talent across multiple disciplines.

“Collaboration is so important to what we do here at Disney Live Entertainment,” Case said. “Bringing a single show to life on one of our ships involves teams of set designers, choreographers, show writers, musicians, lighting designers, sound technicians, schedulers, and so many others.”

Why Disney Does It Differently

On land, Case’s team partnered with the iconic Walt Disney Animation Studios to ensure that their famed characters are accurately brought to life onstage and reflect their onscreen personas.

These partnerships across Disney’s various iconic brands and innovative lines of business ensure that every detail honors the source material while adapting it for a new medium.

“Disney has created some of the greatest stories ever told, and when you combine that legacy with our passion for making dreams a reality, it creates something truly special,” Marcus Gibson, Disney Signature Experiences Producer of Shipwide Entertainment, said. “We’re uniquely positioned to connect with guests through environments and characters that go deeper into the stories they love. On the Disney Destiny, we take that idea even further by creating interactive experiences that guests won’t find anywhere else — ones that are immersive, emotional, and unforgettable.”

This philosophy is evident across the ship, where every venue becomes a portal to one of Disney’s timeless animated stories, and every moment is thoughtfully crafted to resonate with guests of all ages.

The all-new show Zootopia: Better Zoogether! opens today at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, inviting guests to immerse themselves in a story inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia and Zootopia 2. In this new 4D show at the Tree of Life Theater, familiar faces and new friends come together for a special watch party in celebration of Zoogether Day — a holiday that celebrates unity across the diverse biomes of Zootopia, from Tundratown to Marsh Market.

“It’s authentically Zootopia as a quick-witted and fast-paced adventure, but distinctly Animal Kingdom with the message that we are all connected to our shared environment,” Danny Handke, Senior Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, said of the nine-minute show. “The 4D elements — sights, sounds, smells, and unexpected special effects — immerse guests into the story as the excitement enfolds around them.”

All in This Zoogether

The directors of Zootopia 2 — Oscar®-winning filmmakers Jared Bush (who helped write the script) and Byron Howard (who directed the animation in the show, all of which was done by Disney Animation artists) — worked closely with the Walt Disney Imagineering team to bring Zootopia: Better Zoogether! to life. “As we were working on Zootopia 2, our partners at Imagineering were also working on Zootopia: Better Zoogether!, which opens just a few weeks before the film,” Howard said. “We’re very proud of it. It’s a great warmup before you go to the theater to see Zootopia 2.”

Handke added that Bush and Howard “were instrumental in collaborating with us on developing our story to complement Zootopia 2,” especially with “bringing in new characters like Nibbles [voiced by Fortune Feimster] and locations like the Marsh Market.”

Bush — who was named Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios just over a year ago — noted, “It’s so rare to have something open in the parks around the same time the movie is coming out. Fans can look forward to not only seeing some of their favorite characters from the first film, but also some of the new characters in Zootopia 2.”

Fun for the Whole Herd

Thanks to special “Carrot Vision” glasses that guests wear during the watch party experience, characters “jump” off the screen, such as detectives Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman). Meanwhile, fellow ZPD officer Benjamin Clawhauser (voiced by Nate Torrence) appears in the theater via an all-new Audio-Animatronics® figure. As a Gazelle superfan, he wants to be picked as the V.I.Z. (Very Important Zootopian) who gets special access to the Zoogether Day performers. This leads into an all-new original song, “We Are Zoonited,” performed by Judy and Clawhauser.

Bringing Clawhauser to life with even more realism and charm was an exciting challenge for Imagineers. One key innovation was new functionality for his body movement — creating a dynamic, interactive presence that feels like the beloved cheetah is popping right off the screen and into the theater. Imagineers also enhanced the expressiveness of his face by developing practical eyes, capturing Clawhauser’s excitement and emotion. To fully convey his character and enthusiasm — especially for the Gazelle concert scene — Imagineers paid additional attention to details like his custom Gazelle shirt and glow necklaces, ensuring every aspect of his personality shines through in the guest experience.

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! introduces a character original to the show, Heidi Howler —a slick-talking wolf who hosts the Zoogether Day LIVE! broadcast. “We discussed many different types of mammals as the host of the show. We landed on a wolf character because, like in the first film, when a wolf starts a howl, others can’t resist to join in,” Handke said. “That felt like the perfect mammal choice, and then to give her a larger-than-life personality made her feel like a natural host for one of the biggest events in Zootopia.”

Just as they did with Zootopia at Shanghai Disney Resort, Disney Imagineers and Disney Animation worked “paw-in-paw” to ensure that this immersive Zootopia experience continues the adventures of Judy, Nick, and the other animals in authentic, engaging ways.

“We have the greatest artists and animators in the world, who deeply know these characters,” Bush said. “When you see the subtleties in Jason’s performance, you need people who know how to translate that. It was fun to work with them again, as well as the Imagineers, so that guests will say, ‘That is Nick. I know Nick, and that is him right there!’”

Ultimately, Handke said, “I hope guests feel like they get to spend time with their favorite characters, get in some good belly laughs, and feel exhilarated by the fast-paced adventure and effects. True to the franchise, the show is stacked with layers of storytelling, from the Zoogether Day celebration to Clawhauser’s role inside the theater to the mystery Judy and Nick try to solve. The animation is gorgeous and chock full of rich details. There are so many things to see in this show. I hope guests want to come experience it again and again.”

Bush added that he can’t wait to experience Zootopia: Better Zoogether! “again and again” with his family.

“Zootopia: Better Zoogether! is one of the most fun things that I’ve ever been able to help work on,” Bush said. “To get a film made at all feels like winning the lottery. To have those characters then become tangible in the parks is the most amazing thing. I cannot wait to take my family to visit and experience it. This is the biggest dream come true in the world.”

Global Pawprint

Zootopia: Better Zoogether! is the just the latest example of how Disney Animation and Disney Imagineers teamed up to bring the bustling animal metropolis to life in the parks.

In 2023, Shanghai Disney Resort opened Zootopia, its most immersive land to date. It was designed to accommodate animals of all shapes and sizes, from large giraffes to tiny rodents. That meant Imagineers got to play with the scale of everything, from crosswalk signs and benches to drinking fountains and doors — just like those who animated the film.

Not only that, but next-generation Audio-Animatronics figures appear throughout the land, including in the signature attraction Zootopia: Hot Pursuit and its queue. Imagineers worked closely with animators to ensure that characters such as Judy, Nick, and Chief Bogo behave and look exactly as guests remember them from the movie. The Audio-Animatronics figure for Gazelle is particularly advanced, considering that all the internal mechanics needed to fit inside her slender frame while she performs complex choreography. Zootopia: Hot Pursuit is also unique in that it is the first trackless ride vehicle system in Mainland China.

Shanghai Disney Resort is gearing up for the release of Zootopia 2 by turning its one-of-a-kind Zootopia land into a living extension of the sequel. By working closely with Disney Animation, on Tuesday, November 18, the resort will debut film-inspired décor, immersive embedded details, reimagined entertainment, and limited-time experiences that will collectively activate the continued story of the vibrant metropolis in a new, immersive way.

At Disney Animation and Disney Imagineering, the inspiration goes both ways.

Bush was so inspired after he visited the Zootopia-themed land at Shanghai Disney Resort that he incorporated locations such as the fitness club and the barber shop for sheep into Zootopia 2.

It’s been nine years since audiences first met Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ award-winning$1 billion blockbusterZootopia. But, in the highly anticipated sequel Zootopia 2 (opening in theaters November 26), little time has passed since they became the Zootopia Police Department’s first bunny and fox cops, respectively. (The just-released trailer features the all-new original song “Zoo,” performed by Shakira, who reprises her role as Gazelle.)

“In the first film, they were partners for about 48 hours, so there’s a lot more they need to learn about each other,” said writer and director Jared Bush, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios. “They made it over that first hurdle, but now they have to figure out if they’re really designed to function as a team in the long run. Judy and Nick are very different, and in this film, they’re thrust into a very different scenario that challenges them.”

Director Byron Howard added, “We didn’t want Nick to lose all his sharpness and snark. We wanted Judy to keep her idealism. They’re smart characters, so they’re constantly able to one-up each other. People loved their dynamic in Zootopia, so we wanted to continue that.”

Zootopia 2 picks up directly after the first film, with Judy and Nick working out the complicated dynamics of their fledgling partnership. But just as they begin to make some headway, they get swept up in a decades-old mystery involving Zootopia’s most prominent family, the Lynxleys, and get entwined with pit viper Gary De’Snake (voiced by Oscarwinner Ke Huy Quan) — the first snake to be seen in the animal metropolis in 100 years.

“Reptiles weren’t in the first film,” Bush said. “We wanted to use the contrast of mammals and reptiles to highlight that Judy and Nick are very different… How can they all coexist?”

Partners in Crime Solving

When an unsanctioned sting goes sideways, Judy (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick (voiced by Jason Bateman) become fugitives themselves. Together, they go undercover in unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.

“Some of us are better at being undercover than others — and I don’t mean Judy!” Goodwin quipped. “Nick used to be a con artist, so he’s definitely better than Judy at this.”

Each possesses qualities the other lacks, and that’s what makes them such a dynamic duo. “Judy and Nick developed such a good rapport in the first movie, but now their partnership is going to be tested in an exciting and surprising way,” said head of story Carrie Liao. “Every relationship evolves. What does it really mean to be partners? There’s a big mystery at the center of Zootopia 2, but at its core, this story is about Judy and Nick’s relationship.”

“They’re so flawed,” Bush added. “These are not squeaky-clean characters, and that’s something people can relate to when they watch the film. This imperfect pair is doing the best they can, and even though they can sometimes get into it, they really like each other.”

After a record-breaking year, Disney Jr., which currently dominates preschool television with the top three shows on streaming for Kids 2-5 — Bluey, Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — unveiled a slate of new series, specials, casting news and premiere dates today. The announcements were made by Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, at the “Disney Jr. Let’s Play!” fan celebration at Disney California Adventure Park, which will also be taking place at Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, California, throughout the weekend.

Highlights included new series Cars: Lightning Racers, inspired by Disney and Pixar’s Academy AwardⓇ-winning Cars films, with Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy reprising their iconic roles; Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends, the first-ever preschool Avengers series; and two new seasons of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, which debuted July 22 on Disney+ as the biggest original Disney Jr. launch on the platform to date* and was also the #1 streaming series in average audience for Kids 2-5 in its premiere week, per Nielsen.**

Said Davis: “Disney Jr. is where preschool magic begins — and no one does it bigger or better. Our shows are often a child’s very first connection to the world of Disney, sparking the songs they sing, the characters they adore, and the adventures they want to live again and again.” She continued, “Today’s announcements build on that leadership, expanding the worlds kids already love and introducing new multiplatform stories that will capture the hearts of the next generation.”

NEW SERIES, SPECIALS AND SHORTS

CARS: LIGHTNING RACERS (New Series)

• Debuts 2027 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Disney Television Animation in association with Pixar
• Executive Producers: Travis Braun and Frank Montagna
• Story Editor: Dana Starfield
• Supervising Director: Nathan Chew

Building on Disney and Pixar’s beloved Cars franchise, Cars: Lightning Racers follows Lightning McQueen as he gears up for all-new adventures in Radiator Springs alongside his hilarious best friend Mater and new friends thrill-seeking drag car Pipes and mud-loving monster truck Miles. The all-star cast returning to their original roles includes Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Bob Peterson as Chick Hicks and John Ratzenberger as Mack. Leah Lewis (Elemental) and Yuri Lowenthal (Marvel Rivals video game) join the cast as Pipes and Miles, respectively. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) will also voice a new character, Ms. Blinker.

MARVEL’S AVENGERS: MIGHTIEST FRIENDS (New Series)

• Debuts 2027 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Disney Jr. and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons
• Executive Producers: Sean Coyle, Bart Jennett and Harrison Wilcox

Evolving from the new Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends series (premiering Aug. 11 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+), Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends introduces kid versions of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes: Iron Man (Tony Stark), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Hulk (Bruce Banner), Black Panther (T’Challa), Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) and Thor. Together, the young Avengers strive to be their best selves while facing off against classic Super Baddies.

MARVEL’S SPIDEY AND IRON MAN: AVENGERS TEAM UP! (New Specials + First-Look)

• Two New 22-Minute Specials Debut: Special #1 premieres Oct. 16 on Disney Jr., next day on Disney+; Special #2 premieres 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Disney Jr. and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons
• Executive Producers: Bart Jennett, Chris Moreno and Harrison Wilcox
• Co-Producer: Becca Topol

The first special — premiering this October — sees Iron Man and the Avengers joining Spidey to stop Ultron and Green Goblin from taking control of the city’s devices.

A second Halloween-themed special will premiere Fall 2026.

MICKEY & MINNIE’S HOLIDAY SONGS: HALLOWEEN (New Stop-Motion Shorts)

• Debuts Sept. 29 on Disney Jr. and Oct. 2 on Disney+
• Produced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association with Disney Jr.
• Director/Producer: David H. Brooks
• Supervising Producer/Director: John Harvatine IV

These new sing-along stop-motion music videos feature Mickey, Minnie and the gang as they get into the Halloween mood.

“MICKEY & MINNIE’S HOLIDAY SONGS: CHRISTMAS” (New Stop-Motion Shorts)

• Debuts this December on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association with Disney Jr.
• Director/Producer: David H. Brooks
• Supervising Producer/Director: John Harvatine IV

These sing-along stop-motion music videos feature Mickey, Minnie and the gang as they get into the Holiday spirit.

RETURNING SERIES

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE+ (New Season Orders — Seasons 2 and 3)

• Season 2 debuts 2027; Season 3 debuts 2028 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Disney Television Animation
• Executive Producer: Rob LaDuca
• Co-Producer/Story Editor: Kim Duran

A continuation of the beloved EmmyⓇ Award-winning original series, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ welcomes the next generation of preschoolers and their families to the iconic Clubhouse for all-new, plussed-up adventures with Mickey, Minnie and their pals. The first 10 episodes of Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+, with additional episodes set to debut this fall.

SUPERKITTIES (First-Look)

• Season 3 debuts Sept. 22 on Disney Jr. and Oct. 1 on Disney+
• Produced by Sony Pictures Television – Kids in association with Disney Jr.
• Creator: Paula Rosenthal
• Executive Producers: Sarah Mullervy, Kirk Van Wormer and Audu Paden

SuperKitties — Top 10 most-watched streaming series for preschoolers — is an adorable and action-packed series about four fierce and furry superhero kittens — Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy — who are on a mission to make their town of Kittydale a more caring and “pawesome” place. Season 3 introduces the new “Su-Purr Wild” story arc in which the SuperKitties travel into the Kittydale Wild Jungle to adventure with their wildcat friend, Willa, and new jungle critters.

CASTING NEWS

SOFIA THE FIRST: ROYAL MAGIC

• New series set to debut 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Disney Television Animation
• Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber

As previously announced, Ariel Winter (Modern Family) will return in the titular role as the voice of Sofia in this new series featuring the beloved Sofia the First, set to debut in 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+.

Announced today are additional returning cast members from the original series including Wayne Brady (Let’s Make A Deal) as Clover, Tim Gunn (Project Runway) as Baileywick, Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) as Minimus, Sara Ramirez (Grey’s Anatomy) as Queen Miranda and Travis Willingham (The Legend of Vox Machina) as King Roland.

Sofia the First: Royal Magic follows Sofia as she attends The Charmswell School for Royal Magic, where she discovers she is the most magical princess in the realm and must learn how to master her powers while making new royal friends.

HEY A.J.!

