2028 just got busy — Disney’s release slate is crammed with potential billion-dollar hits
Disney used D23 2026 to stack its 2028 calendar with would-be billion‑dollar bets — and maybe its strongest slate since 2019.
Disney’s gone and pulled a bit of a rabbit out of the hat at D23 2026, unveiling a 2028 release lineup that’s frankly ridiculous in scale. If you thought 2019 was a banner year for the Mouse House, just wait—strong whispers from industry analysts suggest we could see box office numbers getting proper close to what Disney hit back when they’d fully hoovered up 20th Century Fox and walked off with $13.15 billion worldwide. All those headlines about streaming and ‘The Death of Cinema’? Not dead yet, not if this lot turns up to the party.
Disney has locked in 14 release dates for 2028, causing a bit of panic for any rival hoping to squeeze a blockbuster into the same window.
The 2028 Lineup: Stacked, to Put It Mildly
The D23 reveals at the Honda Center in Anaheim had the crowd alternating between gasps and frantic note-taking (presumably the competition already sketching out counter-programming). What stands out in Disney’s approach this time is how they’ve mapped every tentpole meticulously around school holidays, prime summer slots, and the December family migration to multiplexes. There’s the usual animated crowd-pleasers, plus a heavy dose of Marvel, and yes—a live-action fairy tale or two because apparently those will outlive us all.
- Pixar’s Ghost Market landing March 10, 2028, with—surprisingly—no other major studio gunning for the same weekend. That’s the kind of wide-open berth previous Pixar originals have used to clean up in the spring.
- Live-action Tangled drops March 31, 2028. People have been speculating about this one for so long it was verging on myth, but yes, the 2010 animated hit is going full flesh-and-blood (and hair). Sony’s Beatles film gets underway the following week, so expect some awkward marketing overlap.
- Marvel’s untitled X-Men, slated for May 5, 2028, marks the big return to Marvel’s favourite slot. If you’re hoping for a cameo from Hugh Jackman, best lower those expectations—Jackman turned up at D23 just to say he’s officially out as Wolverine (again).
- Live-action Lilo & Stitch 2 arrives May 28, 2028, right on Memorial Day weekend. Family-friendly scheduling at its most on-the-nose. It’ll be up against Lionsgate’s Resurrection of the Christ Part Two, though frankly, two wildly different target audiences for that one.
- Pixar’s Incredibles 3 snags June 16, 2028. That’s Father’s Day weekend, not coincidental at all—Pixar love a heartfelt family tie-in.
- Marvel’s Ghost Rider (reportedly starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy) hasn’t got its official date yet, but everyone’s pointing at the late July reserved slot. Disney’s nearly left a breadcrumb trail for this one.
- Marvel’s Black Panther 3 wraps up the big hitters on December 15, 2028, squarely parked in the middle of Christmas box office season—always lucrative if you don’t fancy watching another animated rodent in a waistcoat. Universal, slightly brave, are putting up a mystery tentpole the week after. Good luck with that.
Context: Follow the Money
Disney’s plan is clear enough—keep the biggest weekends locked down, stagger the heavyweights to avoid them cannibalising each other, and bet on familiar brands to bring in the casual crowds. And given that 2026’s US box office is already creeping up towards $10 billion, all signs point to studios gunning for the sort of numbers most terrestrial businesses only dream of.