We got a ton of great questions for this mailbag. If you want your questions featured in the next mailbag (Q2) tweet at me (@TripleZ_87) or @BoardwalkTimes your question. You can also email us at boardwalktimes@yahoo.com.
Could Disney officially release a teaser of Disney × Fortnite/Epic Games Universe at the earnings call?
I mean, they could, but I would be very surprised to see that happen this quarter. I still think the marketing for the Disney/Epic Games Universe will coincide with D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Will The Mandalorian and Grogu update at Smugglers Run affect the (Fortnite) game and vice-versa?
This has been a goal of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge since the very beginning. I don’t know if the integration with Fortnite will be ready by the time they do The Mandalorian and Grogu update. I know Josh D’Amaro has teased that things that happen in the parks will also affect things in the Epic Games Universe, but it may just be a bit too early to tell.
Is Bob Iger replacing all the workers with AI at Disney? That would be terrible!
He’s not.
You previously mentioned the company has big plans for Mickey100 in 2028. What can we expect? New parades and attractions, theatrical shorts, big screen movie, merchandise, etc?
I sure did. Mickey100 is going to be a company-wide celebration. So first things first, expect synergy across all of Disney’s divisions. Merchandise is a lock for sure. As for parades, attractions, theatrical shorts, and a movie? I don’t know about all of that. I know they will do some integrations with the Disney Parks, but this is also in 2028, so it’s a few years away. Maybe we can get some shorts on Disney+? I don’t see a movie happening, but hey, I would love to be wrong.
I do think it would be cool if they somehow were able to update Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway into a Mickey100 tribute, but that would require a lot of time, money, and resources to pull off.
Should Disney remove The Hall of Presidents due to the political climate?
I believe if Disney even attempted to remove The Hall of Presidents right now, it would cause a stir and create unwanted headlines. You also have to remember the Hall of Presidents truly flies under the radar from an attention standpoint unless it’s an election year. I just don’t think this is a priority for them, as they already have a ton going on construction-wise at the Magic Kingdom, not to mention I don’t see them touching any of the American-centric attractions during America’s 250th this summer.
Why does Disney keep promising to return to hand-drawn animation, yet still hasn’t?
Probably because they don’t have the proper pipeline and enough hand-drawn talent to do it. That’s just my take.
In your view, should the Disney Princess line be retired and replaced with a focus on non-royal heroines?
In my view, I don’t think so. The Disney Princess brand is actually one of Disney Consumer Products’ best-selling franchises. It’s also a pretty beloved part of the Disney brand.
Do we have any updates on Pirates of the Caribbean 6? Is the film even in production, and if it is, what stage of production are we in?
It’s not in production, but they have been working on a script for a while. It’s definitely a priority for Jerry Bruckheimer, though, as he has spoken about it on a few occasions. I think your best hope is that it’s a surprise D23 announcement. Disney would love to bring Pirates back to its theatrical slate.
If D’Amaro is appointed as the new CEO of Disney, what do you think he’ll do differently from Iger in terms of leadership?
A fascinating question, and I’ll try to keep my answer as concise as possible. A thing that Josh D’Amaro did before all the other Disney executives was embrace social media. I could see D’Amaro continuing to embrace social as CEO. He’s also going to continue to focus on gaming and tech company relationships as well. So that’s a pretty big contrast from Iger, especially with the gaming and social.
I also think D’Amaro may even embrace The Wonderful World of Disney aspect of the CEO role, similar to how Michael Eisner did as well. I also think D’Amaro, if appointed as the new CEO, will focus on the overall morale of the company right away, as he is a Disney veteran.
Next year is the last year of Kevin Feige as President of Marvel Studios, as it’s said in his contract. Do you think Disney will replace him in a similar way to Lucasfilm with two people as the big heads of the studio?
Not a lot of people are picking up on the fact that Feige’s contract expires in late 2027. For the longest time, I never understood why Marvel Studios was rushing towards these two Avengers films, but now, in my own head, it’s the fact that Feige wanted to get to Secret Wars just in case he decides to leave at the end of his contract.
I could see Feige re-upping at Marvel Studios or with Walt Disney Studios in general, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some future succession planning at Marvel. Brad Winderbaum now oversees Streaming and Animation. Maybe Feige will delegate even more?
