The Walt Disney Company put the full force of its entertainment, sports and streaming ecosystem on display at its 2026 Upfront presentation held at the North Javits Center in New York, unveiling an expansive slate of upcoming films, series, sports programming and platform updates while placing fandom and live entertainment at the centre of its growth strategy.

According to a Disney statement, the presentation marked the Upfront debut of Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, who took the stage alongside more than 100 on-stage celebrities and personalities from across Disney’s film, television, streaming and sports portfolio. The showcase featured appearances from stars including Robert Downey Jr., Anne Hathaway, Lindsay Lohan, Paul Bettany, Tom Hiddleston, Shaquille O’Neal, Ewan McGregor, Olivia Colman and Quinta Brunson, before concluding with a live performance by singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo.

The company used the presentation to reinforce its positioning around large-scale entertainment franchises, ad-supported streaming growth and live sports programming. Rita Ferro, President of Global Advertising at Disney, highlighted the company’s focus on combining premium storytelling, live events, technology and audience scale across platforms.

One of the major announcements from the event was the confirmation that Marvel’s ‘VisionQuest’, starring Paul Bettany, will premiere on Disney+ on October 14, 2026. Bettany appeared alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Hiddleston during the Marvel segment of the presentation, which celebrated the future roadmap of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Disney also announced that ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ will begin streaming on Disney+ from June 24, 2026. Actor Sigourney Weaver introduced the update during the event. Meanwhile, Rosario Dawson confirmed that Ahsoka Season 2 is scheduled to launch on Disney+ in early 2027, adding that production on the new season has already wrapped.

Across television and streaming, Disney revealed first looks and updates for several upcoming projects. Anne Hathaway introduced Josh D’Amaro at the start of the event while promoting ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’. FX and Hulu also unveiled previews of multiple upcoming originals, including ‘Cry Wolf’, ‘The Shards’, ‘The Land’, ‘Count My Lies’ and ‘The Spot’, featuring stars such as Brie Larson, Olivia Colman, Lindsay Lohan, Shailene Woodley, Claire Danes and Ewan McGregor.The presentation also leaned heavily into sports and live programming. Disney and ESPN spotlighted their growing partnership with the NFL ahead of Super Bowl LXI, which will air on ESPN and ABC. Several Super Bowl-winning players, including Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Troy Aikman and Jerry Rice, appeared on stage alongside ESPN personalities to discuss upcoming coverage plans.

Disney additionally highlighted its broader 2027 live-events lineup, which includes the College Football Playoff Championship Game, the GRAMMY Awards, Super Bowl LXI and the Oscars. The company positioned these tentpole events as central to its advertising and audience engagement strategy moving forward.

The event also included updates around Dancing with the Stars, College GameDay and The Simpsons, alongside the announcement that the Scrubs revival has already been renewed for a second season after becoming the top new comedy of the season.

Closing the evening, Jimmy Kimmel introduced Olivia Rodrigo, who performed live for attendees, bringing the large-scale Upfront showcase to an energetic finish as Disney underscored its ambition to dominate across entertainment, streaming and sports in the years ahead.