• Debuts 2026 on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Surfing Giant Studios
• Executive Producers: Martellus Bennett, Jeff “Swampy” Marsh and Michael Hodges

Inspired by former Super Bowl champion and children’s book author Martellus Bennett, the upcoming new family comedy series Hey A.J.! is a whimsical and music-filled family comedy about an imaginative young girl who, along with her stuffed bunny sidekick, uses her big imagination to make ordinary life moments extraordinary.

As announced today, Amari McCoy (Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends) will star as lead character A.J., Martellus Bennett will voice her father, Marty, and GRAMMYⓇAward-nominated Jhené Aiko voices her mom, Siggi. Rounding out the cast is Juliet Donenfeld (Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures) as A.J.’s best friend Jessie, Innocent Ekakitie (Bunk’d) as Jazz, and David Mitchell (Phineas and Ferb) as A.J.’s bunny sidekick Theo. Pop superstar and GRAMMY Award winner Meghan Trainor will recur as A.J.’ s best friend Jessie’s mom.

PREMIERE DATES

DISNEY JR. ARIEL – THE LITTLE MERMAID (Aug. 22)

• New 22-minute special debuts Aug. 22 on Disney Jr. and Disney+
• Produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Jr.
• Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland

The new 22-minute special Disney Jr. Ariel – The Little Mermaid: The Glow Crystals will debut Aug. 22 on Disney Jr. and Disney+, and will air in rotation as part of Disney Jr.’s World Princess Week programming line-up (Aug. 24-30). It follows Ariel as she and her friends use their special gifts to rescue her family after a glitch in Ursula’s crystal ball sends her, Triton and Sebastian into a mystical cavern.

FIREBUDS (Sept. 15 on Disney Jr., Oct. 29 on Disney+)

• Season 3 to debut Sept. 15 on Disney Jr. and Oct. 29 on Disney+
• Produced by Disney Television Animation
• Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber

Firebuds Season 3 will debut this September on Disney Jr. and October on Disney+, it was announced today. The series follows a team of young kids who are the children of first responders, living in the fantastical world of Gearbox Grove and Motopolis, where humans and their talking vehicle sidekicks work and play together. Season 3 introduces a new “Aquabuds” story arc and finds the Firebuds crew back with some new friends and equipped with new gear to use in daring water rescues.

STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES — (Fall 2025)

• Season 3 to Debut this Fall on Disney Jr., then Disney+
• Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Jr.
• Executive Producers: Michael Olson, James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes

The anticipated third season will debut this Fall. Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, during the High Republic era, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. Season 3 follows the young Jedi as they delve into the world of droid care, befriending a droid shop owner named Dotti and three new droids: Beepers, Dozer and Gigi.

*Source: Disney Internal Streaming Data: Based on views after 6 days of streaming

**Source: Nielsen Media Research Streaming Content Ratings; 7/21-7/27/25 Live Streaming Live Streaming; Ranked on Avg Audience (hours/runtime) for streaming series tracked by Nielsen

Nearly 10 years after Mickey Mouse Clubhouse aired its last original episode, series executive producer Rob LaDuca still felt there were many more stories to tell. And with the global hit ranking among the top three streamed shows for preschoolers this year*, children and their parents seemed to agree.

So, LaDuca was thrilled when he got the chance to spend more time with Mickey and his pals in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, Disney Branded Television’s continuation of the beloved series, premiering Monday, July 21, on Disney Jr. and streaming the first 10 episodes on Disney+ and Disney Jr. On Demand the next day.

“We can really make it sing now,” the 36-year Disney TV Animation veteran said.

Together, LaDuca and co-producer/story editor Kim Duran (herself an experienced Disney scribe) explained the creative process of updating a beloved show for a new generation. While keeping its iconic characters true to their roots, they revealed the generous, collaborative spirit underpinning Disney’s connection with its audience, no matter their age.

Why is now the right time to revisit the clubhouse?Rob LaDuca (RL): The popularity was still there. All these years later, kids still love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I’d been asking for years to bring the show back. Doing computer-generated animation on a show 18 years ago was a pretty tough task. Now the technology is available for better animation, to squash and stretch. Just when I thought I might be retiring, the opportunity arose. Well, I have to stay for that!

Kim Duran (KD): Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ is the perfect title because it’s everything you loved about the original show, plus new characters, new music, new adventures, and improved animation. We plussed-up every level of the show.

Rob, did this feel like a homecoming of sorts for you?RL: It really did. I’m a 30-some-odd-year TV Animation employee. I’ve worked on so many shows, but I always thought there were more Clubhouse stories to tell, more things I’d love to do with that show. Then it dropped into my lap. It’s been great.

What are the new elements to look out for in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+?KD: It’s not just Mickey who has his own clubhouse. Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy will get their own clubhouses, each reflecting their personality.

RL: Kim had the great idea to add Little Helper, which is a hand that comes from the side of the screen to help out. Kids will recognize themselves in this character. He’s like the preschoolers who want to help their parents and be involved but, of course, they make mistakes. The gang teaches Little Helper the proper way to do things when they go on adventures. He’s like R2-D2 but more expressive.

Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is often a child’s first experience with Disney. Does that factor into the way you approach storytelling?KD: The story needs to be relatable so kids understand the concept; it needs to be simple so they can follow along, and it needs to be fun for them. We keep the pacing at a level they can understand, and we include some teachable moments in there, too. We’ll touch on learning shapes and numbers, but mostly we focus on role modeling how to conduct yourself and how you befriend or support someone when they’re struggling. I think that’s the secret sauce to this show.

Do different generations react differently to the show?RL: It’s been similar throughout the years. Kids relate to having a group of friends and working together. We hope that it helps kids to want to make friends with different personalities. In this group, there’s the wacky friend, a temperamental friend like Donald, and sweet friends like Minnie and Daisy. And Pluto is well loved by Mickey. We want to keep those relationships going. It makes me so happy because I loved Mickey as a kid, too.

What’s the creative process behind presenting such iconic characters?KD: Our writers collaborate on story ideas and submit them to me and my fellow story editor Mark Drop. We’ll massage them: “Maybe a story works a little better for Daisy than Donald.” Then we submit those ideas to various network teams, some of which are focused on child development and education. They weigh in as the story moves along from idea to premise to outline to script. Rob is in the process with us the whole way, approving or tweaking stories.

RL: The storyline is usually in great shape, but I try to guide it visually. I’ll suggest reusing a motif or come up with new ideas for just a little more visual excitement.

What kind of child development feedback do you receive?KD: They advise us if kids really don’t fully understand a concept. It’s important that we don’t lose our preschoolers’ attention. We always question ourselves to make sure we’re aligned on story goals so kids can remain focused. If we do have a tough concept for a kid, Mickey can turn to the camera and explain what it is before we continue.

How do you work with the songwriters to craft the songs?RL: We have meetings every week to go over the songs and tweak lyrics. And then we get together when it’s time to lay in the score of the music track and work in bits of the songs that are going to be in the background during some of the mellower moments.

KD: It’s a collaborative process. The writers actually write lyrics and hand them off to our composer, Mike Himelstein, who was also on the original series. Sometimes it works better that way because writers know exactly what’s going on in a scene. Not all of us are amazing songwriters, so Mike finesses the words.

How did the show veterans and the newcomers mesh?KD: The mix of old and new has really been helpful in moving the series forward. We have experience in the room; we have fresh voices; and then we have writers like me, who have worked on other Mickey shows and know the characters. We have the best of all worlds. I love my writing staff.

RL: The show veterans have the voices of the characters in their head. They’ll ask, “Would Minnie really say that? That’s more like a Daisy line.” Yet it helps to have a fresh vision. We all get checked a little bit sometimes.

Rob, what’s the experience of being with the company for over 30 years been like?RL: It’s always been very collaborative. I came up from storyboarding, through directing and into executive producing. I’ve had my fingers in all kinds of aspects of production, and now it’s culminated in overseeing the sound and look of the show.

But nobody can do everything. It takes a village to do an animated project. I love that people sit around a table making little drawings and show them to everyone. We’ll pin them up and ask for ideas. It’s fun to work together. And now you can do that remotely. I hold my drawings up to the camera and I go, “How about this?”

What goes into designing a clubhouse for a particular character?KD: A clubhouse represents an iconic piece of the character. Minnie’s clubhouse is a pink high-heeled shoe. Goofy’s clubhouse looks like his hat. We continue those themes inside. The interiors scream their personality. In Minnie’s clubhouse, I’ve never seen so many shades of pink.

RL: Minnie was easy. She’s into the arts, so there’s a stage to put on productions in her clubhouse. Donald was a sailor, so his clubhouse is shaped like a ship. Goofy dabbles in magic — sometimes poor magic — so everything’s funny in there. It’s been a lot of fun coming up with those ideas for the clubhouses.

How has streaming and technology impacted your approach to the show?RL: We’re always thinking about how to use latest technology. Kids can take Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ with them wherever they go, so we’re doing shorts specifically for that reason. Years ago, he would make an isolated appearance on a show or in a movie. Now, Mickey is out there.

Creatively, new technology is reflected in the show as well. There are no more dial-up phones. Mickey and Minnie have cell phones like kids do now. We keep up with the times and still stay true to the old school.

KD: We pay respect to the originality of the characters but update them so that they can have smartphones. Mickey still says, “Golly Gee.” He’s not going to say, “Awesome.”

RL: Mickey’s first words in a cartoon were “Hot Dog.” And he still says that almost 100 years later.

What have you heard from parents?KD: Parents tell us not to change too much. They love it as it is. So, we didn’t take away anything, we just added to the characters and spaces and animation. But you would recognize everything as Clubhouse.

RL: The charm of the show is that kids feel like Mickey is their friend because he’s talking to them. The children participate in the show. Parents have told me that they love to look over and see their kids standing in front of the TV marching along or doing the “Hot Dog!” dance.

What do you hope the legacy of the show is?RL: That kids love it and learn from it and enjoy it. That’s what it’s there for.

KD: Mickey is everybody’s best friend, and I hope he always will be.

*Source: YouTube Analytics (Lifetime – 4/2/25), views, all MMCH content posted on Disney Jr YouTube channel. Nielsen for Linear+Streaming Hours lifetime to 3/30/25 Live viewing for Streaming and L+7 for Linear. Mickey streaming rank based on 12/30/24-3/30/25.

With a Stunning Lineup of Filmmakers, Exclusive Announcements, Never-Before-Seen Footage and an Induction into Annecy’s Walk of Fame for Pete Docter and Ron Clements, Disney and Pixar Reaffirms that Annual Presence at the Annecy Festival Delivers a Can’t-Miss Animation Event

New Footage Revealed for Zootopia 2, Hoppers and Toy Story 5 — Pixar Announces All-New Film, Gatto, Coming in 2027

Today, at Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios offered a series of surprises that thrilled festival goers.

In the morning, Jared Bush, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming Zootopia 2, made his first appearance in Annecy to debut new footage and images from the anticipated sequel of the beloved Oscar®-winning global hit film, which will be theatrically released this November. Thunderous applause and bursts of laughter punctuated his presentation as footage screened featured returning characters Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), and Mr. Big (voice of Maurice LaMarche), and new characters Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and Dr. Fuzzby (voice of Quinta Brunson). The audience was particularly delighted when learning that French actor Jean Reno will lend his voice to a cameo role as an officer of the Zootopia Police Department. To celebrate the original film, Zootopia will be screened tonight under the stars on Le Pâquier.

Also within the presentation, Disney legendary director Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, Moana) was honored on stage with an induction into Annecy’s Walk of Fame. The celebration continued with a surprise announcement from Jared Bush revealing that Clements will return to Walt Disney Studios Animation in an advisory role.

In the afternoon, Pixar kicked off their panel with the arrival of Pete Docter, Pixar Animation Studios’ chief creative officer, alongside Elio directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, and producer Mary Alice Drumm. The Elio filmmakers offered a brief preview of their summer movie full of heart, laughs and fantasy. The screening of 27 minutes of the movie enchanted festival goers, leaving them eager to discover the full scope of this brand-new adventure which will hit theaters next week.

The audience was then treated to an exclusive look at Pixar’s upcoming slate by Docter, who was honored today with an induction into Annecy’s Walk of Fame. Highlights of the presentation included never-before-seen footage from Pixar’s March, 2026 release, Hoppers, screened exclusively for the Annecy audience along with a sneak peek at the first two minutes of the studio’s summer 2026 release, Toy Story 5. Docter confirmed the return of Joan Cusack as Jessie in this next Toy Story chapter and announced exciting new characters as well. As the supervising animator on the original Toy Story, Docter then showcased rarely seen legacy footage from Toy Story, the first feature length computer animated film ever released, in celebration of its 30^th anniversary.

Additionally, Docter announced a brand-new original project called Gatto, slated for summer 2027. From the filmmaking team behind Luca, director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren, the new film returns to Italy, this time to Venice, where after years of maneuvering the canal-ridden, superstitious city, a black cat named Nero begins to question whether he’s lived the right lives. Indebted to a local feline mob boss, Nero finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose — unless Venice gets the better of him first.

With these Disney and Pixar presentations, the studios reaffirmed their commitment to the Annecy International Animation Festival as a venue to deliver exclusive news and screenings to a global audience of animation fans.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the animated classic A Goofy Movie, Disney has released an all-new virtual reality version of the film’s iconic concert scene, featuring the hit song “I2I” from the fictional pop superstar, Powerline. Utilizing innovative digital technology combined with the timeless artistry of classic animation, the VR concert gives fans the chance to fully experience the thrill of a Powerline performance like never before, as if they were on stage in front of the sold-out audience.

Thirty years after its theatrical release, A Goofy Movie has become a cultural phenomenon, solidifying its place within Disney’s unparalleled storytelling legacy and influencing an entire generation of fans around the world. This immersive concert experience was carefully crafted to evoke the same heartwarming humor, emotional depth, and visual charm that fans have cherished for decades, while also providing a modern, interactive way for viewers to engage with the beloved film.

The video showcases the iconic climactic scene from the film where Goofy and his son, Max, find themselves backstage at a concert featuring Powerline, voiced by celebrated entertainer and Grammy-nominated R&B artist Tevin Campbell. However, instead of following the off-stage antics of Goofy and Max throughout the concert arena, viewers can watch Powerline’s performance of “I2I” in its entirety, with the moments from the chaotic scene playing out in various places within the immersive VR experience before the stars join on stage to close out the number.

Since the film’s 1995 release, “I2I” has remained an enduring anthem of the era to fans around the world. With tens of millions of streams and countless viral dance trends on social media, the song was also recently covered by pop punk band Magnolia Park as part of Disney’s A Whole New Sound album, released last year.

“I am just truly grateful and extremely blessed to be the voice of Powerline,” Campbell said. “When you’re a kid you never think about 30 years down the line. It’s really great to be a part of something that’s a part of people’s childhood.”

Exclusive features of the video include:

• Immersive VR Experience: Explore the Powerline “I2I” performance in its entirety from a never-before-seen panoramic perspective.
• Iconic Characters and Moments: Featuring some fan-favorites, including Goofy, Max Goof, Powerline, Bigfoot, and more
• Technical Innovation: Reimagining classic animation for immersive VR, creating a “theater in the round” experience
• Easter Eggs: Discover hidden details and surprises with every viewing.
• 360 Audio: A dynamic soundscape that reacts to the viewer’s head movements, enhancing the immersive feel

To bring this concept to life, Disney collaborated with Brooklyn-based animation studio Cartuna.

After three decades, Disney’s A Goofy Movie remains as heartfelt and, well, goofy, as ever. Directed by Kevin Lima, the animated feature film follows the adventures of Goofy (voiced by Disney Legend Bill Farmer) and his teenage son, Max (voiced by Jason Marsden), as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime — one neither of them could have ever imagined.

