Riding high with summer’s two biggest box office hits, ”Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” — each earning over a billion dollars and counting — The Walt Disney Company took a victory lap at the eighth edition of its D23 ultimate fan event in August.

“Who else but Disney could pull off a weekend like D23?”, proclaimed Disney CEO Bob Iger in front of an excited crowd of 12,000 people kicking off night 1’s entertainment showcase. “It is such a privilege for me to lead such a remarkable company that brings joy to so many people around the world — both to the young, and as Walt liked to say, the young at heart.”

That main showcase, previously spread out over two standalone presentations and held at the fan event’s main site at the Anaheim Convention Center, was relocated to a separately ticketed venue, Honda Center, bolstering a parade of Hollywood stars and filmmakers promoting the slate for the next couple of years and beyond. The long list includes not one but two “Frozen” sequels, the anticipated follow-up “Mufasa: The Lion King” and the long awaited (and one year delayed) live action adaptation of the 1937 classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Disney’s first animated feature film, now starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.

Among the highlights of the over three hours long event were Dwayne Johnson, who kicked things off alongside Hawaiian dancers celebrating Polynesian culture to promote “Moana 2”, and later announced upcoming motorsports action film “Monster Jam” set around monster trucks. Then it was James Cameron who announced the title of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” scheduled for release December 2025, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan toasted their reunion in next year’s comedy sequel “Freakier Friday” and Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee, Evan Peters and Jared Leto introduced a glimpse of “Tron: Ares.”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased next year’s “Captain America: Brave New World”, “Fantastic Four” and upcoming Disney+ shows “Agatha All Along”, “Ironheart” and “Daredevil: Born Again”, but no new announcements. Similarly, Lucasfilm highlighted “The Mandalorian & Grogu”, slated for 2026, new series “Skeleton Crew” starring Jude Law and season 2 of “Andor” led by Diego Luna. Those expecting a big “Star Wars” cinematic saga future reveal were left disappointed.

Pixar broke news at D23, announcing “Incredibles 3” to fans’ massive cheer at the arena, upcoming body-swapping comedy “Hoppers” with a voice cast featuring Jon Hamm and a sneak peek of upcoming films “Elio” and “Toy Story 5”.

Disney held two more big showcases the following nights, one being its traditional Disney Legends Awards which this year included such honorees as Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett and Miley Cyrus, and the other solely dedicated to dozens of new and upcoming theme park attractions that were announced for its locations in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

They included the Avatar Land expansion to Disney California Adventure to Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom in Florida. Another major reveal was the addition of four new cruise lines to the already existing five-ship fleet, set to launch between 2027 and 2031. These are all part of the conglomerate’s $60 billion investment in its parks and experiences division mapped out for the next decade.

With unprecedented aspiration, undeniable confidence and a plethora of more Disney anywhere anytime, the entertainment giant “is embarking on an accelerated path of ambitious growth and innovation,” per Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro, adding, “Only Disney can create the kind of timeless experiences that entertain and inspire people of all ages, across generations and geographies.”

And to think it all started with a mouse.