Disney, Marvel and Star Wars fanatics, as well as fans of new movies and television series in general, were given an early Christmas present on Thursday, when the House of Mouse provided updates for a number of previously announced titles and revealed dozens more during the 2020 Investor Day event and subsequent barrage of posts on its various social media outlets. With new movies, scripted shows, and all sorts of other programs coming to Disney+ in the coming months and years, the news proved to be a bright spot in a year that hasn't seen too many happy stories in terms of releases.
But with so much (like an insane number of projects) being announced over the course of a few hours, making sense of it all can be a little daunting to say the least. Fear not, pop culture fans, as we have put together a list of all the new shows announced for Disney+ this week, including various Marvel and Star Wars that we will be talking about for years to come. There's a lot to breakdown, so let's get started…
Ahsoka
Those who loved Rosario Dawson's portrayal of Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian Season 2 but wanted to see more of the character were given some great news when Disney announced that she will be given her own live-action spinoff series. Not much is known about Ashoka at this time, but with The Mandalorian's Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni serving as executive producers (Filoni is also writing the series), this new and exciting series has a lot of potential.
Rangers Of The New Republic
Ahsoka Tano isn't the only character from The Mandalorian getting their own Disney+ spinoff in the future, as it was announced on Thursday that there will soon be a show by the name of Rangers of the New Republic. Although nothing was revealed besides the show's title and flashy title card, the series will presumably focus on the New Republic enforcers introduced in The Mandalorian Season 2. The show, like Ahsoka, will be set within the timeline of the current adventures of Mando and Baby Yoda, I mean Grogu.
Star Wars: Visions
One of the most unique titles announced by Disney is Star Wars: Visions, a series of 10 animated short films from leading Japanese anime studios that will offer not only engaging stories but also a fresh and diverse perspective of the galaxy far, far away. Not much is known about the project at this time, but the concept sounds amazing.
Lando
Lando Calrissian, the smooth-talking, cape-wearing, and all around scoundrel you just can't help but love will soon get his own Disney+ series appropriately titled Lando. Created by Justin Simien, the writer and director of Dear White People and Bad Hair, the mysterious project will focus on the enemy-turned-friend of Han Solo, but it remains to be see when in the character's storyline it will take place. It also remains to be seen as to whether Donald Glover will be reprising his Solo role, but fingers crossed…
The Acolyte
Leslye Headland's Star Wars show has been rumored for some time now, but it was officially announced by Disney on Thursday with the title The Acolyte. The upcoming series from the Russian Doll creator will be a mystery-thriller set during the final days of the High Republic era and will welcome audiences into a galaxy filled with secrets and the emerging dark-side in a period rarely discussed.
Willow
After more than 30 years after the release of Ron Howard's Willow, Warwick Davis will return as the lovable sorcerer in Jon Chu's (Crazy Rich Asians) upcoming Disney+ series of the same name. This new Willow will be set decades after the events of the original film but will continue the same spirit and sense of adventure from the 1988 classic.
Secret Invasion
The partnership formed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) in Captain Marvel and then shown again in post-credits scenes in Spider-Man: Far From Home later in 2019 will be the subject of the new Disney+ live-action series Secret Invasion. Based on the epic crossover comic event, the new series will showcase a faction of the Skrulls who have been secretly on Earth for decades.
Ironheart
Dominque Thorne, who made her acting debut in 2018's If Beale Street Could Talk, has landed her first television gig with the upcoming Disney+ Ironheart. Based on the Marvel comics title of the same name, the show will follow genius inventor Riri Williams as creates the most sophisticated suit of armor since the creation of Iron Man.
Armor Wars
There isn't just one upcoming Disney+ about a famous set of armor from the pages of Marvel Comics now that Armor Wars has been announced. This new series starring Don Cheadle as James Rhodes, aka War Machine, follows Tony Stark's best friend as he deals with the fallout of Stark's tech falling into the wrong hands.
I Am Groot
There's no such thing as too much Baby Groot and Disney+ aims to prove that with the upcoming series of animated shorts following the cutest and dirtiest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy with I Am Groot. Whether or not Vin Diesel returns to voice the adorable character remains to be seen, however.
Baymax
Walt Disney Animation Studios will make its first foray into the world of television with the 2022 release of Baymax, which takes place in the imaginative and fantastical city of San Fransokyo from the Oscar-winning Big Hero Six. Besides the title, involvement of director Don Hall, and an early 2022 release window, not much is known about the upcoming series at this time.