Disneytoon Studios produced A Goofy Movie predominantly in Paris, after character design, art direction, and storyboarding had been completed in Burbank. Since A Goofy Movie‘s release on April 7, 1995, the film’s slapstick humor, heartfelt moments, and infectious music have helped it develop a strong fanbase among millennials who watched it repeatedly on VHS. Today, some of those same millennials work in animation across The Walt Disney Company, such as Jeff Trammell, the showrunner behind Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, who called the movie “so ahead of its time.”

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie, we asked animation experts from Disney Television Animation, Marvel Animation, Pixar Animation Studios, and Walt Disney Animation Studios to share their standout moments from the film, including the showstopping finale that finds Goofy and Max performing “I2I” live in concert alongside Max’s idol, Powerline (voiced by Tevin Campbell), aka the “biggest rock star on the planet.”

They also reflected on how A Goofy Movie‘s inventive animation and bold storytelling inspired them as aspiring animators — and how the film continues to influence them today.

Standout Storytelling

“When I was an aspiring animator, it made you want to animate like [A Goofy Movie‘s animators did],” Andrew Feliciano, a Walt Disney Animation Studios animation supervisor whose credits span Big Hero 6 to Moana 2, said. “Today, I use it for inspiration if I want to get myself into a good mood. I’ll even play ‘I2I’ or ‘Stand Out‘ or the Powerline sequence. It just makes me happy.”

“I’ve watched A Goofy Movie many times in my life — not just in childhood,” Pixar Animation’s Domee Shi — the Academy Award®-winning director behind the short film Bao and the feature films Turning Red and Elio — said. “It’s affected me in unexpected ways, too. My storyboarding teacher in animation school, Nancy Beiman, worked on the movie; she’s been a big inspiration for me and is sort of the reason why I got into storyboarding. When I found out she worked on the movie, I totally fangirled.”

Shi continued, “It wasn’t until adulthood that I realized just how much this movie has influenced and inspired me. In fact, if you watch Turning Red, we also have a big, spectacular act three sequence that happens at a pop concert.”

Still, as a child, Shi was struck by the emotional core of the film. “I just really loved and identified with the relationship between Max and his dad,” she said. “When I first watched the movie, I was surprised by the depth of the characters. It’s Goofy. He has such a funny design, a funny voice, but when you see him genuinely worry about his son, or how sad he is when he realizes Max is embarrassed by him, that really sucker punches you with emotion — even though it’s kind of wrapped in this ’90s, candy, pop package.”

Beyond the Music

While A Goofy Movie means a great deal to many Disney animators — not to mention fans around the world — it holds a special place in the heart of Bert Klein, who worked as an in-between artist on the film before rising through the ranks at Walt Disney Animation Studios, recently becoming an animation supervisor for Zootopia+ and Once Upon a Studio, as well as the upcoming feature Zootopia 2.

“A Goofy Movie was my first job here, 30 years ago,” Klein said. “Essentially, the in-betweener does the poses in-between to make the smooth action. So, I would look at the drawings of Sergio Pablos — this amazing stuff he did with Pete and Goofy — and flip them.”

It was a transformative experience for Klein, who today is tickled whenever fans notice details he worked on — like the ooey, gooey cheese pizza P.J. (voiced by Rob Paulsen) eats. “You have no idea what’s going to be interesting years later,” he said with a laugh. “That was a little tricky to make it feel snappy, but I had some leeway to do something different.”

Not Just a Goof

From “totally tubular” Disney Store merchandise to D23’s Fork n’ Film anniversary screenings in select U.S. cities, to a dance party at Disney California Adventure theme park and many TikTok challenges, A Goofy Movie has never been more popular than it is today.

“A Goofy Movie is special in that it that features both animation that’s fun to watch and animation that affects people’s hearts and emotions in a really deep way,” Klein said.

Feliciano said he felt “nostalgic” when he recently rewatched the Powerline concert. “I gotta tell you, I go back and watch it a lot,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s dated at all. It still feels cool. For people who were introduced to it 30 years ago when they were young, if they’re like me, they’re entering their 40s now. They probably have kids of their own, and they’re very excited to show A Goofy Movie to their kids now — just like any other film they would’ve grown up on.”

Shane Houghton — who, along with his brother Chris, is behind Disney Television Animation’s Big City Greens — grew up watching a family VHS of A Goofy Movie, and agreed with that sentiment, saying, “I think it speaks to the timelessness of animation. Good animation done well lasts forever.”

Thirty years after its theatrical release, the beloved voice talent from the 1995 Disney cult classic, A Goofy Movie, have come together in an all-new video to celebrate the film’s cultural legacy and reminisce about their experience bringing this iconic story to life.

In “On the Road Again: A Goofy Movie 30^th Anniversary,” Disney Legend Bill Farmer (Goofy) and Jason Marsden (Max Goof) hit the road again in a reimagined AMC Pacer based on the car featured in the film and interview each other about cherished memories from the film’s creation. Three decades after bringing the father-son duo to the big screen, Farmer and Marsden take viewers on a heartwarming journey that perfectly captures the nostalgia and enduring appeal of a film that has touched an entire generation of fans around the world and solidified its place within Disney’s unparalleled storytelling legacy.

Stay tuned for additional experiences and opportunities to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of A Goofy Movie throughout the year.

Disney and Pixar’s Coco 2, the follow-up to the 2017 Academy Award®-winning feature film Coco, is in the works at Pixar Animation Studios. The announcement was made moments ago by CEO Bob Iger during The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders. “While the film is just in the initial stages, we know it will be full of humor, heart and adventure,” said Iger. “And we can’t wait to share more soon.”

Coco 2 reunites the team behind the original film, including director Lee Unkrich (Coco, Toy Story 3) and co-director Adrian Molina (Coco). Oscar®-winning producer Mark Nielsen (Toy Story 4, Inside Out 2) will produce.

Disney and Pixar’s Coco introduced Miguel, a 12-year-old who dreamed of becoming a musician despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, who ventures to the vibrant Land of the Dead to unlock the real story behind his family history. Coco won two Academy Awards for best animated feature and best original song (“Remember Me”). The film also won a Golden Globe® for best motion picture–animated, a BAFTA for best animated film, and critics’ choice awards for best animated feature and best song (“Remember Me”).

Moana 2 continues to make waves, garnering 27.3 million views globally on Disney+ in its first five days of streaming. This marks the biggest Walt Disney Animation Studios premiere since Encanto (2021) and the third-largest animated theatrical premiere of all time on Disney+.

The original Moana has now surpassed 1.4 billion hours streamed on Disney+ — that’s like streaming the film over 735 million times or playing “How Far I’ll Go” on repeat for more than 50,000 years. In the lead-up to Moana 2, 2024 marked Moana’s most-streamed year ever* and it’s been the most streamed film on Disney+ since the platform’s debut in 2019.

Moana 2 first set sail at the box office with the biggest Thanksgiving weekend opening ever and the highest opening in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ history. Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the film’s momentum only grew from there, ultimately surpassing $1 billion worldwide to become the third highest-grossing Walt Disney Animation Studios release of all time.

*Source: Nielsen Streaming Content Ratings based on the Nielsen U.S. National Television panel. Total viewing minutes based on Persons 2+. Interval: 01/01/2024-12/29/2024.

This week’s launch of the trailer for Lilo & Stitch was a huge success for Walt Disney Studios. After 24-hours, the trailer has become the second most viewed Disney live-action trailer of all time with 158 million views, behind only 2019’s The Lion King teaser trailer. Within an hour of release, Lilo & Stitch reached the No. 1 spot for trending on Twitter/X and remained in the top 10 for the hours following. The trailer also trended on YouTube, taking the No. 1 spot following release and even reached No. 1 on China’s Douyin platform.

Lilo & Stitch, a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, opens exclusively in theaters May 23, 2025.

Excitement for the film has continued to grow since a first look at everyone’s favorite renegade alien was revealed at Disney’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event last August. Then, during this year’s Super Bowl game, a spot featuring Stitch “crashing” the field generated 173.1 million views in 24 hours, making it Disney’s most viewed spot digitally.

Lilo & Stitch tells the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.

Lilo & Stitch is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. Lilo & Stitch is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.

In Mufasa: The Lion King, which roars into theaters on Friday, fans will explore the unlikely rise of the king of the Pride Lands.

Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka — the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny — their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

While expanding on the groundbreaking VFX of the 2019 The Lion King, Mufasa also introduces new characters, features returning favorites like Simba, Nala, and Timon & Pumbaa, and shows off characters, such as Rafiki, like you’ve never seen them before. Not to mention, it also features new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda

In Mufasa, Academy Award® winning director Barry Jenkins deftly navigates the twists and turns of expanding on the beloved story of The Lion King. He sat down to share his experiences with the story, why audiences need to see it in theaters, and his inspiration for crafting the pulse-pounding action sequences in Mufasa. 

What drew you to the story of the original animated The Lion King when you saw it for the first time?

I was actually drawn to the original because I was babysitting my nephews. This is back in the nineties and you have all these VHS tapes lying around and you’re trying to figure out what is going to hold these kids attention the most, and the 1994 Lion King was always the one that did.

At first I was watching them watch the movie, and then I began to watch it with them. And I was amazed in the center of that film, as we all know, is this really intense scene where Simba has to walk up to Mufasa in the aftermath of his death. And I just thought it was a really intentional, very honest thing for children to experience. And it was kind of like a magic trick, how safe it felt for these boys to be watching this. And I think it helped them process some very complex emotions for the first time. I thought that was just a really amazing thing to achieve.

Why did you want to expand on that story in the way that you did with Mufasa?

When I signed on to this project, it was about, I believe 25, 26 years into the life of The Lion King. And for those 26 years, the idea of who Mufasa was and the idea of who Scar was, was pretty much set in stone. One of them is like the perfect depiction of good, of greatness, being a great leader, being a great father. And the other is the exact opposite.

And when I read the script by Jeff Nathanson, I was just amazed at how much more complex the life of these characters were. I referred to my nephews watching this movie and seeing them experience this very intense emotion in just a really deep and safe way, and here I was being gifted an opportunity to explore just as complex, just as deep emotions in a whole new way.

Why do you think this story has resonated both worldwide and for so long since the first movie?

I think it comes back to the honesty of some of the emotions that are being explored in the original Lion King and in the Broadway musical — which I hadn’t seen before I got this job. And then I was like “I need to go see that,” and I did.

It’s interesting, we made this film with a very new sort of technology, and the stage production of The Lion King is one of the oldest technologies. This is one of the first ways how we communally receive drama. And yet you have these people with costumes and it’s flipping over their head and back. And for children who know this 2D animation, it could be very off putting. But instead, all those things disappear purely because the emotions are just so clear, they’re so honest, they’re so forthright.

And I think the thing that The Lion King does that makes it translatable and makes it travel and makes it a singular emotional experience across cultures, across language barriers, is this honesty of the way it deals with the human condition. It also doesn’t belittle the emotional complexity of children, in particular. I think that’s a really wonderful thing to aspire to. It’s what’s given the story its staying power.

What were the opportunities that the technology established from the 2019 The Lion King afforded you?

Because we are working in the footsteps of the 2019 film, just like with the story, there was already a head start. All the same animators who worked on that film worked on this film, so a lot of the lessons they learned in that movie, they could apply to the making of this one. So for me, I could just express how I wanted things to feel because they weren’t trying to figure out how things literally needed to come into being.

What I loved about this live action animation is that we built everything in virtual three dimension, and then we got to go in with our cameras and respond in real time to those things. So rather than predetermining where the camera needed to be based on what I imagined a character would be doing in a scene, we could see the character doing the thing in the scene in real time, because we ultimately got the animators into suits to actually be moving through the scene as the lions, as a rough draft of the animation, and our camera could respond to that in real time. It just brought an aliveness to me, to the way the film is photographed, the way it’s captured. In the film that we’ve ended up with, this version of The Lion King, the way the characters respond to one another in these person-to-person — lion-to-lion — conversations that we have, they take on this more humanistic quality.

One of the things I came out of the movie thinking was Barry Jenkins: Action Director.

I didn’t anticipate that from reading the script because an action set piece in the script would just be a few lines. But again, I started to really understand what was possible with the technology.

I grew up watching these great action films that people like John McTiernan or Ridley Scott, as well as [Disney Legend] James Cameron, and Jan de Bont, and Renny Harlin directed. I think action works best when it’s motivated by character, when it’s serving the themes. And I do feel like in this film, our action set pieces are absolutely serving the character. I feel like my job was to make those set pieces really sort of be in communion with the themes of both this film and the legacy of the franchise.

Why do audiences need to see Mufasa: The Lion King on the big screen?

I think The Lion King is so singularly a part of culture and global culture. There are very few things that have that level of penetration across languages, across cultures. For 30 years, people have experienced these characters, these themes in one way. They’ve known them in a very fixed state. And I think communally, getting together, going to a cinema, sitting in a theater, the lights come down, and I think there’s something about the charge, the sharing of that energy and then going on this journey and knowing that — for me at least — the 30 years of relationship you’ve built with these characters and this legacy is going to be deepened and respected and carried forth in a way that I think is truly quite moving

Because of that, I hope people go out in droves and packs and watch this thing together and learn these new songs and sing them, but also come away with the really deepened appreciation of who these characters were.

It really is the circle of life.

Opening in theaters Friday, December 20, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, with Rafiki relaying the legend to lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka — the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of a group of misfits in search of their destiny.

Directed by Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins and featuring original songs by Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film features several actors from Disney Legend Jon Favreau’s 2019 film The Lion King, including Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Billy Eichner as Timon, and John Kani as Rafiki.

Rounding out the cast of Mufasa: The Lion King are Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Braelyn Rankins as Mufasa Cub, Kelvin Harrison, Jr. as Taka, Theo Somolu as Taka Cub, Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki, Preston Nyman as Zazu, Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros, Thandiwe Newton as Eshe, Lennie James as Obasi, Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose as Afia, and Keith David as Masego.

“We have all poured ourselves into the creation of this film,” Pierre says. “We’ve been at it for a few years, and we’ve given it all of our love, our energy, our care, and our enthusiasm.”

Rankins adds, “I’m still pinching myself, because it was a very surreal experience.”

It was a similarly surreal experience for Harrison, who was born in 1994 — the same year Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Lion King was released in theaters. “I remember how incredible Scar was,” he recalls. “I remember singing along to ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.’ I remember playing the video game on the Sega Genesis — and not being able to beat it!”

But what Harrison loved most of all was imagining backstories for the film’s characters.

“One of my favorite scenes in The Lion King is when Simba says, ‘Uncle Scar, why are you so weird?’ And Scar responds, ‘Oh, you have no idea,’” Harrison says. “So, when I got the script for this film, I was like, ‘I can’t wait to figure out everything that Scar knows about himself.’”

Bursting with Pride

Even before they were cast, Harrison and Pierre were mindful of the characters Jeremy Irons and Disney Legend James Earl Jones created alongside the original film’s animators. “It’s been really cool being able to take from the incredible Jeremy Irons and Chiwetel Ejiofor [from the 2019 film], and all the people who have played Scar before, and then create my own version of the character,” Harrison says. “It’s just been a dream come true.”

Pierre adds, “First and foremost, James Earl Jones is the king. He’s one of my greatest inspirations as a man, as an artist, as a creator. To be gifted the opportunity to, in some small way, continue the legacy of a role he originated beautifully and palpably, I feel very privileged and honored. I hope somewhere he is watching this, smiling. It’s been a real gift.”

Eichner and Rogen were also excited to be unexpectedly returning to their roles. “I was excited and flattered,” Eichner says. “They had to explain how it would make sense that our characters would be in this, because it was not intuitive. It’s always nice to be invited back.”

“We bring the comedic relief — and other kinds of relief,” Rogen laughs. “We don’t have as much singing as I would like, but we do have some singing. It’s a well-rounded appearance.”

