When will Disney release a new original animated movie?

[DEEcat98]

So, between this year and next year, and presumably 2026, Disney Animation will release sequels to their 2010's animated movies, it has been confirmed that a sequel to Moana will be the 2024 63rd animated film and a sequel to Zootopia will come out next year as the 64th animated film from the studio.

There is currently a presumed release year for the third Frozen movie which is 2026, I say currently because it's possible that Frozen III might get delayed like how Toy Story 4 was originally going to be released in 2017 but then was delayed to 2019.

Speaking of Toy Story, Pixar will also do this alongside Inside Out 2, which that one is being released later this year, as they are doing Toy Story 5 with a current presume release date of 2026, although that might or might not change like Frozen III.

I guess Disney Animation and Pixar are doing this at this point because it has something to do with how Soul, Luca, and Turning Red all first premiered on Disney+ rather than theaters due to the pandemic and how Lightyear, Strange World, and Wish majorly flopped, similar to how Walt made packaged animated films during the 1940's in order to keep Disney Animation afloat during World War II.

Now, Pixar is going to release a new original animated movie in 2025, which is next year, titled Elio, but for Disney Animation, well, it has been confirmed that among the ten in-development projects there will be new original Disney animated movies, though, Zootopia 2 and Frozen III were announced last year to be two of the ten in-development projects (three out of ten confirmed as of Frozen IV, or would also be known as Frozen III part 2 since the fourth Frozen is said to be the second part of the third Frozen) and it has been announced that they will come out soon, so it could be possible that any of the original in-development new Disney animated movies have been in development as long as Zootopia 2 and Frozen III and it does give be this realization...

Will Disney release a new original animated movie at some point soon between Zootopia 2 and Frozen III, or will we not get a new original Disney animated movie until 2027 or 2028? In fact, with D23 being held later this year, will they announce any new original Disney animated movies, plus original Pixar movies, alongside the sequels at D23 2024?

[reee9948]

Well, apparently two original animated movie is being made at wdas and one of them is Suzi Yoonesi's Persian Fantasy movie. It's possible that 2025 will be like 2016 when they realeased two WDAS movies, Moana and Zootopia. If the leaks are true, then most likely the original movie will be announced at D23 along with a Zootopia 2 teaser trailer. Also the fact they now have two studios, one in Canada, and one in U.S. is probably a sign that they are planning one working on 2 movies per year cause what are the Amercian Animators working on while Moana 2 is being worked on in Canada? Most likely they are working on Zootopia 2, and once the animators in Canada are done with Moana 2 at around August, they will move onto the next movie which is probably the Suzi Yoonessi's movie assuming it's releasing in 2025. They generally start animating a movie a year before release so it's lines up with the prediction that Disney will release two WDAS movies next year (hopefully).

Also, the earning calls are for investors not for the Audience, that's probably why Iger didn't announce any orginal movies cause he knows that the original has been flopping so he's just announcing the sequels for now to ensure the investors that their next few years in Disney will not be a flop and to keep them investing.

For the 10 development at Wdas here's a possible prediction

1. Frozen 3
2. Frozen 4
3. Zootopia 2
4. Moana 2
5. Tiana Series
6. Untitled Suzi Yoonessi Film
7. Untitled Josie Trindad Film
8. Untitled Marc E Smith Film
9. Another Original Movie???
10. Encanto 2 or Disney + series ????

[Jules]

I was thinking along the same lines, reee9948!

The prospect of nothing but sequels till 2026 was disheartening, but it occurred to me Disney may surprise us with two WDAS features for 2025 or beyond.

Let's hope our instincts prove correct.

[friendoftheotherside]

With Bob Iger still in charge? I doubt it. Iger doesn’t appear to believe in original ideas, he only seems to care about his precious franchises. Suzi Yoonessi’s original movie being put on hold/cancelled at WDAS in favor of Moana 2 is very ominous about what it’s happening. Even if we exclude theatrical releases, we don’t have much left. Disney+ is basically running on nostalgia with old stuff coming back in a way or another. Even Disney Channel is going the same path. They’ve cancelled six or seven shows last month, including animated originals like The Ghost and Molly McGee, and announced a Wizards of Waverly Place sequel and a fourth Zombies movie.I wouldn’t be too surprised if they cancelled Elio, since Iger is pushing Pixar to cutting costs, by cutting characters and locations on that movie.

