(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
UPDATED July 23, 2020, with the news that Mulan has been delayed indefinitely and that the upcoming Star Wars films and the Avatar sequels have also been pushed.
From the long-awaited Black Widow to live-action remakes of Disney classics – Mulan, The Little Mermaid, and more – it’s hard to remember exactly which of Mickey Mouse’s relatives in the Walt Disney Studios orbit are releasing films, and when. This is especially true now that the company owns so many major IP machines (Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar) and recently acquired 21st Century Fox and its subsidiaries (now known as 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures). So yes, add Avatar to the growing list of hotly anticipated Disney franchise titles that also includes MCU titles like Black Panther 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Below, we’ve gathered details for some of the flashier Disney and Disney-associated films that are expected to hit in the next few years – it’s the most comprehensive new Disney movies list you’ll find. The Mouse House’s planned release schedule for 2020 through 2022 has been given a major shakeup following the outbreak of the coronavirus and the subsequent upending of the movie industry, with Disney taking a number of films set to open in the first half of 2020 off the schedule, and then reworking its entire calendar. The below guide reflects the studio’s updated full schedule, with Mulan now delayed indefinitely while the next Star Wars film won’t arrive until 2023 and Avatar 2 won’t premiere until December 16, 2022.
Other big premiere news? The Personal History of David Copperfield will hit theaters the same day that talking animals pic The One and Only Ivan comes to Disney+. There have been conspicuously no new release dates announced for horror film Antlers or for thriller The Woman In the Window, starring Amy Adams.
In brighter news, Disney did give a release date to Captain Marvel 2, which will fly into theaters in 2022. And we’re set for a new Star Wars film at the end of that year, too — though whether it’s one developed by Kevin Feige, Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson, or the many others who are reportedly developing new galactic stories for the franchise, is not known as yet.
In this comprehensive guide to Disney’s slate, we’ve also included movies that were taken off the theatrical release slate with the promise that they will instead live on in Disney+. We’ll add to this list as more information becomes available, especially in regards to the speculation surrounding Marvel and Pixar movies still waiting release dates – and in some cases, titles – as well as other rumored and in-development films like the sixth Pirates of the Caribbean.
Best Disney+ Series | 2020 Disney Movies | 2021 Disney Movies | 2022 Disney Movies
Below, you’ll find the Disney-produced projects that have locked release dates – for now. Among them are big-hitters (Black Panther 2! Cruella!) and yet more live-action remakes. Expect some of the dates later in the set to shift as announcements are made, and note that the situation with the coronavirus and theater openings remains fluid. We’ll keep this list updated so you’re always on top of what’s coming up. We’ve noted which of these are Twentieth Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures releases.
Secret Society of Second Born Royals (2020)
55%
Peyton Elizabeth Lee stars as Sam, a rebellious princess who learns she has super powers and is part of a long line of royals who are both second-born children and responsible for keeping peace in the kingdom.
Black is King (Exclusive to Disney+)
Release date: July 31, 2020
Director: Beyoncé
Starring: Beyoncé
Arriving on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the remake of The Lion King, Beyoncé roars onto Disney+ with what is being described as a “visual album” entitled Black is King that she wrote, directed and executive produced. Debuting July 31 on the streaming service, the press release promises it will be a tale for “today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns” and honor “the voyages of Black families throughout time” as it tells the story of “a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love and self-identity.”
Empty Man (20th Century Studios)
Release date: August 7, 2020
Director: David Prior
Starring: James Badge Dale, Samantha Logan, Stephen Root, Joel Courtney
This supernatural horror film is based on the Empty Man graphic novel and follows an ex-cop who makes a terrifying discovery.
Howard (Exclusive to Disney+)
Release date: August 7, 2020
Director: Don Hahn
Starring: Alan Menken
This documentary about the legendary Disney composer Howard Ashman will air on Disney+. Among his other works, Ashman was known for his collaborations with Alan Menken for music on Disney hits like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. Menken is featured in the film along with Ashman’s partner, Bill Lauch, his sister, Sarah Gillespie, and stars like Mermaid’s Jodi Benson and Beast’s Paige O’Hara.
Magic Camp
Release date: August 14, 2020
Director: Mark Waters
Starring: Adam DeVine, Jeffrey Tambor, Gillian Jacobs, Cole Sand
Here’s another comedy coming to Disney+. This one stars Workaholics and Pitch Perfect’s Adam DeVine as a former counselor at a magic camp who returns to his old stomping grounds in the hopes of reigniting his career. Instead, he finds a bunch of kids who need a mentor.