Continuing the tradition that made the animated film established, Mufasa: The Lion King roars to life on the big screen thanks, in large part, to the music. According to Rankins, the new songs — including “I Always Wanted a Brother,” “Bye Bye,” and “We Go Together” — are fun and infectious, and he’s excited for audiences to experience them in a theater. “The music feels very nostalgic. It’s almost like a callback to the original film,” the actor says. “Lin worked on it, so you know it’s extremely catchy; I’ll find myself singing it all the time.”

“It’s so good,” Harrison agrees. “My first question was, ‘Do I get a song? Do I get my own song? Am I going to be doing any duets? The boy got to use his pipes! I did my best Scar.”

Building a Legacy

Thirty years after The Lion King became a cultural phenomenon, its characters, music, and stories remain resonant as ever with audiences around the world. “People like lions, people like kings — but I think it’s Timon and Pumbaa they like most,” Rogen jokes. But Pierre knows it’s much deeper than that: “Every day was a pinch-me moment. We felt very privileged to be part of this story that has such a special place in the global community.”

As audiences immerse themselves in an all-new adventure, Somulu hopes they identify with Mufasa’s arc. “For him to become king,” he says, “it shows us that anything is possible.”

30 years ago, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Lion King roared into movie theaters on its way to becoming one of the most successful franchises of all time, across film, live theater, streaming, experiences, and more.

From the 1994 classic, all the way to 2024’s Mufasa: The Lion King, and with more experiences to come, there are many ways that The Lion King has leapt into the hearts of fans around the world.

Academy Award® winner Barry Jenkins, the director of Mufasa noted that “there are very few things that have that level of penetration across languages, across cultures” like The Lion King.

“The thing that The Lion King does that I think makes it translatable across cultures, across language barriers, is this honesty of the way it deals with the human condition,” Jenkins said.

His new film was able to utilize stunning digital technology that was implemented previously in 2019’s The Lion King. That film, which reintroduced the franchise to a new generation, went on to earn over $1.6 billion at the global box office becoming one of the most successful films of all time.

“To create something this meaningful, that has so much staying power, even 30 years later, and resonates all across the globe, is something only Disney can do,” Rebecca Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, said about The Lion King franchise.

1994’s The Lion King was not only a box office blockbuster and a critical success — winning two Academy Awards® — but it laid the groundwork for the innovative The Lion King musical to become a smash hit on Broadway in 1997, winning 6 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical. The original production is in its 27 year on Broadway and its global productions have welcomed over 112 million guests.

“The Lion King is probably the most successful musical ever to be launched around the world,” Thomas Schumacher, Chief Creative Officer of Disney Theatrical Productions, said. “29 different productions, 24 countries, every continent except Antarctica.”

And The Lion King doesn’t only have to be experienced in person at a stage show. There’s Festival of The Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, characters appear in parades and shows throughout Disney Experiences, and — for the first time ever — a ride-through attraction inspired by The Lion King (1994) is coming to Disneyland Paris.

“Disney takes franchises to completely new levels, and it allows us to think about the success of these franchises in generations,” Emily Kaplan, Franchise Planning Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering, said. “I think that’s what differentiates us and really sets us apart.”

Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters December 20, and both the 1994 and 2019 versions of The Lion King are available to stream on Disney+.

When it comes to Moana, the Oceanic Cultural Trust serves as the ultimate guide.

When Walt Disney Animation Studios was developing its 2016 feature film Moana, filmmakers John Musker, Ron Clements, Don Hall, Chris Williams, and Osnat Shurer wanted to ensure that the story — about a strong-willed, independent wayfinder from Motunui — was both authentic and respectful of the cultures and histories of Oceania.

And so, in 2011, Musker and Clements embarked on a research trip to the Pacific Islands, in which anthropologists, cultural experts, historians, and wayfinders from Fiji, Mo’orea, Samoa, Tahiti, and other islands, shared experiences and expertise. That trip inspired Disney Animation to establish the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a collective that would become integral in inspiring and finessing the film’s finest details, ranging from costuming to mythology.

Jared Bush, who wrote the screenplay for Moana and co-wrote Moana 2 with director Dana Ledoux Miller — and who was named Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation in September — says there was a “constant back and forth” with the Oceanic Cultural Trust on both films. “We are constantly checking in. And that could be with a master tattoo artist, with a choreographer, with a historian, or an expert Pacific linguist. On top of that, we have an amazing cast who are from across the Pacific region. And then we have Dana Ledoux Miller, whose family is from Samoa, as well as [director] David Derrick Jr., whose family is from Samoa. It’s really important to have many perspectives.”

“The first Moana set the gold standard for how we work with a creative cultural trust,” adds Derrick, who directs Moana 2 with Miller and Jason Hand. “Every step of the way, they helped inform not only the choices we were making in the story, but also the look of the canoes, of the islands, of the plants, of the animals, and of what everyone was wearing.”

“They helped give us ideas for what the film could be, but they also made sure we got it right,” Hand says. “That was really important.”

Constant Collaboration

The Oceanic Cultural Trust is headed by Kalikolehua Hurley, who was born and raised in Mililani, O’ahu. “It’s an inspiring challenge for us to find Moana’s fictional, unique culture, because we are inspired by a world that has many different, distinct cultures,” Hurley says, “but it’s such a joy to work with our Oceanic Cultural Trust in bringing the stories together.”

Lāiana Kanoa-Wong, one of the consultants for Moana 2, says it’s been an “honor” to be involved in the filmmaking process. “Growing up, I had no idea that learning your language and culture could potentially get you an opportunity like this — or that it would be valued and appreciated by Disney,” Kanoa-Wong says. “I got to come in very early on when Moana 2 was still in the concept stages, and I was invited to spend time with the directors, the producers, and the lead animators.”

“In all of the song sequences — even ones that weren’t necessarily ‘choreographed’ throughout — we would have moments where we would lean on [animation reference choreographer Tiana Nonosina Liufau],” Kevin Webb, a head animator on Moana 2, recalls. “We’d say, ‘Hey, we need something here that feels specific to the region and specific to this moment.’ And she might just send us a little video clip of a hand pose or a finger position — a simple movement that would help us do something that feels music-like, even though it’s not choreographed, that was also true to the region and the culture.”

Head animator Amy Smeed, also praises Liufau’s many contributions to the sequel. “As animators, we are always researching for every scene. On top of that, we’re always caricaturing the performances. We might be pushing on things like timing and spacing, and we’re also looking for strong silhouettes.” Having that “baseline” from Liufau was crucial, Smeed explains, in informing the animation: “Going back to the fingers, there are very specific gestures that are very meaningful, and so we want to make sure we stick to that.”

Beyond the Studio

Over the past few years, members of the Oceanic Cultural Trust have shared their expertise across The Walt Disney Company, such when Disney Consumer Products made new apparel, books, games, and toys, or when Walt Disney Imagineering developed an attraction, Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, for EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort. “Usually when there’s something Moana-related, I’ll get a call,” Hurley says. “So, I get to see how her story looks in different iterations across our awesome company.”

Ask anyone about working with the Oceanic Cultural Trust, and you’ll be hit with a tidal wave of praise. “As a Pacific Islander, I bring my own experience of what it means to be from the Pacific into writing and directing this film. But I feel so fortunate that I get to lean on experts in so many different fields,” Ledoux Miller says. “I’m Samoan, but that doesn’t mean that I know how to sail a canoe; I’m not a wayfinder. To be able to turn to these experts and ask them questions, it was so inspiring and, in so many ways, helped fuel the storytelling.”

When the filmmakers showed a rough cut of the film to Nainoa Thompson, CEO of Polynesian Voyaging Society and a member of the Oceanic Cultural Trust, they were moved to tears by his response. “He said, ‘You are all wayfinders. You need to make sure that you get it right, so when this movie goes out into the world, everybody understands that what the people of the Pacific do is an amazing feat,” Hand says. “We wanted to be true to that.”

A native Hawaiian, Kanoa-Wong says he hopes Moana 2 — which shattered box office records in its opening weekend — will inspire others to “continue to tell our own stories,” adding, “I hope it can be an inspiration to learn your stories, to learn your history, to learn your language, to learn your culture. When you see a big company like Disney taking on this work and this responsibility, I hope that it is inspiring for our people.”

“Moana is an amazing wayfinder. I’m hoping people can see and look at the film and say, ‘What is wayfinding? What is navigation? What is voyaging?’” Kanoa-Wong continues. “And as people see how amazing Moana is and as she’s figuring out her journey, you can learn that it’s actually a real part of our history as people of the Pacific… So hopefully people can dive into that a little bit more, because to me, that will lead to people caring more about these cultures, caring more about these places, and caring more about our oceans.”

When Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear were asked to write original music for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, the GRAMMY Award winners were overflowing with ideas. After all, the prodigious pair had seen the original film in theaters and were as curious as any other fan about what new adventures might await Moana, Maui, and the people of Motunui.

“It’s a crazy honor,” Barlow, who was a high school student when Moana was released in theaters in 2016, says of writing songs for the sequel. “To think that children all over the world are going to hear these songs and want to sing them is like something out of a dream.”

Professionally known as Barlow & Bear, they are the first all-female writing team to create all the songs for an animated Disney feature film and the youngest composers to do so. And, because they are similar in age to Moana, they were uniquely qualified to tell the character’s story — all of her biggest dreams, emotions, fears, and hopes — through music.

“It’s funny, because when we first got hired on this, I really was not that much older than Moana is in the story,” Bear says. “To be able to write for a peer and really identify our struggles and ourselves in her made it really easy for us to step into the shoes of Moana.”

Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller, and David Derrick Jr., produced by Yvett Merino and Christina Chen, and written by Jared Bush and Miller, Moana 2 finds Moana scouring the far seas of Oceania — in dangerous, long-lost waters — to unite communities.

“She’s a little older, a little wiser — three years, to be exact,” Barlow says. Because everything in Moana’s world has only gotten “bigger” over time, the music needed to reflect that: “We wanted to show that evolution not only in the music, but in the lyrics.”

“Every character that we’ve met in Moana has changed and grown: Maui’s changed, Tui has changed, and Moana has changed,” adds Bear, citing songs such as “Beyond,” “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” and “We’re Back” as examples of that evolution. “We also got to write music for the new characters, which was really, really fun, because we got to create a new sound.”

So, what was it like to write music for Moana 2 — which shattered box office records in its debut weekend?

“It’s like dreaming in the middle of the day,” Barlow says in an interview at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California. “It doesn’t matter what kind of day you’re having when you walk into this building; none of it matters… To be part of the Disney legacy, there’s nothing else like it.” Reflecting on it further, being asked to write music for Moana 2 “has been an incredible experience” Barlow won’t soon forget: “I think I’m a better writer because of this project.”

As a lifelong Disney Animation fan, Bear especially relished working with the filmmakers and getting a behind-the-scenes look at all the movie magic.

“It was so cool to watch their brains work and see them dissect things and tear them apart and put them back together. To be a part of those conversations, and to have the music be such an important role in the storytelling process, was crazy,” Bear says. “We grew up on Disney music, just like everyone else. Our story is not unique [in that way], but it is the soundtrack of our lives. For us to see the inner workings of how something like this is made is surreal.”

With Disney Animation’s Moana 2 now playing in theaters, Bear hopes audiences feel as if they’re embarking on the journey along with Moana.

“This world, both sonically and visually, is so all-encompassing,” she says. “It’s so lush and rich. I think that’s why the first one did what it did, because it took you out of where you were and brought you to someplace you would have never, ever been able to go to otherwise. So, I hope Moana 2 brings you back to that place.”

Like Moana herself, Disney’s artists and technologists have undergone a sea change.

When audiences first met the fierce heroine in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana (2016), she ventured beyond the reef and set sail on an adventure that would not only change her life, but those of everyone who lived on Motunui. In the sequel Moana 2 — which shattered multiple box office records in its debut weekend — the passionate leader heeds a mysterious call from her ancestors to break an ancient curse and reconnect with other oceanic people.

It’s an epic story that calls for equally epic sequences and set pieces — and those are what the team at Disney Animation does best. For example, Moana finds herself in uncharted waters when she meets Nalo, the god of storms.

“In a story about connection, Nalo is really a god of disconnection,” David Derrick Jr., who directs Moana 2 with Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, explains. “In storyboards, we talked about how frightening Te Kā was in the first film, so we had to beat that. Nalo has been the culmination of so many artists working together to create something that frankly, we didn’t know we could do through FX, animation, and lighting. It’s absolutely incredible.”

Amy Smeed, one of the heads of animation, says the introduction of Nalo led to “the most complicated sequences we created on this film,” explaining, “It’s a whole weather system that is also a villain, and it’s incredibly impressive when you see all of that on a big screen.”

Creating a villain like Nalo was no easy feat. The filmmakers needed to develop cutting-edge technology so that elements such as “tornados and giant waves” would accurately depict his power, according to Kevin Webb, one of the heads of animation. “We had to invent a bunch of tools so we could hand things off to FX, who could then build off of that,” he says. “It’s all collaboration, honestly. Amy and I are not writing any tools. We get in the room with all the smartest people we know, and we put our heads together. ‘What’s the best solution for pulling this particular task off? Do we need to write a new tool, or do we need to build a new asset? How many departments does this need to go through?’ The wonderful thing about working at Disney is that we have the best artists and technologists in the world here. You get them all in a room together, you get that alchemy, and wonderful things happen.”

And those weren’t the only advances that the story’s scope necessitated.

Riding the Wave

“There’s been so much innovation and technology over the course of the years,” says Smeed, whose past credits include Tangled (2010), Frozen (2013), Big Hero 6 (2014), Moana (2016), and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). “But at the end of the day, as character animators, we are going through and handcrafting each individual frame. Any time we can find ways to make things more efficient, it means that we can spend more time iterating and [asking ourselves]: What are the best choices for the character performance?”

That particular question was often posed to animation reference choreographer Tiana Liufau, a member of the film’s Oceanic Cultural Trust who developed an array of actions, dances, and expressions. “In animation, the person who probably helped us the most was Tiana Nonosina Liufau. In all of the song sequences — even ones that weren’t necessarily ‘choreographed’ throughout — we would have moments where we would lean on her,” says Webb, whose past credits include Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) and Strange World (2023). “We’d say, ‘Hey, we need something here that feels specific to the region and specific to this moment.’ And she might just send us a little video clip of a hand pose or a finger position — a simple movement that would help us do something that feels music-like, even though it’s not choreographed, that was also true to the region and the culture.”

Natural Flow

Because Moana 2 is set three years after the first film, each character’s appearance has been updated accordingly — an endeavor that was done “very carefully,” says Daniel Arriaga, art director of characters. “We didn’t want to change what people love about them.” Moana has become “more confident” as a person and as a leader, he adds, so her actions needed to convey that.

Smeed adds that they also wanted to capture the “athleticism” Moana has built up since the first film. “She’s more confident this time around. She’s been a leader in her community for the past three years. How does that change things like her posture and her stance?” she asks. “It was really exciting to be a part of animating that character again and taking her to that next level.”

Moana 2 introduces several new characters, including Loto (voiced by Rose Matafeo), Kele (voiced by David Fane), and Moni (voiced by Hualālai Chung) — a motley crew from Motunui whom Moana recruits to join her journey. “I love drawing them in groups,” Arriaga says. “You get to see how their shapes play off of each other. You figure out: ‘What would look good here? What are we missing? We have someone shorter. We have someone wider. Now we need someone a little bit taller.’ With Kele, for example, I loved going skinny with his legs and his arms and then giving him these big, floppy feet — and this huge belly! Those kinds of shape differences and variations in a single person are my absolute favorite.”

Into the Swim

While much of Moana 2 features CG animation, it incorporates a longstanding and vital tradition: hand-drawn animation. Having played a crucial role in Moana, veteran animator and director Eric Goldberg returned to supervise the sequel’s hand-drawn animation team.