For the 10 development at Wdas here's a possible prediction

1. Frozen 3
2. Frozen 4
3. Zootopia 2
4. Moana 2
5. Tiana Series
6. Untitled Suzi Yoonessi Film
7. Untitled Josie Trindad Film
8. Untitled Marc E Smith Film
9. Another Original Movie???
10. Encanto 2 or Disney + series ????

I believe Marc E Smith is directing Frozen 3 (and maybe the fourth one too?). But Trent Corey have said that he is directing an unannounced feature, it’s even on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trent-correy-33285b25/

[blackcauldron85]

I wouldn’t be too surprised if they cancelled Elio, since Iger is pushing Pixar to cutting costs, by cutting characters and locations on that movie.

You don't think that they've put so much work into Elio that they have to finish it and release it? I really enjoyed the teaser trailer and hope that it's not a troubled production that can't be fixed.

[friendoftheotherside]

I wouldn’t be too surprised if they cancelled Elio, since Iger is pushing Pixar to cutting costs, by cutting characters and locations on that movie.

You don't think that they've put so much work into Elio that they have to finish it and release it? I really enjoyed the teaser trailer and hope that it's not a troubled production that can't be fixed.

Personally? Yes, I think they have to finish and release it. It’s one of mine most anticipated movies. But I don’t think Iger is above cancelling a movie that already has a trailer and poster. He would do anything to make investors happy. Look at what is happening at Warner brothers. They’re deleting finished movies for tax write-offs. Even though there is a public outcry, nothing is happening to change that. And we’ve already seen that Iger 2.0 loves to borrow from others CEO’s playbook, like following Netflix’s lead and adding an ad-tier and blocking password-sharing on Disney+ or pulling movies/shows from streaming platforms just like Warner Brothers did. We can’t forget that Ed Catmull and John Lasseter shelved/cancelled Disney Animation’s Gigantic after already spending more than $100 million.

So, if Pixar can’t crack Elio, I don’t think Iger will have a problem with shelving it for taxes purposes. And if the rumors are true, all Elio’s “story problems” were caused by Iger’s demands.

[Disney's Divinity]

Elio feels too close to release for them to cancel now? Maybe if it had been earlier, I wouldn't doubt it being a possibility since they already failed with sci-fi back with Strange World and Lightyear, so... It's a hard genre for animation, and you know Disney doesn't want to take chances when things are difficult like they are right now, which is why they have so many sequels in a row hoping that'll help turn things around.

To be fair, I am looking forward to the Frozen, Zootopia, Encanto, and Inside Out sequels, and at least curious to see Toy Story 5 and Finding Nemo 3, so I can't exactly complain about sequels being a problem. Moana 2 is the only one I'm sort of eh about. I mean, it could be better than the first for all I know, Finding Dory was better than its first as I was just talking about in another thread. But with Musker & Clements and Miranda not involved, and it being spliced episodes of a streaming show melded together on top of the fact that I always found the original a little boring, it's probably the one I've got the least expectations for. I'll still most likely go see it though, or at least on streaming at worst.

[friendoftheotherside]

Elio feels too close to release for them to cancel now? Maybe if it had been earlier, I wouldn't doubt it being a possibility since they already failed with sci-fi back with Strange World and Lightyear, so... It's a hard genre for animation, and you know Disney doesn't want to take chances when things are difficult like they are right now, which is why they have so many sequels in a row hoping that'll help turn things around.

To be fair, I am looking forward to the Frozen, Zootopia, Encanto, and Inside Out sequels, and at least curious to see Toy Story 5 and Finding Nemo 3, so I can't exactly complain about sequels being a problem. Moana 2 is the only one I'm sort of eh about. I mean, it could be better than the first for all I know, Finding Dory was better than its first as I was just talking about in another thread. But with Musker & Clements and Miranda not involved, and it being spliced episodes of a streaming show melded together on top of the fact that I always found the original a little boring, it's probably the one I've got the least expectations for. I'll still most likely go see it though, or at least on streaming at worst.

Elio will only be released almost a year and half from now. So anything’s possible. I didn’t think about the sci-fi element, but it’s very true. Disney doesn’t have a lot of luck with sci-fi movies, animated or not (John Carter, Tomorrowland, Tron…). Maybe this is another reason why Iger is supposedly being harsh on Elio.

Honestly, I’m not excited at all about these sequels. I was kinda curious about Moana when it was a series. But now they’re glueing the episodes together to make a movie? Ugh… But my problem with this, is that we basically only have sequels for the foreseeable future. If at least we got a sequel and a original each year, I would probably be less bothered by it.