The Disneyland 70th POV ride attractions were a big hit with everyone. Do you think they’ll consider doing pro shots of park shows like Festival of the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast for the streaming service down the line?
I think they could do that down the line for sure. It’s definitely plausible.
Will Mickey’s Toontown ever be revived at Walt Disney World?
Ahh, Toontown! This is likely a no unless we see some major expansions at Walt Disney World. I think the best shot at a Mickey Mouse and Friends land will be the upcoming Walt Disney Studios Courtyard and The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
If the live-action Moana is a success (obviously will be lol), do you see them doing a live-action Moana 2, or is this it?
Yes, but also live-action sequels to Disney live-action remakes have been tricky.
Disney will announce a sequel, and it will stall. Lilo & Stitch 2 has a real shot at reversing the curse. But for your question, if live-action Moana does big numbers, they would go and do live-action Moana 2, but they would probably try and call it something else? It will also depend on where Disney Animation’s Moana 3 falls in the upcoming schedule. But they will likely want to do another live-action film with Catherine Laga’aia if the live-action Moana makes money.
Is the upcoming Winnie the Pooh movie completely animated or live-action/CGI like Christopher Robin?
I’m leaning towards it being live-action/CGI just because I know the upcoming Walt Disney Animation Studios slate is pretty packed, and I can’t imagine Winnie the Pooh being on it. Maybe Disney Television Animation would be doing the animation for a film? But still, I am leaning towards this being something similar to Christopher Robin.
If Disney and Lin-Manuel Miranda are planning to do a big-screen movie adaptation of Hamilton, do you think they’ll announce it at the next D23 Expo, and do you think it’ll be split into two parts like Wicked?
A downright delightful question! I do think this is something that is bound to happen. Now, will they announce it at D23? I think it may be too soon. But that would be a worthy announcement for the Honda Center, all things considered.
I also think they would definitely split the story of Hamilton into two parts for two reasons.
With Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie put on the backburner for now, do you think the film being put back into production will depend on if we see The Mandalorian and Grogu be a box office hit w/ $500M WW against a $144.65M-166.4M budget and if we see Ahsoka Season 2 (allegedly the final season) be a viewership ratings hit for Disney+, when it hits the service (allegedly) in November? Do you think Mando & Grogu will be a box office hit with that much, too, despite trolling against it on the internet?
I think Filoni’s Mandoverse Heir to the Empire film is on the back burner because he has an entire studio to run. What James Gunn is doing at DC Studios is rare; most creative execs don’t have time to write and direct films (look at Jennifer Lee stepping down at Walt Disney Animation Studios).
I do think the film may eventually get put back in production, but Filoni may not be the director. Also, it truly depends on how the Mandoverse plays out. Let’s see what happens in The Mandalorian and Grogu and Ahsoka Season 2. Regardless, I think there’s quite a story to tell in The New Republic and with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Also, Filoni’s Heir to the Empire is a rare opportunity to make Star Wars: Episode 6.5.
I also think, despite the concerns, The Mandalorian and Grogu will do well at the box office. It’s been years since we’ve seen these characters. Some may think it’s a Disney+ thing, but at the end of the day, this is Star Wars.
With Pixar’s Gatto now moved up to March 5, 2027, will Disney have to make sure they do their best to market Gatto well and make sure it’s a movie worth seeing in theaters to make it a box office hit, if a key part of that is securing IMAX screens for it? And what can they do to ensure it’s a box office hit? Should they have the first teaser play with Toy Story 5 in June?
IMAX is one thing, but creative marketing is another. Attaching a teaser to Toy Story 5 isn’t a bad play either. I think building Gatto around the fact that it’s the same filmmaker from Luca would be smart. Luca performed well on streaming, and a lot of kids probably grew up watching it. The key for Pixar will be getting that younger demo to show up and getting families to show up.
Now that The Simpsons Movie sequelis set for Labor Day Weekend 2027 it is seemingly the only hope left for a chance of a mainstream 2D/hand-drawn animated film renaissance in Hollywood should the sequel be a huge box office hit, what should Disney make for their film to bring back hand-drawn animated theatrical films to Disney? My thinking is either a sequel to Hercules since it is the only animated Disney movie to not have been given a direct-to-video sequel, a Mickey Mouse movie for his 100th birthday, or an original idea with mainstream appeal. But what do you think, Zach? What do you think Disney should make for their film to bring back hand-drawn animated theatrical films on a grand, mainstream scale?