The One and Only Ivan (2020)
71%
This live-action/CG hybrid, which is based on Katherine Applegate‘s children’s book of the same name and written by Mike White, follows a gorilla who has become accustomed to his life in a glass walled-cell in a shopping mall and hardly ever thinks about his time in the wild – until he meets a baby elephant. The all-star cast also includes Danny DeVito, Helen Mirren, and The Florida Project’s Brooklynn Prince.
The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019)
92%
Dev Patel plays the titular Charles Dickens character in this comedy-drama co-written by director Iannucci. Other actors include Gwendoline Christie, Ben Whishaw and Hugh Laurie. The film already opened in the U.K., to great acclaim. It was set to open stateside in May 2020, but it was pushed to August as a result of the coronavirus shutdown.
The New Mutants (2020)
36%
Said to be a mix of the superhero and horror genres, the final film in the X-Men franchise – a spin-off, really – follows a group of young mutants who just discover their abilities and are being held captive in a secret facility. The movie has been long delayed and has been mired by reshoots. It was set to finally premiere in April 2020, but Disney took it off the slate when shuffling its schedule following the coronavirus outbreak, and just recently announced a new August 2020 date.
According to the logline, this film follows “stepbrothers Phineas (Vincent Martella) and Ferb (David Errigo Jr.) as they set out across the galaxy to rescue their older sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale), who after being abducted by aliens, finds utopia in a far-off planet, free of pesky little brothers.” Guest stars include Ali Wong as Super Super Big Doctor, Wayne Brady as Stapler Fist, Diedrich Bader as Borthos, and Thomas Middleditch as Garnoz.
The King's Man (2021)
41%
A treat for Anglophiles and others who love witty banter and bloody action, the third film in the Kingsman franchise is a prequel to the first two films. The movie welcomes a new cast – including Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton – and sees one man facing off against some of history’s worst villains as they plot a potentially world-ending war.
Death on the Nile (2022)
61%
Branagh, who directed and starred in the 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, returns to the universe of Agatha Christie mysteries. This one finds his Belgian detective Hercule Poirot forced to cut his beach-side vacation short when a young heiress turns up murdered.
The French Dispatch (2021)
75%
Initially reported to be a musical, Wes Anderson’s next film will be a drama that brings to life a handful of stories from a magazine created by an American living in a fictional city in France. The film’s press release calls it a “love letter to journalists” and it brings together several regular collaborators in a massive, star-studded cast. The release date was shifted in Disney’s coronavirus reshuffle.
That isn’t all. As per usual, there are a number of movies that are shrouded in mystery – some of which come to us from the next phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and from Pixar. Here is the full list of those.
Untitled Pixar Animation Film
Release Date: June 18, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: August 13, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: September 10, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: October 1, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: October 22, 2021
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: November 19, 2021
Untitled Disney Animation Film
Release Date: November 24, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: December 3, 2021
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: January 7, 2022
Untitled Pixar Film
Release Date: March 11, 2022
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: March 25, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: April 8, 2022
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: May 27, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Untitled Pixar Film
Release Date: June 17, 2022
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: August 12, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: September 16, 2022
Untitled Marvel Film
Release Date: October 7, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: October 21, 2022
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: November 4, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Untitled Disney Animation Film
Release Date: November 23, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: December 23, 2022
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: January 13, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film
Release Date: February 17, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: March 10, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: March 24, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: May 26, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: June 9, 2023
Untitled Pixar Animation Film
Release Date: June 16, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: July 14, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film
Release Date: July 28, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action
Release Date: August 11, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: September 15, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: October 6, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: October 20, 2023
Untitled Marvel Film
Release Date: November 3, 2023
Untitled 20th Century Film
Release Date: November 10, 2023
Untitled Disney Animation Film
Release Date: November 22, 2023
Untitled Disney Live-Action Film
Release Date: December 15, 2023
Untitled Star Wars Film
Release Date: December 23, 2023
Untitled Star Wars Film
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Untitled Star Wars Film
Release Date: December 17, 2027
Check out the most anticipated movies of 2020 and most anticipated movies of 2021.
Thumbnail image: © 2020 Disney Enterprises, © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, © Pixar
