Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim didn’t just tease the future—it dropped casting bombs, release dates, and a nostalgia bomb nobody saw coming. From the MCU’s mutant debut to a cult-classic Simpsons game revival, here’s everything that mattered.
Marvel Finally Assembles the X-Men
The untitled X-Men film (May 5, 2028) has its core cast: Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Maya Boyd as Storm, and Inde Navarrette as Rogue. The villain? Adam Driver as Mister Sinister (Nathaniel Milbury).
This is the MCU’s most ambitious casting swing since the original Avengers. Driver as Sinister alone signals tonal seriousness. The date will likely shift—2028 is a lifetime in Marvel planning—but the intent is locked.
Star Wars: Ahsoka Goes Dark, Starfighter Gets a Date
Ahsoka Season 2 arrives January 20, 2027. The trailer reveals a “witchcraft-infused” tone with Grand Admiral Thrawn (blue skin, red eyes, unsettling calm) threatening galactic war post-Empire.
Star Wars: Starfighter locks May 28, 2027. Ryan Gosling, Matt Smith, Aaron Pierre, and Mia Goth lead. Footage shown at D23 hasn’t leaked publicly yet—Lucasfilm is keeping this one tight.
The Surprise: Simpsons Hit & Run Might Actually Return
Matt Groening, asked about a sequel to the 2003 cult classic The Simpsons: Hit & Run, said: “I think the original game is coming back in some form.” New showrunner Matt Selman immediately added: “Or not.” Their body language suggested Groening said the quiet part loud.
An HD remaster on modern consoles (PS Plus, Xbox backward compat) is the likeliest path. The original voice cast nailed it—no re-recording needed.
Pixar, Kingdom Hearts & More
- Pixar’s Ghost Market: March 2028. A lunch shop on Oʻahu serving lost spirits. Kyle stumbles into the supernatural. Brief glimpse only.
- Kingdom Hearts Anime: Square Enix + Disney TV. New storyline, Tetsuya Nomura onboard. No release window.
- Kingdom Hearts IV: Switch 2, PS5, Xbox, PC. First main entry since 2019. No date. KH1-3 collection hits Switch 2 October 8.
- The Bluey Movie: Teaser shown. 2D→3D CG shift divides fans.
- VisionQuest (Disney+): October 14. Paul Bettany + James Spader (Ultron in human form). WandaVision trilogy finale.
- Avengers: Doomsday: New trailer focused on RDJ’s Doctor Doom.
The Big Picture
D23 2026 wasn’t about one franchise. It was Disney flexing every lever: Marvel mutants, Star Wars darkness, gaming nostalgia, anime ambition, and Pixar weirdness. The X-Men cast is the headline. The Simpsons game whisper is the heart.