In the first film, Maui explained to Moana that his tattoos simply show up when he earns them. But of course, they don’t just “show up” onscreen; someone has to animate them. Maui’s living tattoo, aka Mini Maui, is perhaps the most obvious example of how hand-drawn and CG animation work hand-in-hand. “Mini Maui and Maui have their own relationship, and then Moana comes in and befriends Maui,” Smeed says. “It’s interesting to see the dynamic between Mini Maui and Maui [evolve]; it adds some comedy to the story.”

Having seamlessly blended the two animation styles before — most recently in the short film Once Upon a Studio (2023) — the process was remarkably smooth. “Ideally, we tried to have the hand-drawn animation done at the same time as the CG animation,” Smeed recalls. “It didn’t always work out that way, but we did make sure that before a shot was approved and sent down the pipeline, the directors were able to see [hand-drawn] Mini Maui and CG Maui together. Basically, Eric and his team would do the drawings for Mini Maui, and then we would import that into Maya, which is the software we use to animate.”

Given Goldberg’s pedigree, animators clamored for the chance to collaborate with his team. “One of the fun things is we had many CG animators reaching out to us to say, ‘Can I please work on a shot with Maui that has Mini Maui?’” Smeed says. “They wanted the chance to collaborate with Eric and his team, which was a very a fun journey for everyone.”

Diving Back In

For the animators, getting to continue Moana’s story was a dream come true.

“When I saw the original film back in 2016, I fell in love with Moana’s optimism and her unflappable energy,” Webb says. “She’s just such a winning character. I got to revisit the film again after my daughter was born. She had latched on to it when she was about 2 years old, so I got to see it through her eyes and see what she gravitated towards. Getting the chance to be back in this world and work on this film with this character is incredible.”

Smeed adds, “After we finished the first film, it felt like, ‘Oh, no! We don’t get to see her every day.’ So, it was great coming back for this film and getting to interact with her again.”

More than a decade ago, Walt Disney Animation Studios auditioned hundreds of actors throughout the Pacific Islands to voice a new original character, Moana, who sets sail on a daring mission to save her people. An opening casting call noted that the actor must be “brave, inquisitive, and confident,” in addition to having strong singing skills — and Disney found that and more in 14-year-old Auli’i Cravalho, a native Hawaiian and a total unknown.

When Disney Animation’s Moana opened in theaters on November 23, 2016, audiences around the world fell in love with the adventurous teenager — and, by extension, Cravalho. The actor would go on to perform the film’s Oscar-nominated song “How Far I’ll Go” at the Academy Awards in 2017 and reprise her role in Disney Animation’s Ralph Breaks the Internet in 2018 and Once Upon a Studio in 2023. Moana remains popular as ever — it was the most streamed movie of 2023, according to Nielsen — and Cravalho will once again voice the titular character when Moana 2 releases in theaters on Wednesday, November 27.

“I am so grateful that Moana has connected with so many people — and yes, we are still streaming quite well on Disney+!” Cravalho says with laugh. “Moana has so much more story to tell, so I’m really grateful we get to have our sequel. If our first film was focused on connecting with our past, this film is focused on connecting with our future — and I’m so glad that audiences also connect with that. Moana is so brave, and such a beautiful character… She has so much more learning and so much more growing to do in this film.”

Cravalho describes Moana as “loyal,” “resilient,” and “tenacious” — qualities she hopes inspire audiences. “I hope other people also see those same traits in themselves,” she says.

What’s the secret to connecting with audiences on a global scale?

“Disney creates magic,” Cravalho says. “That’s truly how I feel.”

“I myself have seen so many young girls and young boys find themselves through this character,” Cravalho continues. “As much as Moana has grown, I’ve grown just as much.”

Over the years, The Walt Disney Company has continued to deepen fans’ relationships with Moana — something that will continue as Moana 2 sails into theaters around the world. “Disney magic can be felt everywhere, from our films to our music to our merchandise,” Cravalho says. “I love that my little cousins get to hold a Moana doll, press her necklace, and out comes my voice — a crazy experience, by the way! It just opens up the world of Moana to so many people and allows that storytelling to reach an even broader audience.”

Opening in theaters on Wednesday, November 27, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ highly anticipated Moana 2 continues the seafaring story of Moana — and is the result of tireless teamwork from directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller to bring the film to life in an exciting and authentic way.

The trio were supported by producers Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, as well as Jared Bush (Disney Animation’s newly appointed Chief Creative Officer), who wrote the screenplay with Miller. For several years, the directors worked closely with actors, animators, consultants, designers, musicians, and others in order to do justice to Moana — a character so beloved that Moana, released in 2016, was the most streamed film of 2023 across all U.S. platforms.

As they shaped every aspect of this new story, the filmmakers worked closely with the Oceanic Cultural Trust — a collective established during the production of the first film. “They were with us every step of the way,” Hand recalls. “They helped give us ideas for what the film could be, but they also made sure we got it right. That was really important.”

Miller, who is Samoan, remembers feeling a profound sense of pride when the first film was released in theaters. “Seeing Moana onscreen, that was the first time I’d ever seen a Pacific Islander heroine,” she says. “It changed the way I saw the world, really. And to then see her celebrated by the whole world was game-changing.”

Of the new film, Miller says, “We worked really hard to make sure she has an adventure that lives up to her growth and really pushes her beyond anything she’s ever done before.”

Hand notes, “Moana 2 puts Moana in an incredibly difficult situation, and we as the audience get to enjoy watching her figure her way out of it. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s a musical — which is a huge part of Disney Animation’s legacy — and it’s really stunning to look at.”

Uncharted Waters

Derrick has been with Moana since the very beginning. Because of his own Samoan ancestry and personal connection to Moana’s quest to understand her heritage, he joined Disney Animation to work on the Academy Award-nominated 2016 film, storyboarding such important sequences as “How Far I’ll Go” and “I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors).”

“In the first film, Moana wondered how far she could go. She felt this pull to the future and to the horizon,” Derrick says. “And now, in continuing her story, she’s going to go beyond — even farther than she ever knew she could go. It’s empowering. It’s about growth, evolution of self, and community. We always talk about Moana’s relationship with the ocean. The ocean isn’t something that divides the people of the sea; it’s something that unites them.”

In the sequel, set three years later, a now 19-year-old Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) has “found her footing as a leader in Motunui, but she hasn’t taken her eyes off the ocean,” Miller says. “We wanted to see how she can bridge the two loves of her life: land and sea.”

After receiving an unexpected call from her ancestors, Moana turns to the people of Motunui for help. She interviews potential crew members and ultimately recruits the engineer Loto (voiced by Rose Matafeo), the farmer Kele (voiced by David Fane), and the storyteller Moni (voiced by Hualālai Chung) to join with returning favorites Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), Heihei (voiced by Alan Tudyk), and Pua.

Together, the crew embarks on an expansive voyage to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters. Moana’s increased responsibilities — to herself, to her family, to her people, and to her island — can sometimes be at odds, which force her to make difficult and sometimes divisive decisions. “Growing up means the choices you make are different. The reason you make choices are different,” Miller explains. “We wanted to see what that evolution looks like — to ground it in family with her little sister, Simea, to push Moana to her limits and figure out what her new focus would be.”

“Moana 2 is introspective in that it invites us to be connected to who we are and who we will be,” Derrick adds. “There are so many beautiful messages about community in the film.”

Staying in Motunui

Anticipation for the new film is high, partly because Moana hasn’t disappeared since the first film was released in 2016.

Beyond Moana‘s presence on Disney+, there are myriad ways that fans have been able to stay connected with the story and characters over the years. As Cravalho puts it, “Disney magic can be felt everywhere.”

Around the globe, fans of Moana can experience her world live and in person: from the “Moana: A Homecoming Celebration” stage show at Hong Kong Disneyland to the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, to the upcoming Disney The Tale of Moana aboard the Disney Treasure cruise ship, which will bring Moana’s musical journey to the stage for the first time ever.

Speaking of music, the film’s soundtrack can be found on all streaming platforms, so fans can get excited for the new film and be familiar with the tunes before they sit down at the theater. “I grew up in the era of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, and I remember driving home from the movie theater, singing the songs that had already imprinted and become a part of who I was,” Miller says. “Moana 2 has those same special characteristics. The music is memorable; you can’t stop singing the songs.”

And that’s not to mention the apparel, books, games, and toys offered at Disney Store and other retailers. Earlier this month, a wave of new products inspired by Moana 2 was released so that fans of all ages have another way to connect with the characters leading up to the release of the sequel.

“That’s what makes Disney such a special company — it can reach people in a variety of different ways,” Hand says. “The best part about working at Disney is the reach that it has.”

That’s what led 178 million people to watch the first trailer for Moana 2 in just 24 hours, showcasing the unique ways Disney keeps fans engaged and connected with stories between new chapters on the big screen.

Wind in Their Sails

While making the film, the directors never lost sight of the millions of people around the world who have been inspired by Moana — including, in many cases, their own family members. “My son, who’s 7 years old, says, ‘I want to be strong like Moana,” Derrick says, smiling with pride. “People look to Moana and want to be like her. She’s like the best of us.”

“Working on this film is honestly a dream come true,” Hand says. “I’ve wanted to work at Disney Animation since I was a little kid, and I love the films we make here. I loved working on the first film with Ron Clements and John Musker, and to continue Moana’s story is extremely special to me. Moana is the film my family and I rewatch more than any other film I’ve worked on. I hope everybody loves Moana 2 as much as we enjoyed making it.”

It’s easy for Jared Bush to distill why the character Moana has been making waves since 2016.

“Moana is this perfect combination of tenaciousness and empathy, in equal parts,” says Bush, who was named Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios in September, giving him oversight of the creative output of the iconic studio’s films, series, and associated projects. “She is someone who will always make the tough choice. She is someone who will always try as hard as she possibly can to save the day. And more than anything, she will always see the best in others and do whatever it takes to help them.”

After writing the screenplay for Moana, Bush decided to dive in even deeper and write the screenplay for Moana 2 with Dana Ledoux Miller (who directs the film with Jason Hand and David Derrick Jr.). He also serves as an executive producer with Jennifer Lee and Dwayne Johnson (who voices Maui) on the highly-anticipated sequel.

In an exclusive Q&A, Bush — who received an Academy Award in 2022 for Encanto and who is currently writing and directing Zootopia 2, premiering in November 2025 — reflects on the journey of the beloved franchise.

Thinking back to the first film, what initially drew you to Moana as a character?

It’s truly a universal story of finding one’s identity. Moana is 16 in the first film, and when I was that age, trying to figure out who I was, was so difficult — and I think it is for most people. We wanted to highlight that struggle with Moana, who had this feeling she was meant to be on the ocean, but couldn’t because her dad refused to let anyone go out to sea. She felt her true self was out there, but she couldn’t know for sure until she took the leap. It was all about the relatable notion of finding yourself and how hard that can be.

The worldbuilding in the first Moana was so rich that the opportunity seems like it was there for a new chapter in her story. What was your inspiration for the story of Moana 2?

With any story, you try to think of the characters as someone you know — and that means building someone’s psychology and understanding what they’re going through emotionally. While the first film is not directly set up for a sequel, Moana has just found out who she is. She’s just become a wayfinder at the end of the first film. What does that mean for her moving into this next part of her life? What is she going to go out in search of? From a character perspective, it makes so much sense for her to want to go out there to explore and seek out new islands and perhaps even connect with new communities.

We join up with Moana, three years after the end of the first film, and it’s at this moment that she is called by her ancestors to go on an impossible mission to save her people and reconnect the people of the Pacific. And she’ll have to do so, now, as a leader of a crew on her canoe. It’s a new chapter for her and everyone. Even Maui went through a massive character arc in the first film. He was this guy who was pretty full of himself, and he found redemption through Moana and started to work on himself. How does a demigod work on himself? We find that out in this next story. It’s always character first; they will lead you on that journey.

With no roadmap, how did you finally crack the story for Moana 2?

Well, it takes hundreds of brilliant minds — that’s the real way to do it. We have so many people who were deeply invested in this story and what it could be, and so everyone set the bar incredibly high. Everyone wanted this movie to be something really special. We wanted this story to be worthy of Moana, of the other characters, of this world, and — of course — of the many communities of the Pacific. It’s only made possible because of everyone’s deep love of all of that and wanting to bring audiences on a journey with their best friend and into places they’ve never seen.

Although this is a sequel, how does Moana 2 stand on its own?

I like to think this is just the beginning of her story. There’s so much more in store for her in the future. Every one of us goes through these moments where you define yourself, but that’s never the end of the story; there’s always more to you. And in this movie, Moana redefines herself yet again — maybe even bigger than in the first film.

Fans get to experience Moana’s adventures on the big screen, surrounded by an audience, and they can also stream the first movie on Disney+. There are even more Moana adventures to be had in Disney’s theme parks and on its cruise ships. What makes Disney uniquely positioned to create this continuous and immersive storytelling?

It’s one of the most exciting things that you can experience as a storyteller. Seeing the popularity of Moana grow since it was released eight years ago is incredible. Watching what it’s done on Disney+ — last year it was the No. 1 streaming movie on any platform — it’s remarkable and so thrilling for everybody at Disney Animation. We spend so long making these movies, and everyone puts their heart into them. That people still find themselves in her story and want to be with Moana on the canoe, it’s a dream come true.

As the screenwriter of both films, you’ve been living in Moana’s head for more than a decade. What are you most excited for fans to see when Moana 2 releases in theaters?

It’d be easy to say it’s the finale, because the finale is pretty spectacular. But as a storyteller, it’s all the tiny human moments. Specifically, I love Moana’s relationship with her kid sister Simea [voiced by Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda]. For those of us who are parents or caregivers, who’ve had to have difficult conversations with a 3-year-old who may not understand the imperfect choices you have to make as an adult, that was [a dynamic] that we all felt really connected to. Moana’s love for her little sister, her care for her, and the specialness of that relationship is something I think many people are going to relate to and fall in love with.

Moana 2 premieres exclusively in theaters on Wednesday, November 27.

When Walt Disney Animation Studios released Moana in theaters in November 2016, it was clear audiences felt a deep connection to the strong-willed, independent wayfinder (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho).

The film topped the global box office in its opening weekend and went on to earn more than $643.3 million worldwide. Since then, Moana has consistently been among the Top 10 most-streamed movies of the year—and in 2023, it crossed 1 billion hours streamed on Disney+ and was the most streamed movie on any platform in the U.S.

But the franchise’s popularity goes far beyond her onscreen appearances. Watch the video below to see why the creative forces behind the franchise believe there’s no story quite like Moana and no company quite like Disney.

Not only are apparel, books, games, and toys offered at Disney Store and other retailers, but Moana’s story continues in Disney’s theme parks around the world — as well as on the high seas. From the “Moana: A Homecoming Celebration” stage show at Hong Kong Disneyland to the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, there are plenty of memorable ways to engage with the beloved story. And soon, guests can enjoy Disney The Tale of Moana aboard the Disney Treasure cruise ship, which will bring Moana’s musical journey to the stage for the first time ever.

“I love that people can continue Moana’s story by themselves,” says David Derrick Jr., who worked on the first film and directs Moana 2 with Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller. “With every toy that you have, you get to reenact the story or you get to find new ones. And I love how through the toys, through the parks, it allows everyone to become part of that incredible journey and to be inspired by Moana and all the characters in the story.”

Cravalho adds, “Disney magic can be felt everywhere.”

“It’s an incredible responsibility to work on a sequel to a film that people love so much,” Miller says. “I don’t think any of us ever anticipated or thought that 178 million people would watch the [first Moana 2] trailer in 24 hours, but I get it. We all want to be Moana.”