Zootopia+
Another recent Disney animated hit, Zootopia, will soon get the short-form television treatment when Disney+ releases Zootopia+, a series that will dive into the intriguing city and its diverse inhabitants. With returning characters and new additions taking up residence in massive city, expect to see all sorts of adventures when the show debuts in spring 2022.
Iwájú
Disney+ will also be the exclusive home to the original animation series Iwájú when the show premieres at some point in 2022. Created through a partnership between Disney and Pan-African comic book entertainment group Kugali, the science-fiction series will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, and will explore themes like class, innocence, and going against the grain.
Tiana
At long last, The Princess and the Frog will be getting its own Disney+ series. Titled Tiana, the show will focus on the new princess of Maldonia as she balances her life in her new kingdom and her hometown of New Orleans. When the series premieres in 2023, it will be the first time a Disney princess will have her own Walt Disney Animation Studios series.
Moana, The Series
Also premiering in 2023 will be Moana, The Series, which will bring the music, heart, and breathtaking art from the 2016 animation sensation. The series will follow the adventurous Moana as she ventures beyond the reef and connects with the world beyond.
Beauty And The Best Prequel
Those how loved Luke Evans' Gaston and Josh Gad's LeFou in the 2017 live-action Beauty and the Beast adaptation will be glad to hear that a Disney+ prequel series based on the villain and his loyal best friend is in the works.
Swiss Family Robinson
The classic tale of Swiss Family Robinson will soon get a new lease with the debut of the Disney+ series based on the classic 19th Century novel and Disney film adaptation of the same name. This modern reimagining of the timeless story of a family shipwrecked on a deserted island will be spearheaded by Ron Moore (Outlander) and Jon Chu (Crazy Rich Asians).
Pixar Popcorn
One of the best things about seeing a Pixar movie in the theaters is getting to enjoy one of the animation studio's charming shorts before the main feature. In January 2021, Disney+ will release a new collection of shorts called Pixar Popcorn, which will feature various Pixar characters in short, bite-size stories from some of the studio's brightest and most inventive animators.
Dug Days
Dug, the lovable dog from Pixar's Up will get his own collection of animated shorts starting in Fall 2021 with the introduction of Dug Days. These short films will follow the lovable talking dog as he deals with events that happen in his backyard each day.
Cars
Another Pixar classic will be getting its own spinoff series in the coming years, as Disney announced the Cars animated series that will call Disney+ home starting in Fall 2022. The series will follow Lightening McQueen and Tater as they embark upon a cross-country road trip. They will come across new friends and those from the past as they visit imaginative destinations filled with adventure.
Win Or Lose
Disney+ will be the home to the first original Pixar animated series when Win or Lose debuts in 2023. The series will follow a coed middle school softball team as they prepare for a championship game. Each episode will be told from the perspective of a different player and will explore drama both on and off the field. In typical Pixar fashion, Win or Lose will blend comedy, drama, friendships, and rivalries along the way.
Genius: Martin Luther King Jr.
The scripted National Geographic series Genius from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard has previously explored the lives of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, and Aretha Franklin, and the fourth season will focus on American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. The upcoming installment will follow King as he sets out to change the world in the mid-20th Century and how he became the icon we know him as today.
A Real Bug's Life
Not to be confused with the 1998 Pixar film with a very similar name, the upcoming Disney+/National Geographic Channel series A Real Bug's Life will show viewers the microsized creatures that call New York's Central Park and our own backyard home through inventive and technologically-advanced filming techniques.
America The Beautiful
The upcoming Disney+/National Geographic series America the Beautiful will follow in the footsteps of programs like Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, and the various Disneynature films and tell a gripping story of the American landscape. Regions like the Frozen North, the Wild West, the Grassy Heartland, the Deep South, and the Mountainous High Wilderness will be explored in beautiful detail when this series lands on the streamer.
Welcome To Earth (Working Title)
With a combination of Jane Root, Darren Aronofsky and Will Smith, the upcoming Disney+ docuseries Welcome to Earth (Working Title) will take viewers on an unparalleled journey around the globe. Through the use of cutting-edge technology, Smith will explore the highest highs, the deepest depths, and the hidden worlds around the globe.
These are just all the new shows that will call Disney+ home in the coming months and years. There are also a ton of already announced Star Wars movies and shows, Marvel adventures, and all other stories that will be available on the streaming service in the years to come.