I don’t think The Simpsons will be ushering in a 2D/hand-drawn renaissance. I think if The Simpsons Movie sequel hits, it’s because of its writing and nostalgia. But the whole 2D/hand-drawn comeback is a fun hyphothetical and I’ve been asked about it a lot. I think Mickey Mouse would be a fun one. Hercules would work too. But something about a Mickey Mouse comeback would be compelling. For what it’s worth, I know a lot of people have joked that they wish Mufasa: The Lion King was a 2D animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios and not live-action.
How are the chances of old projects from Lucasfilm such as Rangers of the New Republic, Droids, The Acolyte, etc. still happening in some way with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan as the new heads?
I could see some old projects resurfacing. Rangers of the New Republic, I’ve often said, could be done with various characters. I don’t think we will see Droids, but maybe we will see a Tales of the Droids at some point. A new entry in The Acolyte seems unlikely, but hey, maybe it’s revisited by Lucasfilm Animation?
What is the possibility of The Hunt for Ben Solo getting greenlit? Are the executives more persuaded to greenlight the film after all the fan reception?
Outgoing Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, in her exit interview with Deadline, was speaking of The Hunt for Ben Solo as if it were an active project. Whereas Adam Driver, Steven Soderbergh, and others have made it seem like it was dead.
I actually think The Hunt for Ben Solo has a good shot at getting the greenlight. It’s Disney’s own version of the Snyder Cut, Disney’s very own Coyote vs. ACME! Lucasfilm/Disney would be foolish not to just give fans what they want. I still have a conspiracy that were getting Star Wars: Episodes X to XII. I think they never wanted to end at Episode IX, but it was the easiest way to market it.
Any information on the Kingdom Hearts franchise? An adaptation, a Fortnite collab, or updates on KH4?
I wish I could divulge more, but the Fortnite collab part in the question raises my eyebrows. I’d also say there has been more of an acknowledgement from Disney as of late, specifically on the Disney Experiences side on the impact of Kingdom Hearts.
I still believe we will see a film and or Disney+ series adaptation in the near future and potential Disney Parks integrations.
There were two series to be streamed on Disney+. Moana and Tiana. One got repurposed into a movie, but the other one got totally scrapped. Why such a different fate for both?
Well, Tiana didn’t entirely get scrapped. It’s now being repurposed into a Disney+ special.
But truly, the different fates for both are due to box office potential.
People are afraid that Hoppers may not have enough marketing and flop just like Elio. What’s your takeaway from this?
I believe we have seen a shift in how Disney does marketing. Unless it’s a rare project like Avengers: Doomsday, most projects receive the marketing blitz about a month out from release. I expect Hoppers to get this and to have a few brand partners. I also haven’t seen the social strategy for Hoppers yet. They did ride the early wave of Tom the Lizard becoming big on TikTok.
Regardless of marketing and opening weekend box office, I think Hoppers will likely have better word of mouth than Elio. The film and its concept seem much easier to explain.
Will Raya be among the usable characters in the coming Disney/OpenAI deal?
She may be down the line, but she is not expected to be in the first half of characters they launch with on Sora.
Do you think Pete Docter and/or Kevin Feige will be replaced as the respective heads of Pixar and Marvel Studios?
I don’t think so. But I am also biased. I think both Docter and Feige are awesome. They are both Disney Parks nerds like me.
Whatever happened to that mystery MCU movie slated to release between Doomsday and Secret Wars (originally slated for Summer 2027)?
Feige wanted to solely focus on Doomsday and Secret Wars. I’m not positive about what that film was originally going to be. Many speculated that they were going to do Doctor Strange 3 in that slot. Then I think they decided that less is more, and making the audience wait a full year to see the conclusion in Secret Wars will be the smarter play.
Will the new Magic of Disney Animation experience have lots of voice acting?
It’s going to showcase the animation process, but I don’t think there’s going to be a separate area for voice acting. However, I think we will see some voice acting from beloved Walt Disney Animation Studios characters throughout the experience. This could all change, of course, but if the experience is taking note from Once Upon A Studio, I’d expect some character voices.
Why are both Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar not making anything exclusively for streaming anymore? Neither long-form series nor even short films or documentaries?