35 years ago on Sunday, an effervescent young mermaid with a bubbly personality made her debut on the animated feature scene, forever altering the course of Disney animation. The Little Mermaid (1989) marked a return to Disney’s storytelling roots as the first full-length production to draw inspiration from a classic fairy tale in three decades.

“This story is different from any fairy tale Disney has ever done,” Disney Legend Glen Keane, the directing animator primarily responsible for Ariel, said. “The heroine feels more real and relatable. What she desires may seem impossible, but hopefully, the audience becomes so invested in her determination that they’ll root for her success.”

The legacy of The Little Mermaid ripples far beyond the motion picture screen as millions of fans have brought the magic of the animated classic home through merchandise that have served as emotional touchpoints to Ariel and her friends. While the film’s production art has been the focus of study and celebration, less featured have been the illustrations produced for a number of memorable and much beloved consumer products.

Nestled within the Walt Disney Archives is a rarely seen collection of merchandising artwork that highlights Disney creativity beyond the screen. It includes illustrations created for publishing and home entertainment projects — each a treasure (or, thingamabob) unto itself.

The first of these is a charming entry from the Little Nugget Book series from Golden Press. Illustrated by Kerry Martin and Fred Marvin, this 1992 adaptation of The Little Mermaid features stunning illustrations that complement the text for young readers:

Click the images above to view in full size

The full scope of the artwork created for this book is breathtaking in its own right. And while the illustrations are adapted for literary format, the Archives’ art collection allows for appreciation of the artists’ initial vision.

Diving deeper into its publishing art collection, the Archives can present original illustrations from How to Draw The Little Mermaid from Walter Foster Publishing. This book, also published in 1992, offers artists of all ages the chance to make a splash with easy-to-follow instructions for drawing their favorite characters in a variety of poses.

Two pieces from the collection are highlighted here: a completed illustration of Flounder (above) and the beautifully designed background that complements it (below). Seeing the entire scene offers a glimpse into the artist’s fully rendered concept.

The Archives also explored a collection of home entertainment artwork to uncover this next piece. During the Company’s early tide of home video releases, Disney fans had the chance to reel in their favorite films, often accompanied by beautifully designed packaging, such as this Little Mermaid VHS cover. Below, you can see an early example of home video art featuring Flounder and some of Ariel’s “Under the Sea” friends alongside designated spaces for product text. The artwork is vibrant and inviting, making it even more tempting to take off the shelf and enjoy!

Along those same lines, additional supplemental art was crafted for individual Walt Disney Home Video stories featuring Ariel, much like the piece showcased below. This VHS cover artwork was designed for the 1995 release Princess Collection:Ariel’s Songs and Stories, which featured two episodes from the popular animated TV series Disney’s The Little Mermaid: “Wish Upon a Starfish” and “Metal Fish.” A close look at this original artwork offers a detailed glimpse beyond what ultimately made it onto the final product.

When it comes to unique artistry, as this merchandising artwork shows, the care that Disney puts into crafting its feature films spreads throughout the entire company, wherever a story, experience, or product is shared with the public.

Today, Good Morning America revealed a wave of new products inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ highly anticipated theatrical sequel, Moana 2, before it sails into theaters on November 27, 2024.

Adding to the lineup of global products announced previously, the national morning show exclusively shared a first look at new pieces from DisneyStore.com, available to shop starting today, as well as a sneak peek of new items from Posh Peanut, coming to the brand’s site on November 14. The segment also featured previously announced products such as the Moana Fashion Doll and Moana’s Adventure Canoe playset from Mattel, Maui’s Magical Fishhook from Jakks Pacific, Moana’s Adventure Canoe building toy set from the LEGO Group, Disney Moana Doll by American Girl, Moana 2 Passion Fruit Sour Gummy Stars by Better Sour and Moana 2 Pure Coconut Water by 100 Coconuts.

“Moana’s journey in this new adventure is bigger, bolder and filled with new characters and surprises,” Meagan Sanders, vice president franchise development, Disney Consumer Products, said. “Our latest collection of global products from world-renowned licensees not only bring the immersive storytelling of Moana 2 to life, but also connect consumers of all ages to the beloved settings and characters we loved from these films.”

New Products Making a Splash Today

• Launching today on DisneyStore.com, the Moana 2 collection includes new adult and youth apparel, accessories, and dolls. This morning, Good Morning America revealed two new youth apparel items, including the Moana 2 Spirit Jersey and Zip Hoodie for Girls.

• Posh Peanut will debut new apparel styles for both kids and adults, with the brand’s iconic matching sets coming in multiple patterns. Standouts on Good Morning America included the Moana-inspired twirl dress, as well as multiple mini backpack designs.

• Fans were also able to get a glimpse of the new Moana’s Adventure Canoe from the LEGO Group. News of the set was shared in late September, and Good Morning America was the first to share a look at the fully built set, which will be available for pre-sale later this November.

• Also making its broadcast debut was the new Moana doll by American Girl. Available for pre-sale starting October 29, the doll is already a hit with fans as the newest addition to the expanding American Girl Disney Princess doll line up.

Recently Released Products Already Making Waves

• These exciting collaborations join the growing list of Moana 2-inspired products that began making waves this September, including new dolls, playsets, roleplay, and collectibles from global licensees Mattel, Jakks Pacific, Disguise, and Funko as well as publishing titles from Chronicle Books and Random House, home décor from Jay Franco, and food and beverage offerings from Better Sour and 100 Coconuts.

Additional Products on the Horizon

• Other products launching this year include a new Moana 2-inspired mini backpack from Loungefly, which is available for pre-order now, as well as a new mini-plush capsule collection from Just Play, tech accessories from PopSockets, jewelry from RockLove, and apparel from BoxLunch, Hot Topic, Cakeworthy and Monica + Andy.

• Fans can expect even more Moana 2 merchandise to continue rolling out with exciting new collaborations making a splash in 2025. Get ready to set sail for an all-new voyage as Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2 premieres in theaters November 27.

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jared Bush has been named Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Walt Disney Animation Studios effective immediately, reporting to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, while Jennifer Lee has decided to return to filmmaking full time to steward the Frozen franchise for the studio.

Serving as Chief Creative Officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2018, Lee will be directing and writing on Frozen 3 and writing Frozen 4 with Marc Smith; she will also executive produce the latter. Thirty-year Disney veteran Clark Spencer (Oscar®-winning producer, Encanto, Zootopia) continues as President, Walt Disney Animation Studios.

“Jared Bush is an incredible filmmaker and a talented executive who’s been a prominent creative force at Disney Animation for the past decade, and I am thrilled that he’ll be taking the reins of this storied studio,” Bergman said. “I also want to thank Jennifer Lee for her passionate leadership of the studio over the past several years — she’s made an indelible mark on both Disney Animation and the industry. I know she has so many more stories to tell, and there is truly no one better suited to oversee the continuation of the beloved story of Frozen.”

“I am so deeply grateful to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman for their faith in me, and thankful to Jennifer for her leadership and for her generous support as she embarks on the next chapters of Frozen,” said Bush. “Disney Animation is home to some of the greatest stories and characters of the past century, and I’m so excited to work with all of our filmmakers, artists, and Disney Animation team members as we shape the future of this legendary studio together.”

Said Lee: “I am so grateful to Bob and Alan for supporting my decision to return to filmmaking full time. Every day working with them is a master class in creativity, business, community, and integrity. I’ve always believed in Jared’s incredible talent and can’t wait to see, with his passion and dedication to animation, what he brings to the CCO role. For me, getting to collaborate with this studio of artists, animators, and storytellers is such a privilege, and I look forward to all we will create together.”

As CCO, Bush will oversee the creative output of the iconic animation studio, including its films, series, and associated projects. Bush has been with the studio for over a decade, receiving the Academy Award in 2022 for Encanto, for which he was both director and a writer, in the same year in which he was executive producer for the Oscar-nominated Raya and the Last Dragon. Bush was also co-director/co-writer on 2016’s Oscar-winning Zootopia, writer of the original Oscar-nominated hit Moana, and received an Emmy® Award for Zootopia+. He serves as a writer and executive producer on the upcoming Moana 2 and is directing and writing Zootopia 2, set to release Fall 2025.

Lee is the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director behind Frozen and Frozen 2, two of the biggest animated films of all time. Lee joined Disney in 2011 as co-writer of the Oscar-nominated Wreck-It Ralph. She was also an integral part of building the story for Zootopia and served as executive producer on Encanto, Wish, and Raya and the Last Dragon, as well as the upcoming Moana 2. She also oversaw Disney Animation’s first foray into animated series, including Baymax, the first-of-its-kind series Iwájú, and Zootopia+, for which she received an Emmy Award, and she is the Tony®-nominated writer of the book for the Broadway musical Frozen.

Among the highly anticipated titles on Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming slate are Moana 2 on November 27, 2024 and Zootopia 2 on November 26, 2025.

Every year on June 26, also known as “626 Day,” fans across the globe celebrate Stitch from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Lilo & Stitch, the cute yet bonkers galactic character that was given the experiment number 626.

In honor of the mischievous little blue alien that’s become a global phenomenon, Alex Kupershmidt, lead animator on Stich, offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the team brought the character to life.

Creating Experiment 626

Though he was made by the mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba in the original film, Stitch was created using traditional, hand-drawn animation techniques in real life. According to Kupershmidt, the team designed the character to look “almost like a stuffed toy” who moves more like a lizard.

Kupershmidt’s background in hand-drawn animation and the fundamentals he learned from Disney Animation classics — like Pinocchio and Fantasia — still guide his animation process, and he’s since supported the efforts to bring Stitch into the real-world in the live-action reimagining.

In addition to hand-drawn animation, watercolor backgrounds were featured exclusively throughout the original film, revisiting a format that Disney had not used since the 1940s. The studio later returned to this watercolor technique in 2023’s ‘Wish.’

Celebrating “626 Day”

Since crash-landing on screens in 2002, Stitch’s popularity has only grown. Fans can now celebrate International Stitch Day with the original film, its animated sequel, TV series, or the 2025 live action adaptation that shattered box office records.

For an in-person encounter, guests can visit Walt Disney World Resort and Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. Or bring Stitch home with a wide range of ‘Lilo & Stitch’ products – from toys and apparel to pet accessories.

Learn more about the extraordinary character who spans The Walt Disney Company from David Greenbaum, President of Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios, and Clark Spencer, President, Walt Disney Animation Studios – who also produced the original animated film – in our video here.

For the last 30 years, one story has brought millions together in the great circle of life.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Lion King celebrated its 30^th anniversary on Monday with a new brand spot that showcased the 1994 film’s impact across cinema, Broadway, and beyond.

As one of Disney’s most beloved and popular franchises, The Lion King has gone on to represent everything the company has to offer and how Disney’s storytelling can span generations.

30 years ago, we met The Lion King. This December, experience an all-new story with Mufasa: The Lion King, only in theaters. pic.twitter.com/vWmOQJB4Y0

— Disney (@Disney) June 24, 2024

The original film was not only a box office smash bringing in $976 million at the worldwide box office, but it also spawned a Broadway show that has enchanted audiences for the last 25 years, iconic music from Elton John and Tim Rice, and a live-action remake in 2019 that made $1.6 billion worldwide.

The classic film will be coming back to theaters on July 12 before audiences return to the Pride Lands once more for Mufasa: The Lion King — a new film from Oscar-winning filmmaker, Barry Jenkins, which tells the origin story of the king himself, Mufasa.

Mufasa: The Lion King debuts in theaters on December 20.

Catherine Laga‘aia joins Dwayne Johnson, who reprises his role as the beloved Maui, in the oceanic adventure heading to theaters July 10, 2026 — production kicks off this Summer

Catherine Laga‘aia will be voyaging to Motunui and beyond as the adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people in Disney’s upcoming live-action Moana.

“I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites,” said the 17-year-old Sydney, Australia, native. “My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.”

The cast also includes Auckland, New Zealander John Tui as Moana’s no-nonsense father, Chief Tui; Samoan-New Zealand actress Frankie Adams portrays Moana’s playful and strong-willed mother, Sina; and Rena Owen, who hails from Bay of Islands, NZ, was cast as the revered Gramma Tala.

Previously announced, Dwayne Johnson, who voiced larger-than-life demigod Maui in the 2016 animated version of the film, will reprise his role.

Releasing in theaters on July 10, 2026, Moana is directed by Thomas Kail, who helmed Hamilton on Broadway and Disney+, Grease Live and the first and last episodes of Hulu’s lauded limited series We Were the Lucky Ones.

“I am thrilled to have met Catherine, Rena, Frankie and John through this casting process,” Kail said. “I am humbled by this opportunity, and I cannot wait to all be on set together. And there’s no better pair to be in a canoe with than Catherine and Dwayne—actually, trio: Heihei is ready, too.”

Moana will bring to life in a whole new way the story of a young woman eager to pave her own path. Celebrating the islands, communities and traditions of Pacific Islanders in a spectacular adventure, the production begins filming this summer.

The new feature film is produced by Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia via their Seven Bucks Productions and Beau Flynn via FlynnPictureCo. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the original songs, will also serve as producer. Executive producers include Scott Sheldon of FlynnPictureCo., Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the 2016 film, and Charles Newirth.

Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller have been tapped for the project. Bush, a veteran of Disney Animation, wrote the screenplay for 2016’s “Moana,” and Miller is a Samoan writer who created Netflix’s “Thai Cave Rescue” and co-founded the non-profit Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK).

There’s just no telling how far she’ll go.

On Wednesday, Walt Disney Animation Studios debuted the teaser trailer for the highly anticipated feature film Moana 2—starring Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson as Moana and Maui, respectively—across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube.

The first look at the sequel to the 2016 musical adventure set a record for the biggest animated trailer launch in Disney history, receiving 178 million views in 24 hours, surpassing Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (157 million views in 2023), Disney’s Frozen 2 (116 million views in 2019), and Disney and Pixar’s Incredibles 2 (113 million views in 2017).

“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise,” Bob Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company, said when the sequel was announced in February. “And we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters this November.”

As a testament to the enduring love for Moana‘s characters, music, and story, the 2016 film was the most streamed movie across all platforms in 2023, according to Nielsen.

Opening only in theaters on November 27, 2024, Moana 2 reunites Moana and the demigod Maui three years after the events of the first film for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.

Perils abound!

In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new epic animated musical, Moana 2, three years since her first voyage, Moana is on an expansive journey in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui.

Joined by Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Featuring the voices of Auli‘i Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui, Moana 2 opens in theaters November 27, 2024.

The Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger announced today that Moana 2, Disney Animation’s all-new feature-length sequel to 2016’s Oscar-nominated film, will be released in theaters in 2024.

“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise,” said Iger. “And we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters this November.”

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.

In the mid-1950s — as scaffolding rose on Disneyland and Walt Disney further became a household name for TV viewers across the country — work was underway on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ next major fairy tale: 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, which celebrates its 65 anniversary on Monday.

“Today, Sleeping Beauty is considered one of the most artistically-acclaimed and important films ever produced by the animation industry,” says Rebecca Cline, director of the Walt Disney Archives.

The movie includes memorable characters such as Sleeping Beauty herself Princess Aurora, the three Good Fairies, and the film’s villain, Maleficent, who, Cline noted, “is a masterpiece of animation design.”

“Her transformation into a magnificent dragon for an epic battle with Prince Phillip is a highlight,” she added.

To set Sleeping Beauty apart from past animated efforts, Walt wanted “the feel of a ‘moving illustration,’” Cline said.

She pointed out that Walt “gave unprecedented control of the film’s visual appearance to future Disney Legend Eyvind Earle, as both de facto art director and color stylist. The result is a film notable for its distinctive and beautiful art direction, which is instantly recognizable to Disney fans.”

