D23 Recap: Star Wars Lands, New Films & More

Star Tours–The Adventures Continue

–Later this year, the ride will include a new adventure featuring locations and characters from the upcoming film

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

. 

Star Wars

Launch Bay

–Opening later this year, this interactive experience will take guests at both parks into

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

as well as the first six films in the

Star Wars

saga.

Season of the Force

–This new seasonal event, beginning in early 2016, will let guests explore the

Star Wars

galaxy with special entertainment, themed food locations and Hyperspace Mountain, a re-imagining of the classic Space Mountain attraction. Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also feature a new fireworks spectacular set to the score of the

Star Wars

movies on weekend nights.

Jedi Training Academy

–A favorite of younger fans is re-imagined with a new experience that includes new characters and a new villain to battle from the Disney XD series "Star Wars Rebels."

Rivers of Light

–Expected to open next spring, Rivers of Light will combine live music, floating lanterns, water screens and animal imagery.

Pandora–The World of

Avatar

–This new

Avatar

-themed land will feature floating mountains, a bioluminescent forest and the winged creatures known as Banshees.

Avatar

Flight of Passage

–This attraction, the centerpiece of Pandora, allows guests to soar on a Banshee over a vast alien world.

Jurassic World

director Colin Trevorrow has been tapped to direct

Star Wars

:

Episode IX

, which is set for release in 2019.

Star Wars

:

Episode IX

will conclude the third trilogy of

Star Wars

movies that will begin with

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Dec. 18. Production won’t begin for a few years, but Trevorrow is heading to Lucasfilm this year to begin working with artists and fellow

Star Wars

directors.

Rogue One–

The cast was announced for the first standalone

Star Wars

movie, which will tell the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. Among the actors slated to participate are Felicity Jones, Diego Luna and Ben Mendelsohn. “

Rogue One

takes place before the events of 

Star Wars: A New Hope

 and will be a departure from the saga films, but have elements that are familiar to the 

Star Wars

 universe,” says producer Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm. “It goes into new territory, exploring the galactic struggle from a ground-war perspective while maintaining that essential 

Star Wars

 feel that fans have come to know.”

Untitled Han Solo film–Part of the new

Star Wars

stories series, this standalone film is slated for release May 25, 2018.

Gigantic

–Walt Disney Animation Studios' unveiled plans for a new take on the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, featuring music from the songwriters of

Frozen

. Set in Spain during the Age of Exploration,

Gigantic

will follow adventure-seeker Jack as he discovers a world of giants hidden within the clouds. The film is slated for 2018. 

Marvel’s Doctor Strange–

The film, which is now in pre-production, will star Benedict Cumberbatch when it open in the U.S. Oct. 26, 2016.

Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War

–The film will pick up where

Avengers: Age of Ultron

left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, a new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain. The film will open in the U.S. on May 6, 2016.

The Finest Hours–

This newly announced film is based on the true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the Coast Guard and will star Chris Pine. The film will open in the U.S. Jan. 29, 2016.

The Jungle Book–

Newcomer Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of candidates to play the character of Mowgli, was introduced. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s 1967 animated classic, the live film will hit theaters April 15, 2016. 

Alice Through the Looking Glass–

A preview was given of this sequel to 2010's

Alice in Wonderland,

which will arrive on U.S. screens May 27, 2016.

Pete’s Dragon

–

B

ryce Dallas Howard talked about her starring role in the upcoming reimagining of the classic Disney film, which will open in the U.S. Aug. 12, 2016.

Queen of Katwe

–Lupita Nyong’o introduced the this new movie, which is based on the true story of a girl from the slums of rural Uganda who dreams of becoming a champion chess player. 

Beauty and the Beast–

This live-action musical, a retelling of the studio’s animated classic, will include fresh recordings of the original songs as well as several new songs when it arrives in theaters March 17, 2017.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales–

Johnny Depp made a surprise appearance to preview the next film in this franchise, which will open in the U.S. July 7, 2017.

Zootopia–

Shakira will lend her Grammy-winning voice to Gazelle in this animated film, which will also star Ginnifer Goodwin (ABC’s “Once Upon a Time) and will debut March 4, 2016.

Moana–

Dwayne Johnson, who will voice to the mighty demi-god Maui in Walt Disney Animation Studios’

Moana

, shared early test footage and revealed plans for the film’s music.

The Good Dinosaur

–New sequences were unveiled for the upcoming Disney·Pixar film, including never-before-seen footage of a trio of T-Rexes in action. The film hits theaters Nov. 25, 2015.

Finding Dory

–new details were revealed about the plot of this, which reunites Dory with friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. The film arrives in theaters June 17, 2016.