D23 Expo: What we hope to see from Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios

For the first time since 2019, the Anaheim Convention Center will host the D23 Expo, Disney’s celebration of everything that falls under the banner of the House of Mouse. With a convention floor full of panels, memorabilia, autograph opportunities, and news about Disney’s various amusement parks and cruise lines, there is a ton to be excited about over the three-day gathering. For us here at JoBlo.com, we are most excited to learn what Disney has in store from their flagship subsidiaries, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, and 20th Century Studios.

This year, we will be in attendance at the D23 Expo with a front-row seat for all the reveals in store and what will certainly be built to exceed with Disney revealed at both Star Wars Celebration and San Diego Comic-Con over the summer.

Here are the burning questions that we want to be answered at this year’s D23 Expo:

Marvel Studios: Will we get to see the Guardians 3 and Secret Invasion trailers?

While it was just over a month ago that Kevin Feige revealed the full slate of Phase Four and Phase Five (and Six!) of the MCU, much of what was shown to the crowd in San Diego has not been released to the general public. While a teaser for Secret Invasion was shown along with the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer premiere, the much buzzed about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer has still not shown up on YouTube. Recent announcements online for the Ironheart series could indicate some reveals for that series. Still, I expect this Saturday to see the Guardians trailer and maybe a glimpse of Loki‘s second season and maybe even that Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania teaser.

Disney Studios: Disney+ and Hulu are top priorities, but what about the big screen?

Disney+ revealed that an ad-supported tier is coming later this year, and Hulu had a mega-hit with the premiere of Prey, but what does Disney have in store for the big screen? We likely will get some news and possibly teasers for both The Haunted Mansion and The Little Mermaid, two of Disney’s biggest upcoming features, along with a potential look at Disenchanted. Disney also has a pair of dates slotted for 2023 that have not been revealed yet, but they could also decide to focus on promoting the long-awaited Hocus Pocus 2 as the focus for this year’s panel.

Lucasfilm: Indiana Jones 5, The Mandalorian 3, and maybe some movie news?

Lucasfilm had their own convention over the summer in the very same building where D23 is taking place that saw the trailer premiere for The Mandalorian’s third season and the first footage from Ahsoka. With Obi-Wan Kenobi finished and Andor debuting in a couple of weeks, this would be a great time for the online debut of both of those upcoming series. They likely will show off a new trailer for Willow and maybe reveal a look at Skeleton Crew and show off the new cast of The Acolyte. Lucasfilm is also getting closer to Indiana Jones 5’s release date, so this would be a great chance to debut the official title and maybe even a teaser.

Pixar: Can the iconic studio get back to its glory days?

All of Pixar’s films since 2020 have debuted on Disney+ until Lightyear a few months back. The spin-off from Toy Story underwhelmed both critically and commercially, which begs the question of whether the once flawless animation studio can return to its old days of quality films. 2023 only has slated the release of Elemental, which could show off its first footage at D23. Pixar has two dates locked in 2024 for which we could get some announcements. Aside from that, Pixar may continue to mine Disney+ after the recent Cars on the Road premiere.

20th Century Studios: Avatar 2, Alien, and much much more

Disney has done great things by keeping 20th Century and Searchlight Studios alive with their distinct storytelling brands. While Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light may not be the ideal fit to promote at D23, they will most certainly use this weekend to unveil more detailed footage from Avatar: The Way of Water and possibly more if James Cameron is feeling generous. It would also be a great time to unveil more about the upcoming Alien television series and the Predator franchise’s future after Prey’s success.

Of course, there’s a ton more we could learn at the D23 Expo this weekend, and you will find all of the updates here and on our social media channels. Stay tuned for more as the convention kicks off, and we will bring it all to you here at JoBlo.com!