Cline went on to say that Earle “chose to give the film a fantasy medieval feel.” His work on the visual identity of Sleeping Beauty includes the iconic prop storybook, which can be seen throughout the film.

“The result is a magnificent prop storybook styled to look like a medieval illustrated manuscript including original hand-painted art and hammered brass and ‘jeweled’ cover,” said Cline. “Inside the book are multiple pages hand-painted by Eyvind, inspired by the pre-Renaissance European illustrated religious manuscripts.”

That prop book has become a “crown jewel” of the Walt Disney Archives, according to Cline.

“We felt it was very important to preserve and protect this very iconic and beloved asset,” she said.

Usually “In film, props, costumes, and sets… are only needed for a short time, so they are made to look great during filming, but are not always designed or made with the care for a lasting product,” Cline said. “In the case of the Sleeping Beauty prop storybook, a plain oversized bound journal was used as a base and covered and painted to look medieval. Inside, the original art was glued onto the pages of the journal for support. Over the years the delicate book began to deteriorate due to the non-archival materials originally used and it was no longer able to be exhibited or even carefully opened for reference.”

The storybook — as Earle designed it — has since been restored and has regular conservation checks. However, Earle’s artwork for Sleeping Beauty wasn’t only featured in the film.

“When Disneyland opened in 1955, its centerpiece was a fairytale castle, and as Sleeping Beauty was in production, Walt decided to deem it Sleeping Beauty Castle and guests fell in love with it — regularly requesting to go inside,” Cline noted. “So, in 1957, before the film even opened, the interior of the castle was crafted into a walk-through attraction where guests could experience the story of the film through beautifully crafted dioramas, including murals painted by Earle.”

Production elements from Sleeping Beauty were even featured in a 1958 traveling exhibition called “The Art of Animation,” which showcased the animation process and “was so beloved that following its tour, a unit of the exhibition was installed in Tomorrowland at Disneyland where it ran from 1960 to 1966 — giving guests a very special peek ‘behind the magic,’” Cline said.

The characters of Sleeping Beauty have continued to breathe life into new stories at Disney, including the popular live-action adaptation Maleficent, released in 2014, and its sequel Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in 2019.

While Sleeping Beauty fed into various parts of the company before it was even released, it’s also enmeshed itself into American culture.

Cline pointed out that “In 2019, this treasured film was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry as ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,’ but more importantly, it has enchanted millions of Disney fans who have taken it into their hearts.”

On November 27, 2013, Walt Disney Animation Studios released its 53rd feature film, Frozen—which quickly snowballed into an Oscar^®-winning, $1.29 billion blockbuster that continues to enchant fans around the world a decade later. Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee (who also wrote the film), Frozen tells the tale of two sisters, Anna (Disney Legend Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Disney Legend Idina Menzel), who—with the help of the outdoorsman Kristoff (Disney Legend Jonathan Groff) and the magical snowman Olaf (Disney Legend Josh Gad)—battle the elements to save the kingdom of Arendelle from Hans (Santino Fontana).

The film’s seismic soundtrack, featuring original music by songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, had Frozen fans asking each other, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” The song “Let It Go,” in particular, became an anthemic cultural phenomenon that received multiple accolades, ranging from an Academy Award to a Grammy Award.

Reflecting on the impact of “Let It Go,” Menzel says, “It’s been this incredible gift in my life. What’s so beautiful is that not only does Elsa connect with a young audience, but she gives us all permission to be our greatest selves. And because I get to perform the song over and over, she never goes away. When I’m feeling down or insecure about my own power, she reminds me to harness that. So, it’s really been this constant gift that just keeps on giving.”

Since the original film’s release, there has been an avalanche of Frozen films, shorts, and specials released—not to mention top-selling consumer products, highly anticipated theme park attractions and lands, stage productions, and more. Sample highlights include:

• In 2016, the Frozen Ever After attraction opened at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Guests are invited to voyage to Arendelle aboard an ancient Nordic vessel as they take a musical tour of the wintery world of Frozen.
• Frozen opened on Broadway in 2018 and is currently on tour across North America. The Tony^®-nominated musical is an unforgettable theatrical experience filled with stunning special effects, striking costumes and sets, and powerhouse performances.
• A follow-up film, Frozen 2, had a record-breaking opening weekend in 2019, earning $358.4 million globally. The film went on to gross $1.45 billion, making it the No. 1 animated film of all time. The making of the film was chronicled in the six-part docuseries Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2, streaming exclusively on Disney+.
• In 2023, Disney Publishing Worldwide launched Disney Frozen Podcast: Forces of Nature. Featuring favorite Frozen characters and introducing new friends, it finds Anna and Elsa working with a neighboring queen to solve a mystery in the forest.
• With themes of bravery, empowerment, self-discovery, and sisterhood, the story of Frozen continues to resonate with people of all ages. As such, the 10th anniversary celebration includes a new range of products, toys, and costumes from brands including BoxLunch, Disguise, Funko, Jakks, LEGO, Mattel, Ravensburger, and TOMY.
• Since 2013, Disney Publishing Worldwide has sold over 300 million Frozen This year, in August, Penguin Random House released The Frozen Saga: Anna and Elsa’s Journey, which retells both films for the first time in a deluxe jacketed hardcover storybook, and in November, Disney Books released All Is Found: A Frozen Anthology, which features short stories by 10 authors to celebrate 10 years of Frozen.
• Most recently, World of Frozen—the world’s first Frozen-themed land—opened its gates at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2023. The theme park’s largest and boldest expansion since it opened in 2005, features three all-new, fun-filled attractions: Frozen Ever After, Playhouse in the Woods, and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Fans are feverishly awaiting more Frozen films, and the creative minds inside Walt Disney Animation Studios are currently developing projects for the big screen. “We are deeply excited about the story we are shaping together,” Lee says. “And it’s so epic, it may not just fit into one film.”

That’s just fine with the voice actors, who have become like family over the past decade. “The Frozen family is actually very close,” Bell says, “and my castmates are like my siblings.”

Frozen has also played an integral role in Disney’s commitment to help reimagine the patient experience in children’s hospitals around the world, inviting kids to embrace the power of play and partake in a normal childhood experience from the safety of the hospital. For the first time in forever, the non-profit Starlight Children’s Foundation, in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company, celebrated the 10th anniversary of Disney’s Frozen at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago on Friday, November 17. Young patients were the first in the nation to see and wear the newly redesigned Frozen-themed Starlight Hospital Gowns and Pants, featuring the beloved characters Elsa, Anna, Sven, and Olaf. The fun-filled day included activities; film screenings; a delivery of Frozen-themed toys, books, and costumes; and a very special visit from Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

“We’re honored and grateful to have a longstanding relationship with Disney in helping us achieve our mission of delivering happiness to seriously ill kids and their families,” said Adam Garone, CEO of Starlight Children’s Foundation. “Together for 20 years, we’ve been transforming the hospital experience through programs that entertain and provide comfort to kids at a time when they need it most.”

That’s why voicing Olaf—who’s starred in several shorts on Disney+—has meant so much to Gad. “Seeing kids all over the world respond to this optimistic bundle of naivete and childlike wonder—that’s what you hope for, right?” he says. “You hope your work stands the test of time, and it’s been incredible to watch this film that I’m so proud of strike a chord with so many people. I’m blown away by it, and I’m also humbled by the response to Olaf.”

Jennifer Lee has made a Wish, and she—as well as the rest of Disney Animation—is ready for the world to see it.

Wish—Disney’s latest animated film which takes audiences on an adventure with the hopeful Asha as she battles the dastardly King Magnifico—connects the past to the present of the 100-year-old studio. However, it also looks towards Disney Animation’s future.

The film—which is in theaters on Wednesday—brings together the hallmarks that has made Disney storytelling special for the last century: catchy songs, colorful characters and, of course, making wishes. However, this time a star isn’t just something that characters wish upon.

We spoke with Lee—the Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation and writer/executive producer of Wish—about the highly anticipated film and what its innovations mean for the future of Disney Animation. Oh, and we also touched on a little upcoming film that takes place in the frosty world of Arendelle.

From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Beauty And The Beast to Frozen, Disney Animation has always pushed Disney forward for the last 100 years. How does Wish continue that tradition of innovation mixed with classic storytelling?

Walt Disney himself said we have to keep evolving our storytelling and always innovate. With Wish, we are looking to our incredible legacy of films for inspiration to create an original fairy tale with new characters and songs. Storytelling is what connects us all, and at Disney Animation we are all inspired by Walt and the artists of his day and what they created. And we honor that legacy with an incredible first-of-its-kind visual watercolor storybook CG look for this film made to be seen on the big screen.

Wish is blending 3-D animation with watercolor style that was seen in the earliest films from the studio.

We were inspired by the watercolor paintings of our earliest films from Snow White and Pinocchio brought to life through the innovations that we’ve been developing in-house, experimenting within our short films, like Paperman, Feast and the watercolor style of Far From The Tree. The combination of artistry and innovation has been with us since our earliest days, and the look of this film is something our production design team achieved so beautifully.

You’ve worked on some of Disney’s most beloved animated films. What make Wish special?

We really fell in love with each of these characters as we were creating the film, and absolutely loved the music Julia Michaels and her collaborator Ben Rice, were creating. Asha is such a special character. She begins the film in a good place — loving where she lives, feeling supported by her friends and family. But like so many people in their late teens, she learns the world around her is not perfect, and instead of turning a blind eye she confronts the wrong and inspires her whole community.

It’s Disney’s 100^th anniversary, and Disney Animation has been there since the start. How does Wish celebrate Animation’s evolution over the last century?

Five years ago, my fellow Frozen director Chris Buck had placed one image from each of our studios’ films on a storyboard, and it was so inspiring to see how many of our films are about characters who wish upon a star. For Wish, we hope people will watch the film, and think of their own wishes and pursue them. After all, there is no greater power in the universe than someone with a true wish in their heart.

As we celebrate Disney’s past with its 100^th anniversary this year, let’s chat about its future. Where do you want to take Disney Animation?

We are working on so many exciting new, original projects we hope to share soon as well as the continuations of stories from characters and worlds we love like Zootopia and Frozen. We have about ten projects currently in development, and each of them is so exciting.

You directed Frozen and Frozen 2, and this year is its 10^th anniversary. Not to mention, the opening of World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland. Ten years later, what has made Frozen everlasting?

I believe it’s both the story of familial love with these two sisters, and the idea of love conquering fear. I recently visited World of Frozen, and it is awe-inspiring. You are a citizen of Arendelle the moment you walk into the land.

Is there anything you can tell us about Frozen 3?

Only what we have already shared, which is the team is hard at work, we are deeply excited about the story we are shaping together, and it’s so epic it may not fit into just one film.

The visuals of Disney’s Wish—which opens in theaters on Wednesday—is unlike any Disney animated feature film that has come before it. Yet, at the same time, the film pays tribute to the beauty and style that has defined Disney Animation for the last 100 years.

Wish tells the story of the idealistic Asha, who with the help of a magical star, takes on an evil king. It touches on Disney’s history of fairy tale storytelling mixed with dynamic music and unforgettable characters. The film also blends the past, present and potential future of Disney Animation in terms of its visual production design.

This is thanks—in large part—to Michael Giaimo and Kyle Odermatt.

Giaimo—who is the production designer of Wish (and before that, held the role on both Frozen features)—and Odermatt—the VFX supervisor of the film (who previously worked on Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon and Big Hero 6)—offered a fresh look for the movie by bringing together stunning 3-D animation with the watercolor storybook style that is a hallmark of Disney animated classics.

“I remember [Director Chris Buck] saying that his favorite Disney film was Pinocchio when he was a kid growing up,” Giaimo said. “And since he mentioned that and since this was going to be a fairy tale, I thought, ‘well, what can we do to honor the Walt Disney legacy as well as what we are doing as contemporary animation filmmakers?”

Giaimo added that the film’s style “involved a couple of visual elements,” including the watercolor technique for backgrounds and line work around the environment and the characters. According to Odermatt, the production had “a small group that talked about the cinematography of the film and talked a lot about the style and how we would use it.”

For Odermatt, it was about the audience feeling the paper texture in the watercolor style, noticing where the line work was and wasn’t, and focusing on “where the illustrator wants your eye to be.” He noted that Disney had worked with this style before with Paperman—2012’s Academy Award-winning animated short—but never with a full-length feature film.

“That’s actually one of the exciting things about these big tasks that we take on… the unknown,” he said. “In the end, we came up with an incredible system… that allows for that very consistent, integrated feel of that watercolor paper texture over every frame.”

The sharpness, feel and colors of the film also means that it’s best seen on the biggest screen possible.

“We did get feedback right away when the trailer released. People would view it on their phone, and then some had the opportunity to see it on a larger screen and were shocked,” Giaimo said. “You’re looking at a small format. You really can’t perceive all the watercolor and paper texture. You really have to experience it on a larger one.”

Wish is inspired by many of Disney Animation’s 61 feature films over its history, but three films in particular stand out: 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1940’s Pinocchio and 1959’s Sleeping Beauty.

“For the watercolor look, which primarily drives the film, [Snow White and Pinocchio] were the two main shows, and Sleeping Beauty was leveraged in a couple of ways, probably in the largest way, which is both Sleeping Beauty and Wish have a very wide screen ratio,” Giaimo said. He added that with Wish the team of animators wanted an “intimate storybook feeling on a grand scale.” That’s why they chose the warm embrace of the watercolor style across a wide screen.

But above all else, what Wish celebrates most during the company’s 100^th anniversary is Disney Animation’s commitment to innovation and finding new ways to tell timeless stories.

“I think it shows that we should constantly be exploring,” Odermatt said. “We hope that directors of projects in the future would love to explore a vision that’s in their brain for what the imagery can be.”

With a nod to Walt Disney Animation Studios‘ 100-year legacy, the animated musical comedy Wish welcomes audiences to the kingdom of Rosas, where 17-year-old Asha (voiced by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose) makes a wish so powerful it’s answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine) in their quest to return all wishes to the people of Rosas.

In a special video episode of the D23 Inside Disney podcast, hosted by Lisa Cabello and Hunter Hopewell, Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, shares the origin story of Wish; directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn reveal how classic Disney films inspired Asha’s journey; DeBose opens up about voicing Asha and performs “This Wish” at Disneyland Park; and producers Peter del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones discuss the marriage of classic artistry and new technology. Plus, the hosts share a preview of the new, limited-time water short highlighting Wish, which is being presented before “World of Color – Season of Light” at Disney California Adventure Park.

Wish is in theaters Wednesday, November 22. Tickets are on sale now.

Inspired by The Walt Disney Company’s magical, musical legacy, the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Wish—in theaters Wednesday, November 22—features an original story and characters, along with seven all-new songs penned by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter Benjamin Rice.

Walt Disney Animation Studios is known for its classic songs—16 of which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. So, it was clear to filmmakers that their 100th-anniversary film would need to be a musical. So, Tom MacDougall, executive music producer and president of Walt Disney Music, reached out to Michaels. “He called me in 2020 and said, ‘We’re thinking of trying some new things. Would you be interested in coming in?’” Michaels says. “I was like, ‘Yes, please!’”

Michaels—a multi-platinum artist who’s written hit singles for artists such as Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa, Janelle Monáe, Shawn Mendes, P!NK, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears, and Gwen Stefani—says she “immediately” thought about collaborating with Rice to write songs for Wish. “One, it’s so much pressure; it’s not something I would ever want to do alone,” she says. “Two, I’ve been working with Ben for so long—almost a decade—and he knows me better than most people. I wanted to do this with someone who I loved, who I trusted, who really understood me, and vice versa. And now here we are, three years later!”