They got spread too thin, so that’s why we won’t be seeing any long-form series from either studio. But I do think we should still get short films and documentaries on Disney+. I think we may just be in a lull right now.
Do you think Disney is working on more Zootopia attractions? Do to how well Zootopia 2 is doing. And do you think it will get to $2B?
Yes, I think Walt Disney Imagineering is definitely working on more Zootopia attractions for Disney Parks across the globe. I’m sure there is a lot of blue sky happening with the franchise.
I also don’t think it will hit $2 billion, but I think it will be pretty close.
Why did Disney never acknowledge Club Penguin after its closure? And would they acknowledge it through Fortnite, so they could attract the old audience in the same way they are attracting the old Disney Infinity audience?
Most likely because it wasn’t a priority. With that being said, I am not ruling out anything for Disney’s collaboration with Epic Games. We may see a ecclectic mix of IP and Club Penguin would fit that bill.
What’s the first new project you expect to be announced by Lucasfilm under its new leadership?
This is mentioned in my 26 Disney Predictions for 2026 piece, but I truly believe we will see Dave Filoni and Josh D’Amaro take the softball and announce The Hunt for Ben Solo at D23.
I could also see them announcing the Star Wars Disney+ series from Carlton Cuse and Nick Cuse.
Do you think Avatar 4 & 5 will get greenlit this year?
I think we will get an update on the status of those films this year. James Cameron seems eager to do a non-Avatar project. I also think Avatar works when we have super long gaps between entries. Maybe we see both Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 get delayed.
Will the project about the Making of Disneyland go back into development?
It would make for a good film. Disneyland Handcrafted also shows that you could easily dramatize that period and setting quite well.
Can we expect an announcement of Pirates of the Caribbean 6 at this year’s D23?
I wouldn’t expect it, but it would make for a cool surprise. Now, as we get closer, we may start hearing things.
What are we thinking about Tangled live-action’s release date? 2027? 2028? Announcement at D23 or earlier?
I’m thinking they get Tangled in the 2027 slate. That slate skews heavy animation and lacks a lot of live-action. I could see them announcing the date during D23.
With Jared Bush stepping into the role of CCO at WDAS should we expect any changes, particularly in terms of morale and development of films? And, if possible, could you share any insight into how these changes might shape the studio’s upcoming slate, like the 2028 film?
I think morale seems to be on the upswing after Moana 2 and Zootopia 2, but the real test is going to be Hexed.
Bush has teased the 2028 film as an original, and it seems to be something different from Walt Disney Animation Studios. It’s unclear if Bush means it will be a different style or whatnot. Bush says he’s already heard the stories for the next 15 years of Walt Disney Animation, and he seems pretty confident. Obviously, things can change, but it seems like the studio is on the upswing.
Any chance of a real Monsters, Inc. sequel?
I have an article in the works about this. I think there’s a real possibility. Pixar has also mentioned that they have looked at sequels to Monsters, Inc. and some of their other storied franchises before. But I think a real sequel could happen, especially with Monstropolis on the horizon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Are there any plans for reviving some old Disney TVA shows? (The Buzz On Maggie, Filmore, etc.)
Nothing that I know of at the moment.
What will be announced for Disneyland Park at D23?
Disneyland isn’t my home park, so I don’t always hear the buzz around potential rumors and upcoming projects. With that being said, Disneyland’s Tomorrowland desperately needs some love.
Any Frozen 3 and 4 information?
Nothing new to report on this one. I’m expecting some teases during D23. I think the key for Disney will be selling the fact that it needs to be two films.
Is Peyton Elizabeth Lee in final talks to play the Red Ranger in the upcoming Power Rangers reboot?
That seems to be the consensus from a few Power Rangers-centric news outlets. I’m actually going to defer to their judgment on this because it seems like those outlets and fans have been tracking it extremely closely. I’d say there’s a good chance there is truth to these reports. I haven’t done a ton of research on the Disney+ Power Rangers series yet.
Be sure to continue to follow Boardwalk Times for more coverage of The Walt Disney Company.
Support Boardwalk Times on Ko-Fi.
Support Boardwalk Times by shopping on Boardwalk Store:
If you like this article. Subscribe to my free newsletter Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore, a monthly dose of Disney, its businesses, and the wider themed entertainment industry.
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