Rice—who had previously crafted Top 40 hits for the likes of Lady Gaga, Nick Jonas, Robin Thicke, and John Legend— was eager to take on a new creative challenge with Michaels. “It’s just a totally new experience working in the animated space,” he explains. “This is completely different, working with Julia on songs that need to be created at the same time as the filmmakers are homing in the story and working on the animation. To be a part of the process from the beginning to the very end is truly a unique experience. It’s been incredible, to say the least. Everyone’s been so lovely to work with. It’s been very surreal.”

Below, the musicians share their inspirations and intentions for the seven original songs.

“Welcome to Rosas”

Benjamin Rice: I think the challenge of “Welcome to Rosas” is that it’s the introduction song. It brings the audience into the story, and it has to cover a lot of territory. It has to be fun, it has to be welcoming, it has to be energetic—but it also has to express some ground rules and explain the world of Rosas. What is it? What does it mean? What does it stand for? Who are these characters? How do things work in Rosas when a wish is made? How do you give wishes away? It covers all of those things. We would look at storyboards and see sketches of characters dancing, or playing drums and guitars, so we had an idea of the feeling we should go for. And then the rest of it was just trying to focus on the storytelling.

Julia Michaels: We got to add color to parts of Rosas that didn’t exist. I actually think we wrote this one the fastest because I was so excited to break the welcome song. I knew that instrumentally, it really had to set up the essence of the film. We tried to incorporate a lot of instrumentation from the region where this kingdom might be.

“At All Costs”

Julia: We needed to have a song that emphasized how important these wishes were, and why they needed to be protected so much. [Asha and Magnifico] are singing it to the wishes—and you actually realize that they’re singing it from two very different perspectives. One is singing it from a very selfless standpoint, and the other person is singing it from a very selfish standpoint. But at the time, you think that they’re aligned and that they both feel the exact same way about protecting these really beautiful things. That was a challenge, as well. But Ariana Debose (Asha) and Chris Pine (King Magnifico) did such a beautiful job encapsulating the emotion of what we hoped to convey.

“This Wish”

Julia: This was actually the first song written for this film—and it was based off of a very short paragraph! It was a synopsis of the film, which essentially said it’s about a young woman who lives in a kingdom with an all-powerful king. He keeps all the wishes, and she finds out that he’s not as charming and kind as everybody thinks, which sparks her very courageous, very brave, selfless journey to get these wishes back for the people in her town. And because this film is honoring the 100th anniversary of Disney Animation, I wanted the song to feel classic—but I also wanted it to feel modern. The directors [Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn] really emphasized to us early on that we should make it our own. I love complicated rhythms, I love a cadence, and I really wanted to incorporate as much of our style as we could into this song. It was so magical to be able to do that. When it came time to write the “This Wish” reprise, I wanted to keep the phonetics as perfect as I possibly could to “This Wish,” so that it felt even more impactful when it came down to it.

Benjamin: It set such a high bar for the rest of the songs that we still had to write, because it’s just such a beautiful moment, and it’s a beautiful song—and it really works so well at the end, too. It helped to have such a high bar right away, and we just kept trying to top it.

“I’m a Star”

Benjamin: “I’m a Star” was one of the most challenging songs we tackled, because we’re trying to give a seventh grade science lesson in the middle of the pop song—while also incorporating multiple characters, making it catchy, and giving the audience the most positive and inclusive message possible. It’s based on the idea that we’re all made of stars. Towards the end of the film, the song serves a very direct purpose, so it was challenging in that way. But once we found it, we gained some momentum. We had a really, really good time making our version of the song and then figuring out who’s going to play the quail, who’s going to play the tree… We’d be laughing a lot, and we’d even joke, “Is this our job?!”

Julia: By the end of the recording process, I think there ultimately ended up being 22 people on this on the song.

“This Is the Thanks I Get?!

Julia: Early on, we talked about how charming Magnifico was. He seemed very likable in public, and he’s very handsome. But when he’s alone, you can see his true colors. I think those are the scariest villains of all—the ones you don’t realize are extremely scary, who can mask it. We wanted to encapsulate that as much as we could. We thought, “What if we do that sonically? What if we make a song that really shows his character?” He’s this funny, but very self-absorbed person. And the more that you hear his song, the darker it gets, the deeper it gets, and the scarier he gets. In the middle of it, he has to convince himself that he’s still a good guy. And no matter what he does, it trickles in that he’s not. We had so much fun playing with this. I know some people really expected the dark, ominous villain song, but that’s just not him outwardly. So, we wanted to depict that with his song.

“Knowing What I Know Now”

Benjamin: We put a lot of drums on this song. That was fun.

Julia: This is sort of their uprising song. It’s really fun to go from a villain song [“This Is the Thanks I Get?!”] that’s upbeat and exciting to this hero uprising song that has an ominous undertone. It’s just not something people would expect from a Disney film. We wanted this to feel like a revolution song. We switched tempos. It just feels good. I love that this is the first song and only song when Queen Amaya comes in, and it’s so impactful in terms of her character arc. Without spoiling anything, that’s the most beautiful turning point in the film.

“A Wish Worth Making”

Julia: It feels surreal [to perform the end credits song]. I was in Italy, and I got a call from [executive music producers] Tom MacDougall and Matt Walker saying they wanted to use this song for the end credits. I couldn’t stop crying! I just couldn’t believe it. It’s a dream come true. Not to be cliché, but who gets to say that they get to be a part of Disney’s legacy—not only by getting to write the songs, but by getting to sing the end credits song?

Benjamin: I couldn’t think of a more perfect song or a more perfect perfect person to sing it. I was hoping she would have a chance to do that, and to find out that she got the call, it was just the most magical ending to the most magical opportunity. I’m living through her excitement and pride of being able to do that. I’m so proud of her. It’s so cool that you hear her immediately as soon as the film is ending. For us to have done that together, it’s surreal.

The Wish Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from Walt Disney Records is available now on all streaming platforms. The “This Wish” 10″ Star Die-Cut Picture Disc is available for preorder and will be available Friday, December 1, via Disney Music Emporium.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios musical comedy Wish—in theaters Wednesday, November 22—is set in the magical kingdom of Rosas, where a sharp-witted idealist, Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose), makes a wish so powerful that it’s answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face the formidable King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine) to save Asha’s community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, the feature film reflects an important tenet within Walt Disney Animation Studios: one generation collaborating with the next. Whereas Buck joined the studio in 1978 as a hand-drawn animator under the tutelage of Disney Legend Eric Larson, one of the studio’s famed Nine Old Men, Veerasunthorn joined the studio in 2011 as a story artist working on Frozen—the Academy Award-winning film directed by Buck and Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios. So, given the studio’s shining legacy, teaming up to direct Wish seemed written in the stars.

“Disney has a long history of mentoring and bringing up the next generation,” Buck explains. “It all goes back to what we learned from Walt Disney—or rather, what the Nine Old Men learned from Walt, and what they shared with us—and that was his sense of storytelling and wonder, of joy and magic, of entertainment. The Nine Old Men would not say, ‘This is Walt’s sense of entertainment.’ They would just exude it, and you knew where it came from. You knew they had been inspired by Walt and that now, they were inspiring us.”

Buck, who made his directorial debut with Tarzan (1999), has worked on such films as The Fox and the Hound (1981), Frankenweenie (1984), The Little Mermaid (1989), The Rescuers Down Under (1990), Pocahontas (1995), and Frozen 2 (2019), to name a few. Given the collaborative nature of the studio, he was eager to work more closely with Veerasunthorn, who contributed to the films Zootopia (2016), Moana (2016), Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), and Frozen 2 (2019), and who most recently served as head of story for the Oscar-nominated film Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). The feeling, of course, was mutual. “Chris has a lot of experience with animation, and I come from stories, so our experiences complement each other,” Veerasunthorn says. “I loved working with him on Frozen, and I was waiting to work with him again. Since this [directing] opportunity arose, it’s been a joy.”

The directors worked well together and learned from each other. Says Buck, “For me, it’s always about being open to new and fresh ideas—even though I’ve done this before. You’re always learning. I’d always respected Fawn when we were working together as director and story artist. Just listening to Fawn’s ideas back then, I knew in the story room that she was such an incredible thinker and artist, that she’d always dig deep into the characters and into the sequence itself. I would sit there and listen and learn from her, too.”

While making Wish, Veerasunthorn says Buck taught her how to fight for “what you’re passionate about,” as that’s where the magic lies. “Sometimes there’s a need to get things moving along, but Chris will put his foot down. He’ll say, ‘This is the way that it needs to be done.’ As a first-timer, if I would have done this by myself, there were times when I might have compromised. But seeing how he did certain things, I could just go for it and be brave. We want to tell a story that is worthy of everyone’s craft and artistry, so you have to lean into that passion—not shy away from it. You have to speak up about what you care about.”

That ethos is part of what makes the studio and its films so special—and it’s a big part of the reason why Veerasunthorn was so excited to direct Wish, a film that was a century in the making. “I love that you can reach out to anyone and ask them questions; these are the same people who worked on your favorite movies,” she says. “I love Tarzan, so working with Chris, I would say to him, ‘Tell me stories! I want to know X, Y, and Z!’ These things can happen any day of the week. Disney magic exists inside this building. When I’m talking to a younger artist and I feel their sense of excitement, it’s a two-way street. It’s not just one generation passing down their knowledge. You get inspired by the new voices that are emerging, too.”

To celebrate Mickey Mouse’s birthday after 95 years of magic, The Walt Disney Company is sharing a commemorative look at the “True Original” in a brand spot that showcases his iconic roles, enduring legacy, and connection to fans around the world. The brand spot features rare footage of Walt Disney voicing the beloved character; a clip from Steamboat Willie, the classic theatrical short from 1928 that introduced the world to both Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse; and a voiceover from Walt reflecting on what Mickey means to him.

Disney debuted the spot on Thursday, November 16, on Good Morning America ahead of Mickey’s birthday. The spot will also play in front of early screenings of Wish later today.

It’s a fitting celebration for Mickey, given his universal appeal and his ability to emotionally connect with generations all over the world.

On Disney+, fans can celebrate Mickey’s birthday by watching a collection films and series starring the mouse who started it all—including recently remastered Archive Shorts, Mickey Mouse Funhouse episodes, and Me & Mickey shorts newly released to the platform.

Disney Parks and Resorts around the world will mark the special occasion with birthday-themed parades, photo ops, collectibles, and social media filters, among other surprises. What’s more, at Disney Parks and Resorts, as well as BoxLunch retail locations across North America, fans can get a specially designed birthday button featuring both characters. For those wanting to get outfitted further, look to the 2023 Mickey & Co collection, inspired by the classic look of 1980s line. The next installment of this collection launches this December and is inspired by the beloved short Mickey’s Garden.

Because Disney is the soundtrack to many people’s lives, Mickey and Minnie are guest starring on the Disney Hits SiriusXM channel, introducing some of their favorite songs across The Walt Disney Company’s iconic library, all in celebration of its 100th anniversary.

Earlier this week, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD kicked off the festivities with “Mickey’s Mouse-a-riffic Birthday Week” programming. The weeklong event included the premiere of the Mickey Mouse Funhouse episode “Mickey’s Sky-High Birthday/The What About Me Birthday,” and will continue through today.

Indeed, for nearly a century, Mickey and Minnie have made their way into the homes and hearts of fans around the world through films, series, merchandise, and more. Today, fans of all ages are able to not only meet the characters at Disney Parks and Resorts, but at special events around the world.

And so, as part of their birthday celebration, Mickey and Minnie visited Chicago on Thursday to attend a special preview of Disney100: The Exhibition, the second stop in the domestic tour presented by the Walt Disney Archives, opening to the public today. Mickey and Minnie will also serve as Grand Marshals in the Magnificent Mile Tree-Lighting Parade today, helping to kick off the holiday season.

As Walt once said, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse.” So, join us in wishing a very special happy birthday to our favorite pal, the one and only Mickey Mouse!

95 years ago this weekend, a rambunctious animated mouse set sail, becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved icons in history.

That mouse—as you probably have guessed—was named Mickey and on November 18, 1928, the character—alongside his partner Minnie—debuted in the touchstone animated short, Steamboat Willie.

Since then, Mickey Mouse and The Walt Disney Company have become—in many ways—one in the same.

“All of the wonderful things that followed in Walt’s own career were founded upon the first screening of a simple little mouse whistling his way into the hearts of audiences all over the world,” Rebecca Cline, the director of the Walt Disney Archives, said.

But Mickey is more than just a company mascot. He’s a symbol, a work of art and a beloved “everyman,” according to Cline.

“When asked why Mickey was so popular, Walt once said, ‘when people laugh at Mickey Mouse it’s because he’s so human; and that is the secret of his popularity,’” she added. “He struggles with life as we all do, but uses his innate sense of optimism to overcome all obstacles and has a wonderful time while doing so. He is terrifically appealing because of that optimistic, sunny outlook, and that optimism is sorely needed in the times we are living in today.”

Mickey’s everyman quality was evident from the start as seen in the sketches found within the Steamboat Willie story script. That very first image of Mickey is one of a character joyfully whistling a tune.

Cline noted that the script was of great importance to Walt Disney—a man who is synonymous with the character itself.

“When the Archives was founded in 1970, many of the historical materials remaining in Walt Disney’s offices were inventoried and preserved. The original script of Steamboat Willie was found in one of the drawers of Walt’s desk,” she said. “While Walt always claimed that he was not particularly sentimental, the fact that he kept the script so close illustrates how important it was to Walt himself.”

But after 95 years as a cultural star, how does Mickey keep that iconic legacy alive for future generations?

“My take is that while Mickey has evolved over time, he is forever young and is still as relatable as he was when he first appeared as Steamboat Willie 95 years ago,” Cline said. “I expect we will continue to see Mickey’s sunny personality in great stories full of heart, and he will continue to charm audiences of all ages, all over the globe, for generations to come.”

Now streaming exclusively on Disney+, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original short film Once Upon a Studio welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers—in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation—to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry, and technological achievements. Directed and written by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, and produced by Yvett Merino and Bradford Simonsen, Once Upon a Studio features more than 500 Disney characters spanning more than 85 feature-length and short films—and it includes a pair of magical touches from two Disney Legends.

Set at the end of the workday at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California, Once Upon a Studio begins with Disney Legend Burny Mattinson—The Walt Disney Company’s longest-serving employee of 70 years, who passed away in 2023—being the last person to walk out the door. Then, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse step out of a framed picture and corral 541 other characters for an official 100th anniversary portrait.

A jack of all trades, Mattinson made his onscreen debut in Once Upon a Studio after decades spent as an animator and in-betweener, a storyboard artist, a director, a producer, and an inspiration to countless people within Disney Animation and outside its walls. “Burny Mattinson’s involvement in Once Upon a Studio was not only right, it was necessary, because he was our link with the Disney legacy,” Eric Goldberg, Head of Hand Drawn Animation for Once Upon a Studio, says in a new featurette on Disney+. “I don’t think there’s any way we could have made the film without having honored Burny in it.”

Mattinson wasn’t the only Disney Legend to share his time and talents with the Once Upon a Studio filmmakers. As Abraham and Correy contemplated the musical cue that would accompany a tender moment in which Mickey expresses gratitude to a portrait of Walt Disney, they knew it had to be something special in keeping with that emotional moment. There was only one song that fit the bill: “Feed the Birds,” by Disney Legends Richard Sherman and Robert Sherman. And so, on a Friday afternoon in August 2022, Abraham and Correy joined Richard in the very same place where he and his brother would regularly perform the lullaby for Walt. “It’s very nice to be back in Walt’s office. It’s just the way it was when I was much younger and Walt was here; piano’s the same,” Richard says in a behind-the-scenes featurette, streaming on Disney+. “Walt’s not here, but his spirit’s here.”

The same could be said for Once Upon a Studio itself.

To watch the Once Upon a Studio bonus features, click the “Extras” tab on Disney+.